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#1
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OT Little Owls
I've asked this question on the birdwatching group with no success, so I
hope someone here might be able to answer my query: We've had Little Owls the garden for years and are accustomed to hearing them calling at various times of the day and then going off for part of the summer. However, although they were with us this spring, they seem not to have returned and we can't imagine why, barring accidents, of course. The ones we've had before have raised young successfully and there is plenty of food for them because we are in the middle of farming land and much of it is organic. We don't use pesticides on the Nursery, either. Can anyone shed any light on this or do we have to accept that we've lost them? Do they go away for longer periods than we're accustomed to and then return either still later in the year, or perhaps the following spring? -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.co.uk South Devon (remove the weeds to email me) |
#2
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I've asked this question on the birdwatching group with no success, so I hope someone here might be able to answer my query: We've had Little Owls the garden for years and are accustomed to hearing them calling at various times of the day and then going off for part of the summer. However, although they were with us this spring, they seem not to have I dont know enough about owls to be able to help but the Birdforum people are very good, maybe they can tell you what might be going on. kate http://www.birdforum.net/ |
#4
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"Sacha" wrote in message k... I've asked this question on the birdwatching group with no success, so I hope someone here might be able to answer my query: We've had Little Owls the garden for years and are accustomed to hearing them calling at various times of the day and then going off for part of the summer. However, although they were with us this spring, they seem not to have returned and we can't imagine why, barring accidents, of course. The ones we've had before have raised young successfully and there is plenty of food for them because we are in the middle of farming land and much of it is organic. We don't use pesticides on the Nursery, either. Can anyone shed any light on this or do we have to accept that we've lost them? Do they go away for longer periods than we're accustomed to and then return either still later in the year, or perhaps the following spring? I am not an expert on little owls, but (and forgive me if this is self evident) if their population has declined in your area recently, it is probably in response to a change in conditions in the area, which do not suit the birds. Pesticide poisoning does not seem likely in the circumstances you describe. You say there is plenty of food, but is it the preferred variety, available at the critical times? Has someone 'tidied up' the farmland, perhaps eliminating suitable nesting sites (Little Owls commonly nest in rabbit burrows, hollow trees, derelict buildings, etc.)? Little Owls are small birds, and their ground nesting habit makes them vulnerable to predators like cats and mink, have these been on the increase? They are also vulnerable to RTAs, have you had a new road through near their nesting areas? Little Owls are an introduced species (first released in the UK in the late 19th Century) which prey in part on native songbirds which are also in decline, so I suppose it is not entirely impossible that a landowner wishing to promote songbird population levels might manage his lands in a manner designed to discourage little owls, e.g. by reducing availability of known nesting sites. As the birds have a diurnal habit, it is quite easy to spot them. Not that I have heard of such deliberate persecution, of course, but you never know. As to whether you'll get them back, only time will tell. I hope you do, but, like many species, Little Owls have not been having the best of times since their peak in the 1930s. |
#5
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On 31/8/04 2:19 pm, in article
, "BAC" wrote: "Sacha" wrote in message k... I've asked this question on the birdwatching group with no success, so I hope someone here might be able to answer my query: We've had Little Owls the garden for years and are accustomed to hearing them calling at various times of the day and then going off for part of the summer. However, although they were with us this spring, they seem not to have returned and we can't imagine why, barring accidents, of course. The ones we've had before have raised young successfully and there is plenty of food for them because we are in the middle of farming land and much of it is organic. We don't use pesticides on the Nursery, either. Can anyone shed any light on this or do we have to accept that we've lost them? Do they go away for longer periods than we're accustomed to and then return either still later in the year, or perhaps the following spring? I am not an expert on little owls, but (and forgive me if this is self evident) if their population has declined in your area recently, it is probably in response to a change in conditions in the area, which do not suit the birds. Pesticide poisoning does not seem likely in the circumstances you describe. Very unlikely, I think, especially given the length of time they've been round here without harm. You say there is plenty of food, but is it the preferred variety, available at the critical times? Has someone 'tidied up' the farmland, perhaps eliminating suitable nesting sites (Little Owls commonly nest in rabbit burrows, hollow trees, derelict buildings, etc.)? Little Owls are small birds, and their ground nesting habit makes them vulnerable to predators like cats and mink, have these been on the increase? They are also vulnerable to RTAs, have you had a new road through near their nesting areas? No new roads nearby - we live among some of the narrowest lanes in Devonshire! I don't think cats have increased and certainly not on our property; I don't know that we have any mink at all round here. It's possible that a recently sold-for-development farm has been 'tidied up' already but I don't know that and I don't think so. We don't know exactly where they nest but have seen the fledged young in our Atlantic Cedar and heard the adults in the garden very regularly, so our impression is that either they nested somewhere in the garden or nursery, or possibly the church next door. We heard them at all times of day, including the early rays of dawn. Little Owls are an introduced species (first released in the UK in the late 19th Century) which prey in part on native songbirds which are also in decline, so I suppose it is not entirely impossible that a landowner wishing to promote songbird population levels might manage his lands in a manner designed to discourage little owls, e.g. by reducing availability of known nesting sites. As the birds have a diurnal habit, it is quite easy to spot them. Not that I have heard of such deliberate persecution, of course, but you never know. I rather doubt anyone in this small village would do anything to disturb such birds. As I say, they were with us this spring and we don't know of anyone who is new to the area or who would behave in this way. As to whether you'll get them back, only time will tell. I hope you do, but, like many species, Little Owls have not been having the best of times since their peak in the 1930s. We're crossing our fingers because we hate to think of them disappearing from our lives! -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.co.uk South Devon (remove the weeds to email me) |
#6
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"Sacha" wrote in message k... On 31/8/04 2:19 pm, in article , "BAC" wrote: "Sacha" wrote in message k... I've asked this question on the birdwatching group with no success, so I hope someone here might be able to answer my query: We've had Little Owls the garden for years and are accustomed to hearing them calling at various times of the day and then going off for part of the summer. However, although they were with us this spring, they seem not to have returned and we can't imagine why, barring accidents, of course. The ones we've had before have raised young successfully and there is plenty of food for them because we are in the middle of farming land and much of it is organic. We don't use pesticides on the Nursery, either. Can anyone shed any light on this or do we have to accept that we've lost them? Do they go away for longer periods than we're accustomed to and then return either still later in the year, or perhaps the following spring? I am not an expert on little owls, but (and forgive me if this is self evident) if their population has declined in your area recently, it is probably in response to a change in conditions in the area, which do not suit the birds. snip We're crossing our fingers because we hate to think of them disappearing from our lives! See www.barnowltrust.org.uk/Forms/No_32.pdf which contains information about Little Owls, including instructions on the construction and siting of nesting boxes suitable for them. If they have 'lost' natural nesting opportunities in your area, providing an alternative might help. I hope you have them back soon. |
#7
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On 31/8/04 7:35 pm, in article , "BAC"
wrote: snip See www.barnowltrust.org.uk/Forms/No_32.pdf which contains information about Little Owls, including instructions on the construction and siting of nesting boxes suitable for them. If they have 'lost' natural nesting opportunities in your area, providing an alternative might help. I hope you have them back soon. They must be reading urg! We heard them last night at about 11pm. I'm really thrilled and delighted to hear them again and shall be keeping my ears open from now! -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.co.uk South Devon (remove the weeds to email me) |
#8
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They must be reading urg! We heard them last night at about 11pm. I'm really thrilled and delighted to hear them again and shall be keeping my ears open from now! hurrah for the little owls :-) |
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