The message k
from Sacha contains these words:

Ray came in 20 minutes ago and urged me outside "quickly, quickly"! There
in the small double greenhouse, perched on a cross bar was a Short Eared
owl. Ray had gone in there to check on a plant Charlie Pridham had given us
(so thanks, Charlie!) and heard an unfamiliar noise above his head. He
looked up to see the owl regarding him with great puzzlement. We think he
must have been in there all night or that he followed a mouse or some small
bird in there during the night, getting in through a broken pane, perhaps.
Matthew opened all the vents and the big sliding doors and I went round to
the other side of that house to the end where the owl was now perched. We
looked at each other for a few magical seconds and he flew off, out of the
vents and glided away, surrounded by a flurry of extremely surprised
sparrows!
Now, my question is, could this be the owl we've heard screeching a few
times?

I don't think so - they hoot - I've never heard of them screeching. They
also tend to be associated with moorland rather than areas with many
trees.

Your bird could have been resident, or a winter visitor.

--
Rusty
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