Is it an Owl I can hear?

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Discussion

Huntsman

Original Poster:

8,756 posts

265 months

Thursday 17th February 2011
quotequote all
We live opposite some woodland, its a few acres of mixed oak, holly, sycamore, on the waters edge.

In the evenings I can hear what I think might be an owl, you could certainly call a hoot hoot. Rather a haunting sort of sound.

Is ths likely? Is it the right time of year? I noticed it in the spring last year and the last few weeks I have been hearing him a lot in the evenings.

I've been out looking but I cant see him or her?

Jasandjules

71,043 posts

244 months

Thursday 17th February 2011
quotequote all
Owls around here call all the time. So it could easily be.

central

16,745 posts

232 months

Thursday 17th February 2011
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Tawny Owls are very vocal a this time of year.

Animal

5,528 posts

283 months

Thursday 17th February 2011
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Lots of owls near me. Occasionally I hoot at them and get a reply. Either that or I'm communicating with my neighbour.

Jasandjules

71,043 posts

244 months

Thursday 17th February 2011
quotequote all
Animal said:
Lots of owls near me. Occasionally I hoot at them and get a reply. Either that or I'm communicating with my neighbour.
Yep, I do that as well, quite often get other owls getting involved as well, I do wonder if I'm starting a row between them....

GWC

4,431 posts

210 months

Thursday 17th February 2011
quotequote all
There was a great story in my local paper years ago about two blokes who had each heard an owl nearby and had hooted back, each night they would go out and hoot to the 'owl' until one day they got talking to each other and worked out they'd been hooting to each other for a few weeks smile

Hugo a Gogo

23,416 posts

248 months

Thursday 17th February 2011
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wood pigeon?

sleep envy

62,260 posts

264 months

Thursday 17th February 2011
quotequote all
it's a honey badger trying to catch owls

Huntsman

Original Poster:

8,756 posts

265 months

Thursday 17th February 2011
quotequote all
Hugo a Gogo said:
wood pigeon?
Nah, we've got endless pigeons, I know the noise they make very well.

We get a woodpecker in the psring too.

Based on the comments above I guess it is an owl, I've been out there looking for him but I'm buggered if I can see him.


Catz

4,819 posts

226 months

Friday 18th February 2011
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An owl hoot is pretty distinctive tbh.
We have loads near me, love them!

goldblum

10,272 posts

182 months

Friday 18th February 2011
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Best time to spot them is dusk,with just a little light left.Use binos and stand still,you'll see movement usually quite high in the trees.

They move round a fair bit.

If you're an early riser and you're near fields they're quite easy to spot hunting.

Mobile Chicane

21,510 posts

227 months

Friday 18th February 2011
quotequote all
Loads of tawny owls around here. They're damn noisy when they get onto the roof.

Incidentally, the "Hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo" hoot is the male. The female call sounds more like "Kee-wick!"

(The 'twit', to the 'twoo', I suppose.)