Dr.Boletus
Well-known member
After a monstrous trip to Eldernell yesterday, I have completed my native owl list for the UK (the eagle owl I regard as inaccessible due to it being on MoD land and Avanti-related problems, so it doesn't count). And, as much as I love them, I also don't count juveniles/young birds.
My first owl was a little owl. Although the first little owl was recorded as a vagrant from Europe in 1758, most of the UK's population originates from introductions, where they seem to have occupied an unoccupied niche in the food chain. This is an extremely easy owl to observe, and I did it back in the height of the pandemic. Easier by far in Spain, though.
Barn owls were next- I used to live right by a barn owl nest box. A barn owl once perched across the river from me, completely ignoring me. This is an incredibly beautiful owl which before I had been trying to see for many years without significant success. Hearing that screech at night in the forest all of a sudden is the scariest thing I can think of in the UK which doesn't harm me.
Short-eared owls were first seen by me in 2018, but first photos were in 2020. In 2022, I got nice views of two at Eldernell. But now in 2023, I got my best views yet after I happened upon a short-eared owl in a bush in the same area. I now need flight photos...
Tawny owl young was seen by me back in 2020, but I tried and failed to see the beautiful adults without success. I have a pair which lives right next to me in university, but I have to date not been able to find where they roost. At Eldernell, however, I found a tawny owl tree in less than a minute once I got to the right place. What a beautiful bird...
Finally, there is the long-eared owl. the most beautiful UK owl, the hardest to see, and the most sought-after. After a lot of time trying, I finally saw these beautiful owls at Eldernell, where I enjoyed stunning views. The only time I saw them before was in 2019, when I had encounters with juveniles when walking at night.
That concludes the accessible British list for me. The Spanish list is much, much, much harder than that. One of the biggest successes I had last year was seeing an eagle-owl at the El Hondo reserve which, despite flying off from a perfect perch, nevertheless gave amazing views.
Little owls are very regular and easy as well. I saw short-eared owls there as well. But I have serious doubts about finding boreal owl and scops owl. There is literally one place in existence nearby for the scops owl to where I live. For boreal owl, I think I'll need to visit Finland, because tracking them in the Pyrenees will be an absolute nightmare
My first owl was a little owl. Although the first little owl was recorded as a vagrant from Europe in 1758, most of the UK's population originates from introductions, where they seem to have occupied an unoccupied niche in the food chain. This is an extremely easy owl to observe, and I did it back in the height of the pandemic. Easier by far in Spain, though.
Barn owls were next- I used to live right by a barn owl nest box. A barn owl once perched across the river from me, completely ignoring me. This is an incredibly beautiful owl which before I had been trying to see for many years without significant success. Hearing that screech at night in the forest all of a sudden is the scariest thing I can think of in the UK which doesn't harm me.
Short-eared owls were first seen by me in 2018, but first photos were in 2020. In 2022, I got nice views of two at Eldernell. But now in 2023, I got my best views yet after I happened upon a short-eared owl in a bush in the same area. I now need flight photos...
Tawny owl young was seen by me back in 2020, but I tried and failed to see the beautiful adults without success. I have a pair which lives right next to me in university, but I have to date not been able to find where they roost. At Eldernell, however, I found a tawny owl tree in less than a minute once I got to the right place. What a beautiful bird...
Finally, there is the long-eared owl. the most beautiful UK owl, the hardest to see, and the most sought-after. After a lot of time trying, I finally saw these beautiful owls at Eldernell, where I enjoyed stunning views. The only time I saw them before was in 2019, when I had encounters with juveniles when walking at night.
That concludes the accessible British list for me. The Spanish list is much, much, much harder than that. One of the biggest successes I had last year was seeing an eagle-owl at the El Hondo reserve which, despite flying off from a perfect perch, nevertheless gave amazing views.
Little owls are very regular and easy as well. I saw short-eared owls there as well. But I have serious doubts about finding boreal owl and scops owl. There is literally one place in existence nearby for the scops owl to where I live. For boreal owl, I think I'll need to visit Finland, because tracking them in the Pyrenees will be an absolute nightmare
