Eagle Owl

[Rugbyman]

Was driving into work today ( Hampshire ) along the normal route when the OH suddenly said 'we have just passed a HUGE owl sat on that wall'......!!!!!

So turned around and drove past the biggest owl I have ever seen just sat on a wall with woods behind it right next to a busy main road ...... turned back around and just as we got to the spot on the wall again it took off right in front of a truck and soared high into the woods ......amazing ...

Has anyone else seen one of these things loose in the wild ?

After a bit of research I understand it could be a wild example or an escaped 'pet'

Really made my day and hope to see it again soon .....

[Kays vRS]

There are a few pairs breeding in the UK now. I'd love to see one in the wild; I've held one that was in a collection and they're impressive birds.

[ehonda]

Where was that? Birdworld have one that they fly in the open.
I'm jealous anyway, great thing to see.

[D5M]

There's one at the Paradise place in Broxborne - apparantly they found it in an Enfield council estate and, through stool analysis, it had survived on domestic cats!

[Rugbyman]

ehonda said:

Where was that? Birdworld have one that they fly in the open.
I'm jealous anyway, great thing to see.

Well i see you are in Hants too...so if you ever go on the Alton road from Basingstoke keep your eyes peeled , you never know .....

[ehonda]

Rugbyman said:

Well i see you are in Hants too...so if you ever go on the Alton road from Basingstoke keep your eyes peeled , you never know .....

Quite often, in fact.
Birdworld's not too far from Alton, wonder if they've lost theirs? Be awesome if it was a wild one though.

[Jasandjules]

A lucky spot then!

Very nice it must have been too.

[Rugbyman]

ehonda said:

Rugbyman said:

Well i see you are in Hants too...so if you ever go on the Alton road from Basingstoke keep your eyes peeled , you never know .....

Quite often, in fact.
Birdworld's not too far from Alton, wonder if they've lost theirs? Be awesome if it was a wild one though.

Just called them theirs is safe and sound but they have had an email from someone else reporting a sighting this morning ..... head keeper said it could be a wild one as there are a few breeding pairs in our part of the world now

[central]

Local cats beware!

Yes, there's been a couple of breeding reports in the last few years. I'm pretty sure the BBRC haven't accepted these as wild birds though.

http://www.bbrc.org.uk/

[CharlieHotel]

It's ok Harry Potter would of been in the area.

[Tsippy]

I saw one a few years back in the West Midlands, thought it was a huge cat at first until it flew off