OUT SHOOTING

[Kevin Massey]

While out shooting bunnies for fresh moulting fuel......we were confronted with this clan.........they were as bold as brass, chattering to the mother, watching every move we made, heads bobbing....i recon if i had a chick they would have come down for it they were so relaxed !!

[Kevin Massey]

little critters

[Ben C]

Those are brilliant, me and Lucy are laughing are arses of as we look at them. Massive head for such small brains...........bit like me. :) :) :)

[Saker-Clive]

It's really exciting when that happens; even now when we go out over 2 of the golf course we shoot on, I know that we will see a barn owl on one and a tawny and barny on the other. I get quite excited and then just watch them from 20 feet away in the tree. :cool: :razz:

[Finnish]

Good pic,s Mass how many rabbits did you you shoot.

[Bubo]

phew i panicked on reading the thread title :P absolutely lovely!! they are funny little dudes great pics thanks for puttin em up

[Kevin Massey]

Good pic,s Mass how many rabbits did you you shoot.

9

kev

[Kevin Massey]

we see loads of Barnie's,tawny's and little owls........... in fact most the time we see this one pair of barn owls while they are hunting.....they are totally oblivious to us being there and just carry on, most the time we don't have the camera.....but on this occasion it was in the car...and i couldn't resist.

Kev

[Sparrow Hawker]

Great pics Mass,

Regards,

HH

[Sean]

nice pics :)

[Saker-Clive]

I've just got back from my mornings session with a mate Harris Man, and we had a bumper morning of wildlife to see as well as the 12 rabbits we shot. 1 Roe deer, a couple of foxes and 3 just fledged long eared owls. One of them, the smallest was sitting precariously on a low branch and we were able to get to with in 3 feet of it before it tried to fly off. It must have been the youngest of the 3 as it was much more downy compared to the other 2. They also had the start of the tufts showing.
It didn't get far and plopped onto the ground. I was a little concerned as the foxes were not far away and didn't want it to be got at. We watched for a bit but it just sat there; so I went closer and it went into defence mode. Open wings and snapping its beak. I was able (rightly or wrongly) to get it on my arm and put it into a tree high up. We watched it a little longer but it decided to jump back onto the ground. The other 2 were calling but we couldn't see or hear the parents. I put it back up into another tree nearer its siblings and moved on. When we came back 20 minutes later, we could see them up in the tops of the tree :lol: We then saw a barn owl 50 yards up the way. Hopefully Harris Mans, pictures come out and I'll post them up. Phone camera so I don't know what the quality will be like.

[Bubo]

what a morning mate that sounds just lubbly jubbly!! cant wait for piccies. (oh you did rightly by the way hehehe).

[Saker-Clive]

i was in two minds about it but the thought of the foxes comming in and taking it would have upset me. (I know it's nature). I didn't 'touch it though as such. I placed my cap over it's head and placed my arm by its feet. It climbed up and sat there in defence mode but very soon settled. 'I wanted to hug him and pet him and call him George!'

[Bubo]

:lol: :lol: touching the owl is not really a problem apart from the fact you may get bitten or scratched but the parents would still have taken him back even if you did touch him. They dont have a sense of smell so it wouldnt have been a problem. You are right the foxes were a danger!!
glad you did get em out of harms way.

bubs

[Saker-Clive]

I've got 4 great pics on my daughters mobile but she has no credit on it !!!!!!!!!! :evil: as soon as I PUT MY HAND IN MY POCKET, I'll get them posted up.
I have been told that they are not very common down this way, so I will be keeping the location secret and hopefully keeping a close eye on them in the near future.

[Saker-Clive]

Well I just had to go back this morning to make sure that 'George' was OK....................we saw all 3 again in a dead tree but the 2 older ones flew to a dense nearby tree and dopy George came down to the ground again :? :wink: :roll: ...............................................enj oy these.

[Saker-Clive]

I took the camera today :D here are his 2 'brothers in hiding' not very clear but the excitement and the fact that I didn't want to disturb them too much got the better of me :P .....................................

[Snudz]

I have been told that they are not very common down this way, so I will be keeping the location secret

:cry: :cry:

[Saker-Clive]

I might take you there mate but I will have to 'blidfold you' before we get there :twisted: :razz:

[Saker-Clive]

I contacted the RSPB today regarding 'George' and his siblings, to find out how scarce they are in our region. I sent them a few pictures so they could give a definate Id and they confirmed that they are Long Eared Owls and that they only know of 2 breeding pairs in the Sussex area. They also asked me to give them the exact location but I politely declined as they are on private land and I don't want all and sundry trapsing all over my shooting ground, or drawing any un-neccessary attention to them. I told them a vague area location and they were happy with that.

[Bubo]

great stuff SS and i am just as excited reading it as you were spotting them :wink: i know what am i like :P the second one of george is definately the best me thinks hahahttp://yelims5.free.fr/TopOuNul/Super12.gif
cheers mate

[Will]

(oh you did rightly by the way hehehe).

How, exactly? If I've read this thread correctly, the little fella was sat on a branch before his visitors arrived. It's always great to see sights like this when you're out, but if you can get pictures that good then frankly you're too damn close. But I think SS knows that, or he wouldn't have pondered it in his post.

[Saker-Clive]

You're right Will, I did get 'too close' but as I wasn't going to leave him on the ground, especially as there are a number of foxes about.
I can honestly say that I wanted to bring him home but we all know that would have been a major NO-NO!

I've just got back from the location and all 3 were in the same dead tree; I have been looking for the parents but they are going to be much to well camoflaged.
I have always been taught/told that an owl with gold/orange or yellow eyes are diurnal and dark eyes are nocturnal or crepuscular. All the bird books I have here, including an RSPB one states that the Long Eared owls are nocturnal!!!!! That being the case, why are the youngsters out in the middle of the day?

[Sparrow Hawker]

Good on you for keeping quiet on there exact location :wink:

What's the population like over the rest of the South Coast?

Regards,

HH

[Saker-Clive]

Not too sure but this is the e-mail sent last night from some 'bird register'......................................... .

Hi Clive

Thanks for the photos. Its good to know that at least
one pair has bred this year. As I said on the phone,
up to 4 or 5 pairs seem to breed most years, although
others are likely to go unseen. During the nesting
season it is rare enough to see the adults, let alone
young birds - I have been birding in Sussex for 21
years and have never seen young or a nest, and only
seen adults between March and September on very few
occasions (mostly on the Downs), so your sighting is
very important.

I must also reiterate that as a scarce breeding
species in Sussex the record will be treated with the
strictest confidence and the site details will not
appear in the yearly Bird Report (simply listed as 3
young seen at a site in the East of the County on the
Downs, or similar wording) and will be placed in the
database under the code for a site which is not to be
disclosed and thus the details will not pass to
anybody else.

Thanks again for the call, the photo and taking the
time to report the birds.

All the best

Christian Melgar

SOS Recorder

[Snudz]

Ever thought that someone was watching you?? :shock:

[Snudz]

We saw all three fledglings this morning but this was by far the best vantage point, from about thirty feet away. The other two were keeping themselves well hidden. Noisy little buggas though as we first approached. I bet they keep their mum running ragged. She's doing a great job though, i reckon they'll do just fine. :D

[MickeyDredd]

I have always been taught/told that an owl with gold/orange or yellow eyes are diurnal and dark eyes are nocturnal or crepuscular. All the bird books I have here, including an RSPB one states that the Long Eared owls are nocturnal!!!!! That being the case, why are the youngsters out in the middle of the day?

SS

The youngsters are effectively branchers at this age just like the tawnys at the start of this thread and as long-eared owls usually nest in old crows nests not holes in trees they cant stay totally hidden, therefore the fact that you've been fortunate to see them during the day doesn't make them diurnal.

With regard to eye colour, the short-eared owl has yellow eyes and is the only owl I'm aware of that can be seen hunting during the day in this country, but this is only really when they have young in the nest. They can be seen during the day before hatching time but this is because they nest in moorland areas where there is little cover and the male will sometimes do a fly-by of the sitting female.

Can you check your books to see if they are classed as diurnal.

Nice photos by the way.

[MickeyDredd]

Short eared owls from last year.

[Saker-Clive]

Update on George and his siblings.
Today is the first time we've been out shooting as last week I was a tad pre-occupied with Zarbu!!

Well today we didn't see them in the usual tree but after comming back 30 minutes later we spotted 2 youngsters, virtually all feathered up sitting tight up together. We watched them for a few minutes and moved a few feet up the path; overhead, an adult flew out and went into deep cover 30 yards away.:cool: As I looked back towards the 2, I could see George, sitting all by himself about 6 feet from the others!!!!!
He looked at me and just blinked. I decided to get closer and the other 2 moved to a nearby tree. Goerge sat there until I got to within 5 yards, then he flew to another tree :razz: this pleased me as he is showing his natural instincts and keeping clear of us humans!
If I go out again in the morning, I will try and get some more pictures to be able to compare them with 2 weeks ago.

We also saw, 5 roe deer; 1 mother and a youngster together, then 3 others, 2 'spiked' males and possibly a stag (we only got to see the back quarters as it passedbetween the bush.

[Finnish]

Some good pics there. Keep them coming.

[Will]

Good to see all three are doing well. Nicely spotted, SS! :)

[Saker-Clive]

Taking Wightwings out tomorrow morning; few rabbits then hopefully a few pictures of my babies :razz:

[Wightwings]

:snipe: absolutely....... :wink:

[Saker-Clive]

I met up with WW at 05:30 :shock: and we spent and hour and a half on one of my shooting grounds. We demolished a few rabbits then headed to another ground where the LEO's are.

They were very elusive today but we managed to see them in the end and get a few snaps. Unfortunately, because of the distance mine are not too clever but hopefully WW's will be much better :!: They looked like they were fully feathered up even compared to yesterday, except for some downy parts around the facial disk. In all we saw 4 birds again and they were much more independant. We did get to within 10 feet of one, which I imagine was George :D

[Wightwings]

thanks for a great morning clive...ssssoooooooooooooo many wabbits :shock: :shock:

these photos are not too much clearer but they are ok.

[Wightwings]

another

[Wightwings]

and one more

[Saker-Clive]

The first one was 2 weeks ago...compared to now!

[Falconry Equipment International]

HI CLIVE , WW & SNUDZ, only just picked up on this thread, brilliant thread, pics as well mateys,( incidentally the pair breeding on the estate(owned by the rothschild family) I live on ( we also have SEO, LO & of course BO & TO) have produced 2 this year that have now fledged
all the best
SJ

[Bubo]

this is a great thread and the progress of george and al is fantastic thanks clive

[Saker-Clive]

Just a quick update........got back from a mornings massacering and we saw George and his siblings and 1 adult. They are flying superbly and hiding much more in the dense cover. George even gave us a couple of fly-pasts so we got a real good look at him in the air :razz:

I will try and get some more video and if poss. get it up on here.

[Wightwings]

wicked Clive. anyone know when the young uns are likely to go and establish there own terratory or will they stay around for the full season?

[Saker-Clive]

I was told that they will stay with the adults til the end of summer, then they will be chased away!!!!

We heard them calling this morning :lol:

[Claire]

With regard to eye colour, the short-eared owl has yellow eyes and is the only owl I'm aware of that can be seen hunting during the day in this country, but this is only really when they have young in the nest. They can be seen during the day before hatching time but this is because they nest in moorland areas where there is little cover and the male will sometimes do a fly-by of the sitting female.

Can you check your books to see if they are classed as diurnal.

Nice photos by the way.

back to the nocturnal thing all owls are capable of flying and hunting during the day, some do some don't but here in east Anglia we have lots of barn owls and i have often seen them hunting during the day, this ruins the eye colour theory as they have dark eyes, they seem to prefer overcast days though but this is because of the heat rather than the light

[Saker-Clive]

What time of day hve you seen them? they like hunting at dawn and dusk, which makes them 'crepuscular', but in general they are nocturnal.

[Claire]

Ive seen them at around 10 am in summer and at around 3 pm again in summer so its not dawn or dusk, must admit i see them more at dusk but have seen them on numerous occasions in full daylight, we have wild barn owls on the park where i volunteer and have at least once called the harris's back because there was a wild barn owl hunting.

driving home last week at 9pm (so yes this one was dusk) a saw a kestrel first then a couple of miles down the road I saw a barn owl, It was pretty cool to see the two within 5 mins

[MickeyDredd]

Claire

Thats very interesting. i've seen barn owls at 7.30am (so later than dawn) and at dusk but never "during the day".

I assume they are hunting more during the day at this time of year due to having large young to feed, or if they are not actually hunting they could be youngsters perhaps.

Anytime I've lifted a female from a nest site in daylight to ring youngsters the adult bird has been given a lot of grief by gulls and crows so I would imagine this would have put them off hunting during the day. Did you observe this at all when you saw the barn owls ?

[Claire]

no never seen one getting mobbed, the most blatent daytime hunting I have seen was over mashland in the middle of nowhere. have you never noticed their plumage is camoflage for daytime not night, white underneath so anything looking up thinks they are seeing a cloud and the markings on their backs looks like the long grass they are hunting in. Am sure the daytime hunting must be because they have young to feed and the night is short at the moment because the prefered time is usually dawn and dusk

and the wild birds on the park can be spotted at any time the park is closed really so before 10am and after 5.30 pm

[MickeyDredd]

Claire

Despite a barn owls markings being darker than most people imagine, if you see one flying in broad daylight from even a reasonable distance it looks pretty white and sticks out like a sore thumb.

Camouflage is pretty irrelevant when its dark as you suggest, but the fact that the female is normally more heavily marked than the male I think would contradict your assumption given that the male does most of the hunting, so why have him disadvantaged in the camouflage stakes?

Just my thoughts.

[Claire]

i think barn owls are far less camoflaged at night though they are easier to spot at night with all the white underneath than they are during the day

[MickeyDredd]

But surely when you saw the owl hunting over marshland in the middle of nowhere you could see it from a great distance (which any raptor/crow/gull also could), whereas at night you would have to be very close (without a torch / car headlights) to see it.

Hence less requirement for camouflage at night. No?

[Claire]

dont know why the barn owl wasnt getting mobbed but it wasnt, and yes agree that they dont need so much camoflage at night but what they do have is more geared towards the day, they prefer dawn and dusk but do hunt during the daytime.

[Bubo]

i agree barnies will hunt during the day if prey is scarce.

[Shaun Byrne]

I see barnies at all times of the day around me, they tend to stay out of the mid day sun though.

[Bubo]

I see barnies at all times of the day around me, they tend to stay out of the mid day sun though. hawka you are just a jammie guy :wink:

kadabra hates the sun, never once have i seen him soak up the rays.

[Kevin Massey]

Was talking about this yesterday

[Gaz]

Excellant moulting food:) ..did you get um all Kev??:twisted:

[Kevin Massey]

Excellant moulting food:) ..did you get um all Kev??:twisted:

jeeeezz gaz you'll have sean all over this thread now:roll: :lol:

[BuzzBee]

Excellent reading :supz: :)

[Kevin Massey]

just that paddy and i were parked under that tree yesterday

[GosFlyer]

me and a pal were lying in the heather waiting for a roe buck to stand up then we could shoot it. we waited for over an hour and tried all kinds to get it up without spooking it but no joy, our hours entertainment while we were waiting was watching a pair of barn owls hunt the valley below us, one caught a vole and disapeared over the hill possibly to feed young with it. its nice to see all these BOP doing well on our patch. thursday night an osprey flew up the same valley carrying a fish in their usual head first way awsome stuff.:yawinkle:

[Sandeep]

While out shooting bunnies for fresh moulting fuel......we were confronted with this clan.........they were as bold as brass, chattering to the mother, watching every move we made, heads bobbing....i recon if i had a chick they would have come down for it they were so relaxed !!

HOPE YOU DIDNT SHOOT THESE MISTAKING THEM FOR BUNNIES..:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :lol: :lol: