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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Essex Owls (1 Viewer)

Steve_Halstead

Sparrow or Crow?
Do you know of any good locations for owls this summer in Essex.

I have had a couple of friends out running claiming to have seen a little owl between Colchester and Braintree but try as I might I have had no luck getting a glimpse of any owls at all.

Any information, PM or public will be greatly appreciated

BB
 
Barn owls - breeding and on webcam at Blue House Farm. Got some cracking photos of one of them last week.

Little owl - Scraley Road and Lofts Farm, Heybridge - but difficult to see this time of year due to the leaves on the trees. Try December time.

Tawny and Long eared - well, if anyone could PM me a reliable site for either I'd be very grateful as I can't find either of them this year in my usual places :-(
 
Abberton used to be good for barn owls, but I'm not so sure these days. They're all over the county - I even had one over a carpark in the middle of Grays last winter - but they can be hard to catch up with. Blue House Farm sounds like a good bet, if they're breeding and web-cammed; at least you know there are some in the area you're looking in!
 
Had a Long-eared Owl on my local patch earlier in the year but think I it was probably a one off, Barn Owl was around for a while but haven't seen it recently. My Short-eared Owls didn't come back this past winter! hoping they will this year. Amazingly never seen a wild Tawny, only heard them.
 
Barn and Little owl reported regularly at Thurrock Thameside. Try around the entry area at dusk. Was hoping SEO's were going to hang around through summer too, but altho up to 4 were highly visible there over winter, last report i saw was in April when a seo was seen being attacked by a peregrine and reportedly one was found dead with head damage a week later.
 
Old Hall has Little and Barn Owls. Check the area near the nest boxes, which are near the warden's office. I also saw an unseasonal Short-eared owl on site in June. In winter S-e O can be found in many coastal locations, though numbers seem to be far lower than before the millenium.

Tawny Owls and Little Owls are fairly common. Early morning and evening are best, but both can be diurnal when feeding young and nights are short. The villages south-east of Witham is a good area. Drive quietly with the windows open and radio off. Ears are more important than eyes -- at least for locating the owls.

Best of luck with Long-eared Owl. There are a few winter roosts (5 or 6 perhaps). They are not broadcast.

Dave
 
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