Owl Class

[woodsorrel]

Hi Everyone!

I felt like Harry Potter as I strolled into “Owl Class”. This was one of the most interesting and strange classes I have ever taken.

The lesson was divided into three sections. First was a presentation on the seven resident owl species in my part of California. Second was a face-to-face with three captive owls. And finally there was a night-hike adventure visiting three separate owl “hot spots” in a local national park.

These birds are HUGE!!! My pictures do not do them justice. Here is an example:

This was the largest, a Eurasian Eagle-Owl. It was the only owl in the class not native to the United States.


Observing owls is a great activity to do in camp after a long day on the trail. This class opened my eyes to it.

Has anyone had any interesting owl encounters?


- Woodsorrel

 

[Joonsy]

Has anyone had any interesting owl encounters?

Luminous barn owls

http://www.owlpages.com/articles.php?section=Studies+and+Papers&title=Min+Min

 

[Barn Owl]

Used to ring (band) wild barn owls, put boxes up for them in farms and forest etc.

 

[Harvestman]

By calling like a tawny owl, which is a very common species near me, I can get them to come towards me, often within 5-10 yards, to check out what I am. Newly fledged youngsters will follow me, begging for food.

All rather fun.

 

[Robbi]

Brill ! I'd love to do that.

 

[John Fenna]

I have flown Owls at a Bird of Prey Centre near us, I often see Owls (mainly Tawnies) in my normal Bushy camp area and we have the noisy B.......s hooting away for hours in the woods opposite our house.
Driving around in the evenings we often have Barn Owls and Tawnies swoop in front of our vehicle.
I have also worked with someone who has a pet Owl...

 

[woodsorrel]

Joonsy, have you actually seen a luminous barn owl? The summary in the link does not mention any sightings more recent than 1947.

Barn Owl, that sounds like a really cool job! I am interested to hear about your experience putting up boxes for them. In the US, a big threat to owls is that most of us cut down our dead trees. These tend to be nesting sites for cavity dwelling owls. Apparently it is not too difficult to put up a nest box for owls. But its construction and location have to be perfect or the owls will die from one of a variety of threats. For that reason some organizations here sell/provide owl boxes and free consultation to people who will put them up.

Harvestman, how do you call in an owl? Is there a certain technique to it? I would love to learn how to do this. Is it something you can describe for us how to do?

- Woodsorrel

 

[Robbi]

Luminous barn owls

http://www.owlpages.com/articles.php?section=Studies+and+Papers&title=Min+Min

I've never heard of such a thing.

 

[birchwood]

@ Harvestman , I too have called tawnys in (also woodpeckers) .
Had a pet barn owl ages ago.
There are lots of owls about here. usually in the tree above Gooners hammock .

 

[Harvestman]

Harvestman, how do you call in an owl? Is there a certain technique to it? I would love to learn how to do this. Is it something you can describe for us how to do?

- Woodsorrel

Basically make the same noise that they are. They come towards you to find out what you are, either as a possible mate or a rival to see off. Or an adult that might feed them. They get confused when they see you, but they believe their ears more than they believe their eyes.

 

[Joonsy]

have you actually seen a luminous barn owl?

how do you call in an owl? Is there a certain technique to it? I would love to learn how to do this. Is it something you can describe

I haven’t seen one personally, many years ago there was word getting around that there was one spotted in north Shropshire, I knew an old fellow that claimed he had seen it.

Regarding calling tawny owls they respond quite well and it’s quite simple, just cup your two hands together and blow through the gap between your two thumbs, it takes a bit of practice to get the right sound just keep playing with the gap till you succeed. When you make the call allow a little time between each attempt (just a minute or so) for the bird to respond, don't go mad calling every few seconds. It’s only the male tawny owl that makes the classic ‘hoot’ call, the females call is a ‘kewick’.

I have also seen short eared owls hunting in the daytime (these owls hunt regular during daylight) they look quite big when they fly, and fly quite low to the ground, they can often be seen around the Kingsbury Water Park area in the midlands.

When out lamping rabbits I have often seen little owls on the ground, I guess they are looking for worms/food.

 

[Birdingben]

Here's some recorded examples of Tawny Owl - just search for other species:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/explore?query=tawny+owl

 

[woodsorrel]

Harvestman and Joonsy, thanks for the owl calling tips.
Birdingben, I found the site very helpful and I've bookmarked it for the future!

- Woodsorrel

 

[Robson Valley]

1. For decades, I had a large cottage in a lakeside resort village, north of Regina,SK.
The great plains of wheat fields and mice.
Late evening entertainment was to drive up out of the valley after dark
and cruise the back roads looking for owls. Usually a dozen or more.
Some on fence posts, some on the ground with kills.

2. Our Ruffed Grouse are forest edge birds, somewhat similar to the Yorks Red Grouse which I have watched.
Hunting the Bowron River valley logging roads, I never wanted to leave until the legal shooting light was gone.
Twice: by hugging the steering wheel, I could look up and see an owl surfing in the slipstream above the top edge of the windshield.

 

[woodsorrel]

... Twice: by hugging the steering wheel, I could look up and see an owl surfing in the slipstream above the top edge of the windshield.

Very cool! I wonder how they learned to do that?...

- Woodsorrel

 

[Robson Valley]

That was twice in 10-15 years. I too, have wondered how and when they learned that trick.
You catch a flicker of shadow above you with your periferal vision.
Constant speed, try to watch both the road and look up. They would catch a ride on me
for a mile or more. Being quite territorial, they each have their space. Possibly Great
Horned Owls but I was sort of busy without enough time for a study as they slide back and forth.

There was a time in the Bowron River valley, about 1976/77? when a great wind storm flattened the place.
Salvage logging of the blow-down meant 1,000 truck loads a day for several years. Owls of that day and time
must have figured it out. They can hover above and a little back of the tops of very big trees,
looks like they put no effort into it at all = surfing.

7AM. Another place, another hunt, another time. I knew I was in a particular GHOwl's "hoot zone."
Back into the truck to warm up and pour a cup of coffee.
SWISH over the truck. WHAM! in the roadside grass 50' in front of me.
The owl had nailed a bush rabbit.

Soon learned that the owls have great trouble lifting off with a kill like that.
While the owl can fly, they end up dragging the rabbit down the raod with dust and pebbles going everywhere.

 

[Pterodaktyl]

Last year, while walking through the woods on the way to a bat survey, my wife and I must have disturbed a tawny owl doing something at ground level. As it flew away it made a alarm call, somewhere between a kee-vik and a hoot, but much harsher. We're both used to owl noises, but the sudden explosion of sound right in front of us was pretty heart-stopping!

Sent from my SM-T210 using Tapatalk

 

[British Red]

We are surrounded here by barn owls and they are regular garden visitors. Far fewer tawnies here, but we do have an abundance of Little Owls

They are not afraid of horses

Little Owl and shire by British Red, on Flickr

Or me! They just give me a hard stare

Little Owl on ground by British Red, on Flickr

They will use my garden furniture though

Little Owl by British Red, on Flickr


We also love the male short eared owl call - very strange sound

http://www.wildowl.co.uk/Asio_flammeus_Male.mp3

 

[British Red]

Oh - really talented owls can do push ups too!

Owl Push Ups by British Red, on Flickr

 

[Macaroon]

Oh - really talented owls can do push ups too!

Owl Push Ups by British Red, on Flickr

That's a stunning picture!