Return of the Eagle Owl: BBC 2, Wednesday16th 8pm
- Thread starter Beer Monster
- Start date
Eagle owls could easily survive anywhere in this country. My wife works at a raptor sanctuary and one of their Eurasian Eagle Owls recently escaped and went on a two-week holiday in the local area, an intensively farmed and heavily populated bit of Cambridgeshire. It does this regularly about once a year and thrives. In fact it came back fatter that it left! 
Despite what the media idiots might say, there are large numbers of Eagle Owls in collections and as pets in the UK. I believe they did live wild in the UK until about 300 years ago and it would be great to have a wild population in our woodlands again . Just dont go out in a Davy Crockett hat
!
Ted W
Despite what the media idiots might say, there are large numbers of Eagle Owls in collections and as pets in the UK. I believe they did live wild in the UK until about 300 years ago and it would be great to have a wild population in our woodlands again
. Just dont go out in a Davy Crockett hat
! Ted W
I'm all for them, even though they take my favorite birds of prey, the buzzard and the barn owl.....................Jon
At a falconry demonstration recently I watched an Eagle Owl. The thing was huge. What worried me though was the fact that while rearing its young the adults will change their hunting habits from rabbits etc to take something as large as a deer. They also nest on the ground and will attack anyone who approaches the nest using the same hunting technique, Silent attack from the rear to put talons into spinal column at the neck.
What a fantastic bird!
Here's some additional info on the Dutch eagle owls.
There were 6 breeding pairs known in 2004 and a young bird was found on an additional location which may indicate an extra undiscovered nest site. This year there were 5 breeding pairs (with 17 chicks!). One of the nests was nearly destroyed when the company that owns the quarry was covering part of it with sand! Thanks to Paul Voskamp (who was also in yesterday's program) this action was stopped in time although the chicks left the nest the day after. Breeding birds were not just confined to stone quarries in the southern tip of Holland; There 's also a breeding site there on a rubbish dump and there are eagle owls breeding in treenests (which is very unusual for these birds) in the eastern part of the country and just across the border in Germany. There have also been increasing reports of eagle owls breeding on the forest floor in Germany so even without quarries or rocky outcrops there is room for more breeding pairs in Holland and the flatter area's of the UK. A Dutch eagle owl researcher, Gejo Wassink, reckons that there is space enough for 50 breeding pairs in Holland if the rabbit and wood pigeon populations would be up to their former levels. Imagine how many breeding pairs the UK could hold
The treenest was surveyed by Gejo and he found that the bulk of this pairs food items consisted of pigeons. He also noted that there are more sightings within village/city boundaries indicating a decreasing fear of humans. On one occasion, playing & yelling children :aargh4: (unaware of the owls) were within a few meters of the treenest without the owls being disturbed!
Tom
Here's some additional info on the Dutch eagle owls.
There were 6 breeding pairs known in 2004 and a young bird was found on an additional location which may indicate an extra undiscovered nest site. This year there were 5 breeding pairs (with 17 chicks!). One of the nests was nearly destroyed when the company that owns the quarry was covering part of it with sand!
Thanks to Paul Voskamp (who was also in yesterday's program) this action was stopped in time although the chicks left the nest the day after. Breeding birds were not just confined to stone quarries in the southern tip of Holland; There 's also a breeding site there on a rubbish dump and there are eagle owls breeding in treenests (which is very unusual for these birds) in the eastern part of the country and just across the border in Germany. There have also been increasing reports of eagle owls breeding on the forest floor in Germany so even without quarries or rocky outcrops there is room for more breeding pairs in Holland and the flatter area's of the UK. A Dutch eagle owl researcher, Gejo Wassink, reckons that there is space enough for 50 breeding pairs in Holland if the rabbit and wood pigeon populations would be up to their former levels. Imagine how many breeding pairs the UK could hold
The treenest was surveyed by Gejo and he found that the bulk of this pairs food items consisted of pigeons. He also noted that there are more sightings within village/city boundaries indicating a decreasing fear of humans. On one occasion, playing & yelling children :aargh4: (unaware of the owls) were within a few meters of the treenest without the owls being disturbed!
Tom
Moff8 said:
Yeah, but if i wanted to live safely I'd stay indoors...
I loved the Swedish guy's attitude: "They usually eat rabbits, but sometimes they take a cat, but there are lot's of cats here..." he shrugged. Class!!
Spacemonkey said:Yeah, but if i wanted to live safely I'd stay indoors...
I loved the Swedish guy's attitude: "They usually eat rabbits, but sometimes they take a cat, but there are lot's of cats here..." he shrugged. Class!!
Couldn't of put it better myself...............Jon
I love the idea of it...the programe did express some views that it may be detrimental but I see it as a sign that our ecosystem musy havea degree of health returning to it to support these predators..
Booosh
Booosh
Yes it was a brilliant programme. Think the buzzard population must be picking up in Scotland, drove down the A76 and A75 on Thursday morning and saw 6 plus 2 Herons. Definately the place to go bushcrafting if birds of prey is also your hobby.
Ian.
Ian.
