Tawny owl: how to see them? (1 Viewer)

[StijnL]

Hello friends,

Recently I have located an area where I heard the tawny owl call, several of them. Just an amazing experience to witness this during my night walks where I help with the amphibian migration.

Now I would like to actually SEE this wonderful feathered friend, without disturbing them ofcourse.

Any of you have good tips? Signs to look for when taking a walk in the area? Best timing when to look for them?

Thank you in advance.

Stijn



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[wllmspd]

Good luck! Patience in looking for birds mobbing an owl resting might help find where it likes to sit. Talking to people who may have more experience of the area than you. Walk about and see if you can zero in on their calls. A more sure fire way would be to get a thermal scope to find warm things in the trees, but they cost a lot and can have issues with the sky messing the colour balance and making spotting birds in trees harder. I’ve found tawny and little owls perched and on the ground this way before.

Peter

 

[Farnboro John]

They are partial to Edible Dormice (Glis glis) so if there are woods with those near you then a nocturnal visit may yield results.

John

 

[StijnL]

Good luck! Patience in looking for birds mobbing an owl resting might help find where it likes to sit. Talking to people who may have more experience of the area than you. Walk about and see if you can zero in on their calls. A more sure fire way would be to get a thermal scope to find warm things in the trees, but they cost a lot and can have issues with the sky messing the colour balance and making spotting birds in trees harder. I’ve found tawny and little owls perched and on the ground this way before.

Peter

Hello Peter

Thanks a lot for your help. I know somebody who has a thermal scope so maybe this can be an option. Otherwise, I will go out and just look and be patience. Your advice for sure will be helpful. Then it will be so rewarding if it works.

Stijn

 

[StijnL]

They are partial to Edible Dormice (Glis glis) so if there are woods with those near you then a nocturnal visit may yield results.

John

Hi John,

Unfortunately this type of prey is not common in my region. But I am sure there are other food sources since there are some woods in my region that house these owls.

Guess I will have to be patient, go out and look a lot in the field,...The things I love the most.

Stijn

 

[Jaime GR]

Go during the day to see if you can find owl feathers in the area to know where it moves and try to locate a branch where it lands.

You can also place a camera trap to record it, but first you have to know where it is.

 

[StijnL]

Go during the day to see if you can find owl feathers in the area to know where it moves and try to locate a branch where it lands.

You can also place a camera trap to record it, but first you have to know where it is.

Ola Jaime!

Thank you! That's a good piece of advice. Do you know any other marks that these birds leave? For example on their trees itself? Is it easy to find owl pellets? And if found, is this near their nest or resting area?

 

[Jaime GR]

Ola Jaime!

Thank you! That's a good piece of advice. Do you know any other marks that these birds leave? For example on their trees itself? Is it easy to find owl pellets? And if found, is this near their nest or resting area?

I think they don´t make marks on the trees. It is best to go a while before nightfall with binoculars and you may find the owl.

Here in Madrid tawny owl nest in hollows in the trees of the species platanus hispanica.

Pellets are not easy to find but if you find several together it will be because they usually perch on the branch above and the nest is probably nearby.