Owls (1 Viewer)

[bob armitage]

Hi
We were walking in the foothills of the Pyrenees not far from St Girons on Sunday in the late afternoon. One of our dogs disappeared into thick undergrowth and a moment later we saw 8/10 owls flying in silhouette against the darkening sky. Unsure of owl type - Tawny , Short- eared ? Any thoughts on type and is it usual for owls to roost together in these numbers?
Bob

 

[Johnny1]

Long Eared Owls will often roost together in winter.

 

[halftwo]

Yes, most likely Long-eared - certainly not Tawny. Good piece of luck to see so many.
H

 

[bitterntwisted]

Yes, most likely Long-eared - certainly not Tawny. Good piece of luck to see so many.
H

Not sure letting your dogs charge around off the lead is "luck". Very likely Long-Eared Owls - hopefully no great harm done. Since they roost regularly in the same places I hope you keep your dogs under control in the area in future.

Graham

 

[JRE]

Not sure letting your dogs charge around off the lead is "luck". Very likely Long-Eared Owls - hopefully no great harm done. Since they roost regularly in the same places I hope you keep your dogs under control in the area in future.

Graham

Bit harsh Graham.
Welcome to Birdforum Bob! :t:

 

[bob armitage]

Friendliest forum?

Not sure letting your dogs charge around off the lead is "luck". Very likely Long-Eared Owls - hopefully no great harm done. Since they roost regularly in the same places I hope you keep your dogs under control in the area in future.

Graham

Give me a break ,Graham, the dog only caused them to fly, she didn't eat the blooming things!

 

[gareth_blockley]

Give me a break ,Graham, the dog only caused them to fly, she didn't eat the blooming things!

I'm sure it wasn't eant to sound as harsh as it did. Though sometimes uncontrolled dogs can cause harm, id stick my neck out and say yours, and many others lkike mine are under control.

Good to see the long eareds

 

[gyrfalcon]

Funny. If a "twitcher", or god forbid, a photographer disturbed several Long Eared Owls, they would be crucified on here!
There is an interesting point in the RSPB's code of conduct..

"Avoid disturbing birds and their habitats - the birds' interests should always come first"

 

[J Moss]

He could'nt have possibly known the Owls were there! Lighten up guys.

Funny. If a "twitcher", or god forbid, a photographer disturbed several Long Eared Owls, they would be crucified on here!
There is an interesting point in the RSPB's code of conduct..

"Avoid disturbing birds and their habitats - the birds' interests should always come first"

 

[gyrfalcon]

I agree, but the dogs were obviously running through prime habitat.
good enough to hold half a dozen Long Eared Owls!
Or should we all go birding with a pack of hounds to maximise our sightings? Sounds like a great idea.. they can go off the footpaths, and flush dozens of birds that I might otherwise miss.

 

[J Moss]

Your taking it out of context.

 

[Bernard the cat]

Sure the Long Eared Owls got disturbed, but it would be no different than if something like a Goshawk or an Eagle Owl went belting through the trees and spooked them - I'm sure they'll live. And what about the rights of the dogs? If a man can't let his dogs off the lead in the countryside for a run then there's something wrong. It would be different if he did it on purpose or recklessly, knowing that these birds were likely to be present, which is possibly why twitchers sometimes get slated, and don't forget they are usually en masse as well. :bounce:

 

[gyrfalcon]

OK, try the countryside code:

"By law, you must control your dog so that it does not disturb or scare farm animals or wildlife.
You do not have to put your dog on a lead on public paths as long as it is under close control. But as a general rule, keep your dog on a lead if you cannot rely on its obedience."

These aren't my rules by the way! but there for the good of all. A dog disappearing into the undergrowth doesn't seem like under close control to me. Maybe if you've seen a terrified deer in heavy labour being chased through a forest pursued by an Alsation, the owner feebly calling "Heal Bruno" you'd have differing thoughts.

 

[Collster]

Some dogs like to root about under vegetation, i think you have to use your head if you have a dog and take it into the countryside, but now again its bound to flush something. In much the same way as sheep , horses and cows disturb wildlife. It aint a major problem surely

 

[gyrfalcon]

I've never seen a Sheep, Horse or Cow pursuing a Deer, or any wildlife. Actually, I'm mistaken, I once saw a Cow flush a Rook from a field, or make it hop a few feet anyway.
I've seen dogs disturbing all of the above coincidentally. Might be to do with Dogs being Carnivorous, the others being Herbivores?

 

[jimbob]

You are being ridiculous. Long eared Owls can roost just about anywhere, your idea of 'prime habitat' is misleading. Any bit of scrub can hold a long eared owl, be it next to a railway track, school or nature reserve. Easily disturbed, maybe. But im sure the birds are fine and will roost in the area again. Apologies for this shocking introduction to Birdforum Bob, dont let it put you off mate.
Jim.

 

[gareth_blockley]

Its a dogs natural instinct to chase something yes and it happens so fast you'd have to be superman to stop it happening. Its whether you allow it to continue or not thats the issue or whether your dog is obidient enough to do as its told.
The point is Bob took his dog for a walk, it flushed some owls and he didn't know what they were, so he ask here. To broaden his knowledge of birds and the countryside, and all that happens is he gets slated. Not for one second did he say that the dog continued to chase, maul, or kill any of the birds. So they were disturbed for a bit but there was no harm caused. It sounds like hes doing the responsible thing to come on here and get advice, and i doubt he'd let it happen again.

Theres a big difference between Problem dogs and good dogs - and thats the owners. All dogs will follow their natural instincts but its whether the owner does something about it that counts.

 

[Collster]

I've never seen a Sheep, Horse or Cow pursuing a Deer, or any wildlife. Actually, I'm mistaken, I once saw a Cow flush a Rook from a field, or make it hop a few feet anyway.
I've seen dogs disturbing all of the above coincidentally. Might be to do with Dogs being Carnivorous, the others being Herbivores?

Where did i say herbivores persue wildlife, flush was the term used ,dont herbivores move about? Ive seen plenty of birds flushed by sheep , and horses. They dont have to be hunting them to flush them. Lets hope that when you saw these incidents with dogs you complained to the owners there and then, somehow i doubt it

 

[gyrfalcon]

Prime habitat.. You show me some heavy undergrowth in the foothills of the pyrenees (with Roosting Long Eared Owls for a start), and I bet no-one on here would say no to spending a few hours birding there.. And I bet if while you were birding, just waiting patiently for what looked like a shrike to pop out of the bushes, some dogs went tearing in there, you'd be gutted! We all would be, we're birders!

Jimbob: Railway embankments, and Nature Reserves sound like prime undisturbed habitat to me. I wouldn't expect to see dogs running in either of those places, or in schools for that matter, maybe that's what attracted them!

 

[StevieEvans]

Hi
We were walking in the foothills of the Pyrenees not far from St Girons on Sunday in the late afternoon. One of our dogs disappeared into thick undergrowth and a moment later we saw 8/10 owls flying in silhouette against the darkening sky. Unsure of owl type - Tawny , Short- eared ? Any thoughts on type and is it usual for owls to roost together in these numbers?
Bob

Hi Bob
Sounds like its a roost of either Long or Short-eared Owls.
Thick undergrowth would suggest the former.
I wouldnt be concerned about your dog or what any of the experts on here have to say about it.
In fact having a dog off the lead at dusk can reap rewards for the birdwatcher - the owls may well "get their own back" by swooping down to mob it .
Hope you get another look at them.
Cheers
Steve.