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Pallid Scop's Owl (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Garry Bagnell
- Start date
Pallid Scops Owl
Garry et al.,
Not sure this will help any but,... I visited SE Turkey this year with Peter Alfrey and we saw a single Striated Scops on 9th June (I have stuck an awful photo at www.gwentbirding.blogspot.com). We did have to locate this individual ourselves though, the cafe staff were unable to find any Striated Scops (adult or young), though a middle-aged bloke did seem to know roughly which trees they were supposed to be in (we found the bird close to where he was looking); the only owls the younger chaps pointed out were LEOs. BTW, the LEOs were roaming about the garden, we saw them on consecutive days, both near the fountain and in the far corner on the Euphrates side of the garden.
I am surprised you are having an identification dilemma though, on the 9th the LEO youngsters were well grown - if you saw a small owl on the 29th you saw a scops (of one flavour or another) if you saw a medium/large owl you saw a LEO. As pointed out already, Eurasian Scops could easily be present (though we didn't see any) so either way I think your "I will keep the tick on my list til (sic) someone can prove otherwise" might be a touch optimistic (though refreshingly candid).
Anyhoo, hope this helps,
Cheers,
Darryl
PS. Unfortunately, Peter didn't get any pics of the LEOs.
PPS. The traffic all over SE Turkey is definitely more life-threatening than the PKK, the only dead person we saw was in a totalled van.
PPPS. I'd take my family to Birecik, though they'd probably prefer a day out at Halfeti just up the river, much more picturesque and you can bag Pale Rock Sparrow, Cream-coloured Courser, etc., on the way
PPPPS. I'm not sure there is anything too wrong with the Collins Guide re young owls.
Garry et al.,
Not sure this will help any but,... I visited SE Turkey this year with Peter Alfrey and we saw a single Striated Scops on 9th June (I have stuck an awful photo at www.gwentbirding.blogspot.com). We did have to locate this individual ourselves though, the cafe staff were unable to find any Striated Scops (adult or young), though a middle-aged bloke did seem to know roughly which trees they were supposed to be in (we found the bird close to where he was looking); the only owls the younger chaps pointed out were LEOs. BTW, the LEOs were roaming about the garden, we saw them on consecutive days, both near the fountain and in the far corner on the Euphrates side of the garden.
I am surprised you are having an identification dilemma though, on the 9th the LEO youngsters were well grown - if you saw a small owl on the 29th you saw a scops (of one flavour or another) if you saw a medium/large owl you saw a LEO. As pointed out already, Eurasian Scops could easily be present (though we didn't see any) so either way I think your "I will keep the tick on my list til (sic) someone can prove otherwise" might be a touch optimistic (though refreshingly candid).
Anyhoo, hope this helps,
Cheers,
Darryl
PS. Unfortunately, Peter didn't get any pics of the LEOs.
PPS. The traffic all over SE Turkey is definitely more life-threatening than the PKK, the only dead person we saw was in a totalled van.
PPPS. I'd take my family to Birecik, though they'd probably prefer a day out at Halfeti just up the river, much more picturesque and you can bag Pale Rock Sparrow, Cream-coloured Courser, etc., on the way
PPPPS. I'm not sure there is anything too wrong with the Collins Guide re young owls.
Rob Smallwood
Well-known member
Enjoyed the blog!
I have just looked in König & Weick, Owls of the world for these two species.
Younger Pallid SO was describes as: Juvenile white, but the next plumage similar to adult except for more wooly look. Is distinctly, finely barred both on upper and lower side and crown. Eyes pale yellow in adult, yellowish-grey in juveniles. Claws blackish-brown (my paraphrasing of a slightly longer account). For Common SO, the similar information says "more prominent vermiculations on breast, crown, and upper back" when compared with adult. Eyes Yellow. Claws greyish-brown with darker tips.
Hope this helps.
Niels
Younger Pallid SO was describes as: Juvenile white, but the next plumage similar to adult except for more wooly look. Is distinctly, finely barred both on upper and lower side and crown. Eyes pale yellow in adult, yellowish-grey in juveniles. Claws blackish-brown (my paraphrasing of a slightly longer account). For Common SO, the similar information says "more prominent vermiculations on breast, crown, and upper back" when compared with adult. Eyes Yellow. Claws greyish-brown with darker tips.
Hope this helps.
Niels
Garry Bagnell
Well-known member
Darryl and niels thanks for the posting. I really was never in doubt about my Pallid Scops Owls, just that one of my friends in Little Chalfont created a very small amount of doubt in my mind. Mainly because he said the restaurant owners showed him the juv owls and he thought he had Pallid Scops Owl in the bag 'til an adult LEO fed them.
I personally feel seeing these 2 juvenile Pallid Scops Owl made the whole gruelling & life threatening journey to Birecik from Konakli worthwhile.
I did miss Iraqi Babbler & Blue-cheeked Bee-eater in Turkey, glad I just pulled the Bee-eater back in Kent last week.
As I say it was a family holiday, any new birds seen on such trips is a bonus. I had 19 new birds plus inconclusive quick view of a male Cinerous Bunting. (Therefore still on my need list)
I personally feel seeing these 2 juvenile Pallid Scops Owl made the whole gruelling & life threatening journey to Birecik from Konakli worthwhile.
I did miss Iraqi Babbler & Blue-cheeked Bee-eater in Turkey, glad I just pulled the Bee-eater back in Kent last week.
As I say it was a family holiday, any new birds seen on such trips is a bonus. I had 19 new birds plus inconclusive quick view of a male Cinerous Bunting. (Therefore still on my need list)
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