Short eared Owls (1 Viewer)

Reader

Well-known member

• Jan 15, 2004

• #1

Over the last few years we have been blessed in the Staffs / Warks area with these beautiful birds but this year they are conspicuous by there absence.

Are there other areas suffering a lack of these birds as we are?

 

Michael Frankis

conehead

• Jan 15, 2004

• #2

Very definitely, yes. I've not heard of a single report anywhere in Northumberland yet this year. Almost certainly due to a crash in vole numbers, after high populations last winter.

Michael

 

Brian Stone

A Stone chatting

• Jan 15, 2004

• #3

Dramatic reduction in wintering birds this year around Peterborough. Winter 2002/3 was a bumper one with 50-60 birds attracted to an explosion of voles (which also attracted record numbers of Kestrels). Even so we usually have more than the 3 or 4 we seem to have this winter.

 

Andrew Whitehouse

Professor of Listening

Supporter

• Jan 15, 2004

• #4

I haven't seen any yet this winter, and they're normally fairly regular around here. I've not heard of any reports locally either.

 

Binocularface

You've all got one...............!

• Jan 15, 2004

• #5

There is also a distinct lack of Short-eared Owls in Cumbria this winter, I have only heard a report of one sighting so far this year. I would agree with Michael on this, that this dearth is probably due to a a crash in vole numbers following the fantastic SEO numbers we had last winter!

 

F

fbeeldens

Well-known member

• Feb 17, 2004

• #6

Is the population crash a recent / cyclical event in the UK?

Down here I remember years when when heading to the "polders" near the coast or the delta up in Zeeland you saw them every time, often several birds at a time. That's been years and years ago though. Now they even make it to rare bird alerts in these parts.

How common are they as breeding birds in Britain these days?

Filip

 

IanF

Moderator

• Mar 6, 2004

• #7

Just saw my first of the year on Thursday morning at Saltholme Pond, Port Clarence. I watched it hunting for 20 minutes before it caught something and must have stayed down to eat it.

Great sight :t:

 

Reader

Well-known member

• Mar 6, 2004

• #8

Congrats Ian. I have visited a couple of sites where they have been reported but, as yet, no luck. The search continues but even those reports have dried up now. There are no reports of S E O on RBA even close to where I live.

 

stevo

Well-known member

• Mar 6, 2004

• #9

SEO although present in Hampshire this winter seem to be in short supply.I dont know the situation in Dorset but winter 2003 saw at least 11-13 on Portland alone,I saw a group of 3 together last winter.It would be interesting to know the number on the Isle of sheppey which had I believe huge numbers last winter.
Regards Steve.