How to see a Tawny Owl (1 Viewer)

[Simon S]

Hope this is the correct place to ask this question!
Where and how is it the best way to be able to see a Tawny owl?
I tracked one down in a wood ajoining me work but the owl has not returned to the tree since :-C

 

[Pie Face]

I usually let the Blackbirds or Jays find them for me. A roosting bird will regularly get mobbed by the formentioned species.

Mark

 

[Simon S]

I usually let the Blackbirds or Jays find them for me. A roosting bird will regularly get mobbed by the formentioned species.

Mark

Thats how I came across the one at work!
Cheers Mark
B

 

[Reader]

If you find out tell me. lol

I have been struggling with this species as all the sites seem to have been vacated by them around here. In fact the only one I have seen in almost two years was a chick that was found at the Minsmere meet a few months ago.

 

[Corax67]

I go with the old fashioned method of picking a likely habitat during start of the breeding season, dusk listening sessions & attempting to track from the calls (I have the scars to show that this can be an adventure in its own right).

My nearest pairs of birds have kept within a 15m radius of the nests sites I discovered them at over 7 years ago, but i do have to undertake regular checks & squirrel evictions throughout spring build up.

Mark is spot on with his observation about Tawny owls being mobbed by corvid species & songbirds - this is another useful tracking tool.

Good luck with your search.

 

[Andrew]

Wanna find a Tawny Owl?

Don't go birding with me!

 

[salty]

i found out my local tawny sites by going out and listening to them calling at night.

i was on my way to a gas escape in the works van at around 11pm, and had to out into the 'sticks' so i took my night vision scope with me.

on my way back i simply stopped and listened at various lay-bys near to farms, and within minutes i could hear tawnys calling out. this was around 3am - 4am and they were pretty vocal, and looked very spooky through the night vision!!!

 

[Simon S]

i found out my local tawny sites by going out and listening to them calling at night.

i was on my way to a gas escape in the works van at around 11pm, and had to out into the 'sticks' so i took my night vision scope with me.

on my way back i simply stopped and listened at various lay-bys near to farms, and within minutes i could hear tawnys calling out. this was around 3am - 4am and they were pretty vocal, and looked very spooky through the night vision!!!

Do night vision glasses show up Owls Salty ?

 

[salty]

Do night vision glasses show up Owls Salty ?

oh yes!

i have an advanced military spec night vision, nothing can hide from me at night

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=31247

the image is eerie at first, but you soon get used to it. watching foxes eyes glow like beacons is spooky.

 

[fat kat]

according to another thread we should not be discussing tawny or indeed any other owl on this section!

i have also just realised its been at least 15 years since my last tawny owl sighting!

 

[fat kat]

any guaranteed spots in london? inside the a406?

 

[Simon S]

Had a bit of a result today!
Wandered up to the hooters roosting place in the oak tree as a plane at the airport was taking off. The Owl was up against the trunk and it made me jump as it saw me and took off into the woods.1 second of a view seemed a good reward to me.
Hope to get some pici's soon.
Thanks for all your replies.

 

[StevieEvans]

oh yes!

i have an advanced military spec night vision, nothing can hide from me at night

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=31247

the image is eerie at first, but you soon get used to it. watching foxes eyes glow like beacons is spooky.

Youre just the person for the forthcoming BTO Tawny Owl Survey
SE

 

[lesleyr]

Had a pair in my local woods for quite a few weeks. I go down there Sat/Sun morning very early with my dog and was alerted by the frenzied squalking of other birds who were, of course, mobbing the tawnys. As I wandered through the woods, the other birds chased the tawnys from tree to tree. The tawnys were, in turn, keeping a watchful eye on me, at one stage doing a full "exorcist" head spin to look at me!!.

My best sighting was once when my dog ran on ahead to "do the necessary" and as I caught up with her, one of the owls flew silently through the wood and landed not 15 ft from the dog (and me) on a low branch. It watched my dog doing her business, was seemingly oblivious to me, then flew back into the wood, again perfectly silently.

Saw them (and heard them!)for about four weeks on the trot, but no view or sound at all for past month. Do they have particular mating/pairing habits that would explain this, does any one know?

Cheers!

Lesley

 

[StevieEvans]

Had a pair in my local woods for quite a few weeks. I go down there Sat/Sun morning very early with my dog and was alerted by the frenzied squalking of other birds who were, of course, mobbing the tawnys. As I wandered through the woods, the other birds chased the tawnys from tree to tree. The tawnys were, in turn, keeping a watchful eye on me, at one stage doing a full "exorcist" head spin to look at me!!.

My best sighting was once when my dog ran on ahead to "do the necessary" and as I caught up with her, one of the owls flew silently through the wood and landed not 15 ft from the dog (and me) on a low branch. It watched my dog doing her business, was seemingly oblivious to me, then flew back into the wood, again perfectly silently.

Saw them (and heard them!)for about four weeks on the trot, but no view or sound at all for past month. Do they have particular mating/pairing habits that would explain this, does any one know?

Cheers!

Lesley

Hi Lesley
Calling will increase in September / October when adults start turfing the juvs out of their territories.
SE

 

[ashrich]

What do I do to see a Tawny Owl , well , I open my office window ( home office )or go outside with a large torch just when they start calling and watch them along my opposite neighbours roofline , sometimes I walk the dog just as it is getting dark and watch the youngsters sitting along the fences waiting to be fed . We have so many around here that they keep you awake at night !!

Ashley

 

[Simon S]

What do I do to see a Tawny Owl , well , I open my office window ( home office )or go outside with a large torch just when they start calling and watch them along my opposite neighbours roofline , sometimes I walk the dog just as it is getting dark and watch the youngsters sitting along the fences waiting to be fed . We have so many around here that they keep you awake at night !!

Ashley

Have you a photo of them :eek!:

 

[ashrich]

Have you a photo of them :eek!:

Wish I had a camera/flash that would do them justice , when on the neighbours roof they must only be 60/70 feet away , I think we must have one of the densest popultions of Tawny in Southern England , I have also seen Little , Barn and Long Eared in the area , used to go driving around the really quiet country lanes with mainbeams on and a 500,000 candlelight torch scanning the trees and fence posts for them in late Summer/Early Autumn , surprising what you'll find .......

Ashley.

 

[Pie Face]

Here's a photo of my regular roosting bird. At one point last winter it actually fell out of the tree after being mobbed and landed in a Hawthorne, upside down, right next to me.

If you're up this way, this winter, Andrew we'll have a good look for it.

Mark

 

[Simon S]

Here's a photo of my regular roosting bird. At one point last winter it actually fell out of the tree after being mobbed and landed in a Hawthorne, upside down, right next to me.

If you're up this way, this winter, Andrew we'll have a good look for it.

Mark

Great picture Mark! No wonder they are so hard to find.
How close where you to it when you took this photo?