| | S | M | T | W | T | F | S | | 29 | 30 |
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
| |
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
12
| |
13
|
14
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
19
| |
20
|
21
|
22
|
23
|
24
|
25
|
26
| |
27
|
28
|
29
|
30
|
31
| 1 | 2 |  » Stats |
Members: 50,132
Threads: 82,290
Posts: 852,840
Top Poster: glsammy (15,069)
| | Welcome to our newest member, usioures65 | |  | | 
16-02-2012, 07:00 PM
|  | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 952
| | | Re: Short Eared Owl hunting time changes
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dogghound  How sure are you that the owls are still present?
Some owls will have started to move back to their breeding grounds now. They are also not very loyal to a site and as soon as prey numbers fall they will move one. The presence of marsh harrier is misleading in terms of prey availability as they will target a much broader spectrum of prey and are quite happy feeding on just birds and tend to put less pressure on a given group during the winter. Whearas the owls tend to be more restrictued to field voles, despite their abilty to catch and feed on birds. If owl numbers drop from say 5 to 1 it willmost likely result in the single owl being more nocturnal as it now has more hunting area, less pressure and potentially more prey. | Just seen this post.
As you can see there are some still there. But a number have obviously left.
And you have advanced a very plausible theory as to why the small number remaining could be hunting later.
I'll keep observing and keep reporting on what happens there.
Cheers,
Bryan
__________________
Please ignore the warning signs on my cage, you can feed the Yeti. |
17-02-2012, 08:09 AM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 706
| | | Re: Short Eared Owl hunting time changes
Keep watching Bryan, this may sound really silly, but when ever I am presented with a similar situation,( birds missing) my old dads words come to mind, -- just because you don't see nothing don't mean there's nothing there!. Trouble is Bryan you can't be every were at once, they could be hunting just round the corner, or indeed they could be gone. (Time will tell,) that's one of mine.  |
17-02-2012, 11:04 AM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 952
| | | Re: Short Eared Owl hunting time changes
Quote:
Originally Posted by Acipiter Keep watching Bryan, this may sound really silly, but when ever I am presented with a similar situation,( birds missing) my old dads words come to mind, -- just because you don't see nothing don't mean there's nothing there!. Trouble is Bryan you can't be every were at once, they could be hunting just round the corner, or indeed they could be gone. (Time will tell,) that's one of mine. | Good advice.
Thankfully there are several others, include Snake and a couple who drive out owl watching most nights, who also let me know what they see. And I question everyone I bump into on the Raptor Viewing mound! They must be getting fed up with me, but no one has said so yet.
But if a job is worth doing, it is worth doing properly...................
And seeing that one fly past the Viewing Mound last night was quite wonderful.
__________________
Please ignore the warning signs on my cage, you can feed the Yeti. |
26-02-2012, 07:43 PM
|  | Moderator | | Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Belvedere, Kent
Posts: 10,025
| | | Re: Short Eared Owl hunting time changes
I arrived yesterday at shortly after 3.30 and found two owls hunting over the fields to the west of the viewing mound. Phil (snake) was already there and said there had been a third owl too, at three o'clock. I parked in your favourite spot Bryan, and managed these shots...   
I kept willing the birds to come closer but they didn't. I like these somewhat wider views anyway!
Dave P.
__________________
(a.k.a. "Horizontal Dave")
"A good man is hard to find, especially if he's hiding. In a field. With combat fatigues and a false beard." - Wilson Dixon |
26-02-2012, 09:03 PM
|  | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 521
| | | Re: Short Eared Owl hunting time changes
It was good to see you again Dave, pleased you got some great shots, I especially like the owl on the post.
Even though they did not come close, what a glorious afternoon just to watch them hunting in the sunshine.
When I left you I took the dog down for his run and came across two more shorties hunting the rough grass behind the yards.
First ones I have seen in that area for a few weeks so there must be a few birds moving through.
Here's the best shot I managed.  |
26-02-2012, 09:22 PM
| | Moderator | | Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Belvedere, Kent
Posts: 10,025
| | | Re: Short Eared Owl hunting time changes
Quote:
Originally Posted by snake Even though they did not come close, what a glorious afternoon just to watch them hunting in the sunshine. | My thoughts exactly. The photos, when we get 'em, are the icing but the cake is delicious anyway! Quote:
Originally Posted by snake When I left you I took the dog down for his run and came across two more shorties hunting the rough grass behind the yards. | Quote:
Originally Posted by snake Here's the best shot I managed. | Lovely!
Dave P.
__________________
(a.k.a. "Horizontal Dave")
"A good man is hard to find, especially if he's hiding. In a field. With combat fatigues and a false beard." - Wilson Dixon |
26-02-2012, 10:09 PM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 952
| | | Re: Short Eared Owl hunting time changes
Nice shots guys. I do like the post shot. Tells a story about where the bird is hunting.
I wasn't there yesterday, spent a day up in the Peaks visiting Sunnydale.
Got there today at 15.20 an hour after the action started. On and off until nearly six. Only ever saw three birds up at one time, but over that length of time I reckon there could well have been more than three.
A whole load turned up last week. Certainly by Thursday when six or even seven were certainly at Shellness and Capel Fleet at the same time.
From all the action reported since then and if I was allowed to guess I'd say ten or more have arrived. But that is not a proper count.
Surely they must be new arrivals after the weather/prey issues, (maybe the two were closely linked), saw the others go.
But what we have no way of telling is if these are from a general re-circulation of those over-wintering in Southen England. Or if they have come from the Continent. And who cares as long as they stay a few weeks.
Photography is not as easy as before. They are hunting a much wider area. The whole of the normal field to the West/North West of the Viewing point. Plus the dykes and the "set aside" field South of the road. Got neck ache today trying to follow them all around.
My noctural viewing there, (am I turning into an Owl?), shows the Owls' prey are running around alongside and across the road. So the area still has Owl food in it. And about now the voles should start breeding again.
Cheers,
Bryan
__________________
Please ignore the warning signs on my cage, you can feed the Yeti. |
28-02-2012, 08:26 PM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 952
| | | Re: Short Eared Owl hunting time changes
The good number of Short-Eared Owl that arrived last week continues. Usually 3 or 4 visible hunting from the Capel Fleet View Point most days at present. Starting from 14.00 to 15.30. But reports have seen some hunting the adjacent Swale NNR in the mornings.
The good news is that for non photographers the Raptor View Point is by far the best place to see them.
The news is not so good for us photters! This "batch" are hunting a much wider area than the first influx of the winter. They are using all fields, (360 degree arc), around the View Point, and going some distance whilst doing that. So there is no easy place to stop and photo them.
I am seeing quite a lot of small mammals running across and alongside the road. Varying in size from what I guess are field mice and field voles up to what look like smallish rats.
Come on you voles, breed, breed, (they should be by now). We want those Owls to stay here into April.
Cheers
Bryan
__________________
Please ignore the warning signs on my cage, you can feed the Yeti.
Last edited by KentYeti; 28-02-2012 at 08:29 PM.
|
28-02-2012, 08:39 PM
| | Moderator | | Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Belvedere, Kent
Posts: 10,025
| | | Re: Short Eared Owl hunting time changes
When I was there on Saturday, one of the owls was repeatedly flying very close to the view point. I was tempted to drive up there but the light would have been in the wrong direction and I'd have ended up shooting towards the sun. Plus, if I'd moved the owl would have immediately flown along the ditch - contrary beggar! 
Dave P.
__________________
(a.k.a. "Horizontal Dave")
"A good man is hard to find, especially if he's hiding. In a field. With combat fatigues and a false beard." - Wilson Dixon |
29-02-2012, 07:42 AM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 952
| | | Re: Short Eared Owl hunting time changes
Quote:
Originally Posted by pressld2 When I was there on Saturday, one of the owls was repeatedly flying very close to the view point. I was tempted to drive up there but the light would have been in the wrong direction and I'd have ended up shooting towards the sun. Plus, if I'd moved the owl would have immediately flown along the ditch - contrary beggar!
Dave P. | Dave, we need to set up a training school for Short-Eared Owls. Reckon Snake should be the headmaster as he lives in amongst them.
Cheers,
Bryan
__________________
Please ignore the warning signs on my cage, you can feed the Yeti. | | | |
| Thread Tools | | | | Display Modes |  Linear Mode |
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
| | |
| | | 25 members and 421 guests | | a4gom, artdemole, Big Rob, Bladderwort, chattycaff, darrenm, Dorts, Douglas, GuyF, JaySteel, Johnny Redgate, Johnny81, Kevin Lawson, matt1234, mlilliman, moonpenny01, nightingale67, RobinP, rogpow, RoyW, Sofija, tcvarlh, usioures65, Za, ~T~ | » New Wildlife Posts |  Snake ID Today 01:45 PM 5 Replies, 6 Views | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | » New Environment Posts | | | | | | | | | » New Activity Posts | | | | | | | | | » New Community Posts | | | | | | | | | |
