The message k
from Sacha contains these words:

In that case, we have three types of owl around the place - this one, the
Little Owl and whatever it is that's screeching. Lovely!

Barn owl, then, or if it's a sort-of Keeee-vit!, a tawny owl.

--
Rusty
Men love women, women love children, children love hamsters.
(Alice Thomas Ellis)

"Sacha" wrote after "Bob Hobden" replied

The male Tawny Owl makes a hooting sound as above.
The male Barn Owl screeches.
The male Long Eared Owl make a very soft hooooting call with spaces
between.
Hooo......Hooo.......Hooo.....
The male Short-Eared Owl make a hooting sound that sounds more like it's
laughing. Hoo Hoo Hoo......
The Little Owl I would neither call a screech or a hoot, more like..
graaap.. gradually rising and getting louder until the p which is a
higher
single note, and the danger call is like a Blackbirds.

Then I don't think we've got Little Owls at all. I think those must be
the
Tawny Owl. I've never got a close look at those and I don't think Ray
has,
either. But does the Tawny Owl call in the day time, too? What we've
always thought were Little Owls seem to call at all times of day and
certainly not at night only. In fact, they seem to prefer calling when
it's just getting light in the morning or from about 2pm onwards, though I
have heard them at other times.

Just to confuse the issue, Tawny Owls tend to stay under cover until dark
but the introduced Little Owls are known to be active by day as are the
Short Eared Owls.
However, if the birds are hoo...hooting they are not Little Owls, only the
Tawny (the classic owl sound of films etc) and the Little and Long Eared
Owls make a hoo type sound.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

"Sacha" wrote
Then I don't think we've got Little Owls at all. I think those must be
the Tawny Owl. I've never got a close look at those and I don't think
Ray has, either. But does the Tawny Owl call in the day time, too? What
we've always thought were Little Owls seem to call at all times of day
and certainly not at night only. In fact, they seem to prefer calling
when it's just getting light in the morning or from about 2pm onwards,
though I have heard them at other times.

The Tawny Owl sound files are the nearest out of any likely candidates to
what I heard the other afternoon as well. According to the description they
are sometimes active during the day although generally nocturnal.

--
Sue

The message
from martin contains these words:

Who was it always had a block of paper and pencil beside his bed so
that he could write down any bright ideas he might have in his dreams?

Well, I did for a while, and when I read what I'd written the next
morning the stuff was always gibberish - or not exactly revelatory.

--
Rusty
Men love women, women love children, children love hamsters.
(Alice Thomas Ellis)

On 18/11/05 22:25, in article , "Bob Hobden"
wrote:


"Sacha" wrote after "Bob Hobden" replied

The male Tawny Owl makes a hooting sound as above.
The male Barn Owl screeches.
The male Long Eared Owl make a very soft hooooting call with spaces
between.
Hooo......Hooo.......Hooo.....
The male Short-Eared Owl make a hooting sound that sounds more like it's
laughing. Hoo Hoo Hoo......
The Little Owl I would neither call a screech or a hoot, more like..
graaap.. gradually rising and getting louder until the p which is a
higher
single note, and the danger call is like a Blackbirds.

Then I don't think we've got Little Owls at all. I think those must be
the
Tawny Owl. I've never got a close look at those and I don't think Ray
has,
either. But does the Tawny Owl call in the day time, too? What we've
always thought were Little Owls seem to call at all times of day and
certainly not at night only. In fact, they seem to prefer calling when
it's just getting light in the morning or from about 2pm onwards, though I
have heard them at other times.

Just to confuse the issue, Tawny Owls tend to stay under cover until dark
but the introduced Little Owls are known to be active by day as are the
Short Eared Owls.
However, if the birds are hoo...hooting they are not Little Owls, only the
Tawny (the classic owl sound of films etc) and the Little and Long Eared
Owls make a hoo type sound.

I'll have to try to get a closer look at whatever-it-is, then. The closest
I've got was a couple of years ago when two babies ( think) were sitting in
the big cedar at the bottom of the garden, with the parent hooting from
across the valley, apparently trying to encourage them to hunt. It was deep
twilight so we could only see the silhouettes against the evening sky. I
think I'll have to get Ray to do his imitation of them, which is startlingly
good, tape it and send it to you!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

On 18/11/05 22:36, in article
, "Sue"
wrote:


"Sacha" wrote
Then I don't think we've got Little Owls at all. I think those must be
the Tawny Owl. I've never got a close look at those and I don't think
Ray has, either. But does the Tawny Owl call in the day time, too? What
we've always thought were Little Owls seem to call at all times of day
and certainly not at night only. In fact, they seem to prefer calling
when it's just getting light in the morning or from about 2pm onwards,
though I have heard them at other times.

The Tawny Owl sound files are the nearest out of any likely candidates to
what I heard the other afternoon as well. According to the description they
are sometimes active during the day although generally nocturnal.

If what we hear hoo hooooo-ing are Tawnies, they're often active during the
day round here, though they do seem to disappear for long periods. When
they're active round here, we hear them a good deal in daylight.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

On 18/11/05 23:06, in article ,
"martin" wrote:

On Fri, 18 Nov 2005 17:58:53 +0000, Sacha
wrote:

On 18/11/05 17:13, in article
, "BAC"
wrote:


"Sacha" wrote in message
.uk...
On 18/11/05 11:28, in article
, "Jaques d'Alltrades"
wrote:

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.
snip
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.

In that case, we have three types of owl around the place - this one, the
Little Owl and whatever it is that's screeching. Lovely!


If it's a hissing screeching sort of noise, it's probably a barn owl, tytus
alba (apologies if spelled incorrectly).


I think so but to be honest, when it wakes you up out of a sound sleep at
4am, you're not inclined to make notes. ;-)

Who was it always had a block of paper and pencil beside his bed so
that he could write down any bright ideas he might have in his dreams?

I tried that once when I was going through a phase of not sleeping very
well. When I looked at the pad next morning, it was utter gobbledegook and
not one word appeared to be in any known language - and the writing.....! I
decided not to examine my psyche any further!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

SNIP

The Tawny Owl sound files are the nearest out of any likely candidates to
what I heard the other afternoon as well. According to the description
they
are sometimes active during the day although generally nocturnal.

If what we hear hoo hooooo-ing are Tawnies, they're often active during
the
day round here, though they do seem to disappear for long periods. When
they're active round here, we hear them a good deal in daylight.
--
Apparently many birds, due to human activity patterns and particularly light
pollution, are extending their active hours to the point where birds in the
cities are effectively 24 hour birds. Presumably owls will be subject to the
same influences.

Steve

On 19/11/05 11:50, in article , "shazzbat"
wrote:


SNIP

The Tawny Owl sound files are the nearest out of any likely candidates to
what I heard the other afternoon as well. According to the description
they
are sometimes active during the day although generally nocturnal.

If what we hear hoo hooooo-ing are Tawnies, they're often active during
the
day round here, though they do seem to disappear for long periods. When
they're active round here, we hear them a good deal in daylight.
--
Apparently many birds, due to human activity patterns and particularly light
pollution, are extending their active hours to the point where birds in the
cities are effectively 24 hour birds. Presumably owls will be subject to the
same influences.

I doubt that round here because in our area there IS no light pollution!
Admittedly there are lights (few) in Ashburton and no doubt in Totnes but
there isn't a street light to be seen round here, thank goodness. And while
there will be lights from houses, it's not exactly an urban area and is
pretty much pitch dark at night. And Dartmoor itself isn't exactly well
lit, so I don't think that's very likely to be a problem for 'our' owls,
really.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

The message
from "shazzbat" contains these words:

SNIP

The Tawny Owl sound files are the nearest out of any likely candidates to
what I heard the other afternoon as well. According to the description
they
are sometimes active during the day although generally nocturnal.

If what we hear hoo hooooo-ing are Tawnies, they're often active during
the
day round here, though they do seem to disappear for long periods. When
they're active round here, we hear them a good deal in daylight.
--
Apparently many birds, due to human activity patterns and particularly
light
pollution, are extending their active hours to the point where birds in the
cities are effectively 24 hour birds. Presumably owls will be subject
to the
same influences.

With the Clean Air Act it's a lot more difficult to turn on the darkness
these days.

--
Rusty
horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co full-stop uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

"Sacha" wrote

I'll have to try to get a closer look at whatever-it-is, then. The
closest
I've got was a couple of years ago when two babies ( think) were sitting
in
the big cedar at the bottom of the garden, with the parent hooting from
across the valley, apparently trying to encourage them to hunt. It was
deep
twilight so we could only see the silhouettes against the evening sky. I
think I'll have to get Ray to do his imitation of them, which is
startlingly
good, tape it and send it to you!

Sacha, I've found this site....

http://www.owlpages.com/owls.php?location=Europe

Which has the sounds of all the owls in question although only small bits,
turn your sound right up, have a listen with Ray and let us know.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

On 19/11/05 17:19, in article , "Bob Hobden"
wrote:


"Sacha" wrote

I'll have to try to get a closer look at whatever-it-is, then. The
closest
I've got was a couple of years ago when two babies ( think) were sitting
in
the big cedar at the bottom of the garden, with the parent hooting from
across the valley, apparently trying to encourage them to hunt. It was
deep
twilight so we could only see the silhouettes against the evening sky. I
think I'll have to get Ray to do his imitation of them, which is
startlingly
good, tape it and send it to you!

Sacha, I've found this site....

http://www.owlpages.com/owls.php?location=Europe

Which has the sounds of all the owls in question although only small bits,
turn your sound right up, have a listen with Ray and let us know.

Thanks, Bob but I've been right through that one. I am now as sure as I can
be that we have the Tawny Owl, as you describe it and that the screecher is
a Barn Owl. I don't know who, years ago, told Ray that the Tawny is a
Little Owl but the noise we hear bears no resemblance to a Little Owl's
call. That said, our Tawny Owls are certainly calling in broad daylight at
times.
And very many thanks to everyone who has helped over this conundrum. I'm
extremely grateful because I really do like to know what we have around here
- we all do - and it's such a privilege to have them here.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

"Sacha" wrote
Thanks, Bob but I've been right through that one. I am now as sure as I
can be that we have the Tawny Owl, as you describe it and that the
screecher is a Barn Owl. I don't know who, years ago, told Ray that the
Tawny is a Little Owl but the noise we hear bears no resemblance to a
Little Owl's call. That said, our Tawny Owls are certainly calling in
broad daylight at times.
snip

I've just noticed a short documentary piece in next week's tv listings -
BBC2, Wed 23rd at 8:50 - 9 pm: 'The Owls and the Orchard', a year in the
life of a pair of Little Owls.

--
Sue

In that case, we have three types of owl around the place - this one, the
Little Owl and whatever it is that's screeching. Lovely!

Barn owl, then, or if it's a sort-of Keeee-vit!, a tawny owl.

This has been a very interesting thread and I have put lots of new
links in my owl folder :-)
Last night in the dark something screeched very loudly at me and I
dropped a bucket of cold water all over me feet, not very funny,
certainly made me jump :-)
kate

On 20/11/05 17:56, in article
, "Sue"
wrote:


"Sacha" wrote
Thanks, Bob but I've been right through that one. I am now as sure as I
can be that we have the Tawny Owl, as you describe it and that the
screecher is a Barn Owl. I don't know who, years ago, told Ray that the
Tawny is a Little Owl but the noise we hear bears no resemblance to a
Little Owl's call. That said, our Tawny Owls are certainly calling in
broad daylight at times.
snip

I've just noticed a short documentary piece in next week's tv listings -
BBC2, Wed 23rd at 8:50 - 9 pm: 'The Owls and the Orchard', a year in the
life of a pair of Little Owls.

Lovely, thanks for the nudge!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)