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Eagle Owls in Yorkshire?? (1 Viewer)

Hmm - I'm surprised someone admitted to being impressed by that?
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Jim, I chanced upon the guy with the EO, it was the bird that impressed me - not the keeper. My 'eulagy' was about the suprise of the event, of having an awesome predator on my wrist - hardly an everyday event?
Was the EO ever a UK native - who can say? Wolves were native at one time, why not EO's? Goshawk and Red Kite and Sea Eagle are all examples of predators being reintroduced(purposely or otherwise) - why is the EO different?
 
Isurus said:
Realistically what are the chances of multiple pairs establishing themselves as a result of one escaped pet "finding" another all the way across Britain? Is there any evidence to suggest that this was a deliberate attempt to [re]introduce the species by "well-meaning bird lovers"?

I only ask as the establishment of several breeding pairs seems a long shot to me as does the escape of a pair together compared with an intentional release.
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Well it happened with the Ring necked Parakeets and look what happened to them.
 
While in Norfolk during a birding break in January, overheard a conversation, that more Eagle Owls had escaped and there were plans to eventually find them and shoot them as they are not natural to this country. Same old story.
 
Silvershark said:
If the birds are moving in from the continent they should be okay, with the EO's being fairly long-lived birds the gene pool can be boosted by infrequent migrants from the continent (once every few years or so). Especially if the migrants are males, they might be a bit sneeky and have illicit affairs with neighbours mates, especially if there is a demand for new blood! I would have thought that the owls would need a newcomer to join them soon though, I read there are 23 individuals, but if all of these are closely related I can't see them lasting long unless a new owl moves in.
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the site in yorkshire consists of 2 adults who have raised 21 yound over 10 yrs, so 23 EOs from one site alone.

there are other sites nearby, breeding sites - although i have not checked them out, i only visit the original site as shown in the show tomorrow.
 
Isurus said:
If the bird wasn't at stake that would be hilarious. trust he tucked in heartily when it brought him a vole.

how would one go about doing an eagle owl census - any ideas anyone?
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I suppose that one would have to listen out for the calls at whatever the appropriate time of the year is.
 
Kentbloke said:
Jim, I chanced upon the guy with the EO, it was the bird that impressed me - not the keeper. My 'eulagy' was about the suprise of the event, of having an awesome predator on my wrist - hardly an everyday event?
Was the EO ever a UK native - who can say? Wolves were native at one time, why not EO's? Goshawk and Red Kite and Sea Eagle are all examples of predators being reintroduced(purposely or otherwise) - why is the EO different?
Click to expand...

Sorry KentBloke, didn't mean to slight you - its just the irresponsible keeping, especially of BOP is something that makes me seethe! And the use of a BOP as some kind of macho status symbol is intollerably sad.

The question of historical patronage of a bird in particular is a difficult one to answer definitively. Just look at the confusion over whether little egrets were returning or colonising for the first time?
As for the other examples, they differ in as much as there is clear evidence that they were once part of the British Fauna and, in the case of the gos, never left.
It may seem like quibbling over somantics, but its the difference between whether this is a re-establishment or a manmade introuction, and look at the disaster caused by American Mink.
Jim
 
Ranger James said:
Sorry KentBloke, didn't mean to slight you - its just the irresponsible keeping, especially of BOP is something that makes me seethe! And the use of a BOP as some kind of macho status symbol is intollerably sad.

The question of historical patronage of a bird in particular is a difficult one to answer definitively. Just look at the confusion over whether little egrets were returning or colonising for the first time?
As for the other examples, they differ in as much as there is clear evidence that they were once part of the British Fauna and, in the case of the gos, never left.
It may seem like quibbling over somantics, but its the difference between whether this is a re-establishment or a manmade introuction, and look at the disaster caused by American Mink.
Jim
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Deos anyone know if the Yorkshire EOs are the big W European subspecies, or the smaller "Bengal" EO types more commonly kept in captivity and sold to Harry Potter fans?
 
white-back said:
Deos anyone know if the Yorkshire EOs are the big W European subspecies, or the smaller "Bengal" EO types more commonly kept in captivity and sold to Harry Potter fans?
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goood question.
 
the programme was interesting, not surprised about the hostality from RSPB and others though!

i dont think the UK has ever been short of rabbits, and the owls also tend to prey on gulls, crows etc, so i think the anti-EO people should think about the facts a little more before saying they have no place in the british countryside.

i really enjoyed the show, it brought back memories of the spring when i watched the chicks at the nest site, they were certainly big then, and they still had a good 6 weeks before they were fully fledged.

we watched the adults catch at least 2 rabbits within an hour, and there was plenty to go around, the roads in and out of the site is littered by roadkill - mainly rabbits.

the buzzards are nesting in the valley too, and about 200yds away is a merlin nest site, and a short eared owl nest site just near to that, these hunters have obviously been getting on amongst each other for the past 10yrs plus, so i dont see a problem.

i shall be waiting with great hope they produce young again next spring.
 
Isurus said:
goood question.
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Just seen the programme and anyone with an ounce of common sense will leave these birds to establish a healthy population. Roy Dennis evidence looks pretty good to me that they were at one time either winter vistors or breeding birds in the UK. Seems to me that certain conservation groups have had their noses's put out by this as they can't take any credit for the reintroduction. They should concentrate on stopping wind farms and do something useful with our memberships.
 
I thoroughly enjoyed the programme. What incredible looking birds they are. I must admit to being surprised at their colonisation of places like Holland, together with their close proximity to humans. It makes you wonder where those 20 chicks have gone though.
 
Owls

What a very interesting programme. I'm amazed that the birders who knew the site have managed to keep it to themselves for almost 10 yrs! Even though it's obviously private, the whereabouts doesn't seem to have been in the public domain. But - yes, Reader, wonder where the young have gone or dispersed to. Apart from the unlucky one in Salop.

Well, that's given us something to think about...

Sandra
|:x|
 
Realy enjoyed the TV programme.
Nice to see & hear some more first hand accounts, facts & evidence on the species.

Especially, the Dutch range expansion from adjacent countries & long range Swiss movements at 40 km/Hr.

Salty,
How many quarries are you planning to check this weekend then....? ;-)

SE
 
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StevieEvans said:
Realy enjoyed the TV programme.
Nice to see & hear some more first hand accounts, facts & evidence on the species.

Especially, the Dutch range expansion from adjacent countries & long range Swiss movements at 40 km/Hr.

Salty,
How many quarries are you planning to check this weekend then....? ;-)

SE
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i know a site near me, that has breeding eagle owls - i may pop over for a scope about, i think i know where they are, but i will still be going to the yorkshire site next year;)
 
Listen To Roy ?

An enjoyable 50 minutes on the box,for a change.Roy Dennis is a well respected authority on Osprey,Red Kite,White tailed and Golden Eagle and Honey Buzzard to name but a few species.When he states the Eagle Owl was probably a resident bird in past centuries in the UK and could easily re-establish itself as a breeding species without becoming a "mass murderer" then thats good enough for me,to accept.When it comes to birds recolonising,he is THEE expert.
 
Enjoyed the TV programme.

What annoyed me and am I correct in thinking that RSPB stands for the The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds & similar for the BTO. These group spend a fortune on protecting birds in various parts of the world. Is the Eagle owl not a bird?
 
but surely 'probably resident' is just a place between 'never resident' and 'resident' and doesn't really mean anything. I didn't see RD present any evidence whatsoever for EO being either a former native or a proved vagrant and can, without meaning to sound mean-spirited, quite easily appreciate Steve Dudley's (and the BOU's) take on the situation. I'd love to see EO colonise the UK but as yet there's nothing to suggest it has, or at least nothing presented as such in tonights programme ... given the amount of escapees and intentional releases I'd say the odds of the UK birds having originated from such is very high

Edit: lovely footage
 
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Like everyone else I was fascinated by the programme tonight.

The dramatic increase in the Eagle owls range accross the channel was assumed to be a natural expansion, so why are the Yorkshire birds not a part of this natural expansion? Who can say with 100% certainty that these birds are not the genuine article?
The ability to cover great distances fast was proved by tagging the Swiss birds, I don't see why all Eagle owl records in this country are deemed to be escapees.

I wonder if the Goshawks which began breeding in the Peak district in the 1960/70s from assumed escaped falconers birds had the same calls for slaughter.
 
vwxyzen said:
Like everyone else I was fascinated by the programme tonight.

The dramatic increase in the Eagle owls range accross the channel was assumed to be a natural expansion, so why are the Yorkshire birds not a part of this natural expansion? Who can say with 100% certainty that these birds are not the genuine article?
The ability to cover great distances fast was proved by tagging the Swiss birds, I don't see why all Eagle owl records in this country are deemed to be escapees.

I wonder if the Goshawks which began breeding in the Peak district in the 1960/70s from assumed escaped falconers birds had the same calls for slaughter.
Click to expand...

The range expansion in western Europe is not considered to be "natural". There was a successful re-introduction programme in Germany and the spread of eagle owls into Denmark, Belgium, Luxembourg and southeast Holland is thought to be a result of this.

Dave
 
Much as I love the bird, I still see no compelling evidence that they're not "alien" to the UK. As such, there's really only one way the conservation organisations are able to react to their presence.

Sad, but that's how it seems to be.

And I have very strong doubts (I was corrected on this point myself by a local birder far more knowledgeable than myself on such matters) that they're breeding up here, despite Salty's suggestion that he knows of a breeding population close to him...

I actually thought it was extemely irresponsible of the BBC to give air time to the absolutely unfounded, unprovable suggestion that EOs are "known" to have made their own way over the Channel/North sea.

All in all, I thought the programme was a disappointment - great to look at, but totally lacking in crediblity.
 
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