Owls

[Elen Sentier]

I live in a fairly remote spot surrounded by woodland and fields so get a wheen of Tawny and Barn Owls.


I was enjoying a wee dangle in my hammock not long ago halfway between snooze and wakefulness after a wee dram. I almost pooped my panties when

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58_8S5-tkoU

this sound woke me from above my tarp. Jings what a fright.

Windy

LOL! Millennia ago my dad was standing out in the front porch of our cottage in North Devon, having a quiet puff on his pipe (as one did then) when a barn owl, who was sat on the top of the porch, shrieked. He leapt out of his skin, banged his head on the porch lintel (it was only just 6ft) and swore profoundly, not repeating himself for 5 whole minutes. It was a revelation for teenage me The barn owl went over to the apple about 10 ft off and did it again. Dad copied her shriek (he was good like that), and a conversation ensued. Can't remember who had the last word

They really are the silent-winged white ghosts, gwenhwyfar ...

 

[Elen Sentier]

I don't think very far so throwing distance not a problem

Yes, there's a wee wood just aross the field from me here i go sit in. My uncle and dad taught me to sit still as soon as I could walk, would take me out in the woods and just sit, wait, watch, listen. I loved it, still do. Our buzzards quite often watch me when I'm out, sometimes we call to each other. Looking fwd to getting out with them again come Yule and feet good again. Fallow deer come there but I don't think we have roe hereabouts.

 

[Elen Sentier]

Was talking to a fella once, displaying owls and he reckons the barn owl was brought over to england after the crusades as a trophy or prize ?? Its the only `british` owl without feathers on its feet and the plumage colour makes it better suited to the sandy deserts of the middle east !! Still a beautiful bird to look at

Didn't know that either. They come in very old stories, older than crusades, so not sure about that. And the old name gwenhwyfar is far older than crusades too.

 

[Elen Sentier]

Envy ... would love to have an owl-friend.

 

[Bowlander]

Barn owls have the widest distribution of any owl species. Think they are present in every continent apart from the arctic/Antarctica.

 

[British Red]

We have a breeding pair of barn owls in the barn behind us. Little owls are lovely and new to us since moving to the fens - but we now don't get the short eared owls - they make a fantastic sound

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/s/shortearedowl/index.aspx

Our "very special" garden visitors are marsh harriers here - magnificent birds. The curlews crying around the house are quite eerie too.

 

[Filterhoose]

We have a breeding pair of barn owls in the barn behind us. Little owls are lovely and new to us since moving to the fens - but we now don't get the short eared owls - they make a fantastic sound

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/s/shortearedowl/index.aspx

Our "very special" garden visitors are marsh harriers here - magnificent birds. The curlews crying around the house are quite eerie too.

I was a volunteer warden at Caerlaverock WWT reserve near Dumfries. Used to watch SOE's everyday quartering for voles etc. Thats where I first learnt the word crepuscular, which is what an SEO is.

Windy

 

[British Red]

Its a wonderful sound isn't it? Really warm and friendly in tone