Long & Shortage....

I can remember thinking what a stinker winter 2015 / 2016 was (after very poor Leo nest season) - I considered that to be the worst Owl winter i'd known....

Winter 2016 / 2017 has been worse.... The Worst....

I have never had many concerns about our resident Long-eareds - they were nailed on, Lots of pairs always there, no problem, guaranteed year round...

Not the case now after a series of poor breeding cycles...

So much so this season that I havnt daylight searched any more than 6 locations, with no more than a max of 3 birds... & switched to searching for Jack Snipe as the Bigg Luggs were proving so hard to come by.
For Example, a traditional location where ive had regular double fig roosts, including 18 in a single tree was blank this winter....
Things are picking up & pairs are beginning to call & display - though its obvious some sites are sadly vacant - the populations is certainly at a 20 year low - but, hopefully not for long...

been a long time

Summer 2013 was pretty much a blank nesting season for Co.Durhams Long-eared's, so at the moment winter roosting birds are on the whole "bad to get".  That being said, i know of  two double figure roosts, one holding at least a dozen birds.
Heres one sitting nicely - taken at range with iPhone 4GS hand held to Nikon fieldscope x30 mag.

From New Year, it has been pleasing to note that our male Longs have commenced their display flights right on cue , with several local owlers connecting & yet another new pair found in suitable habitat.  (MH/DC/GS/SE et al )
Heres an iPhone snap shot of a male displaying overhead :-

Longs at dusk

A couple of images of 2 Long-eareds shortly after emerging from roost at dusk. . Im reasonably happy with the first 2 pics - it was difficult enough to see the bird let alone catch it phone-scoping !

Cropped images taken from about 80metres away -iPhone 4GS hand held to 30x Nikon Fieldscope (85mm obj lens)

These 2 pics were taken on another visit, lighter & closer, but looking towards what bit light was remaining

At least 3 birds here, coming past hunting at close range. - although they seem equally happy to post hunt for spells. A Pair dueting tonight, before the male left to hunt.

SWM

Single Wild Male

This one seems to be a batchelor boy.
He was close by in the same area over a year ago, proclaiming territory and completing advertisement flights.
He seems fairly content at present, but maybe this season he'll have more luck ?

Remember girls, No Likey, No Lighty.

Arse end Asio's

Heres a good comparison with 2 pics of our two Asio's saying Adios

Short (JBridges)

and

Long (JScott)

Durham City Long

Re-visit - a Single bird on long reclaimed colliery site, Durham City.
It was a branch higher last visit & took a while before i saw it.

Tawny & Leo at Chester-le-Street

Tawny owls dont get much of a look in round my way
ten-a-penny, not really worth the effort etc etc
but there again it is the new year & i suppose we should make an effort

well i looked at 2 likely trees (both neck-breakers), & the 2nd paid dividends...
i suppose the quality of the effort is matched by the quality of the image.....

and its tree:-

tree image needs turning 90 degrees anti-clockwise - the owl pic doesnt, its looking down at us on a 80 degree angle !

Anyway its nice to get somewhere different & out of the wind
Heres a Long fella roosting in a traditional location nr Chester in a Blackthorn & Briar tangle:-

There were probably several more close by in a large Gorse clump, but this one was easy due to loads of whitewash beneath the roost & visible from way off.

(dont know why these pics are going on side-on ? )

Rooster II

A couple of images showing how well these birds can conceal themselves
( in this case seeking a bit of peace on a local nature reserve )

This was as good as it got - the only view possible despite looking from numerous angles & heights


Its mate was even less co-operative - the only view being of part of its back....

Not always easy..... Oh, for the roosts of south eastern Europe !

But it is turning out to be a good winter for Long-eareds in the North East

If you are out looking for these Long-fellas this winter..... - remember, dont go where the Birders go.... they'll be deep in cover there !

Rockin around the Christmas trees

A revisit to a Long-eared Owl roost in a plantation on the NW Durham Plateau near Lanchester produced 10 or 11 birds swaying around !

Heres a brief clip with 3 visible :-

An image showing 3 close by:-

A few images from inside the plantation - a different habo type to that which we have in the lowlands at home - its only a few miles away as the owl flies though.

There are several different compartments within the plantations here: 

Scots Pine, Mixed Woodland, natural re-generating Birch scrub, with blocks of Norway & Sitka Spruce with evidence of birds having been in Spruce sections but none located...

The Xmas / New Year period often sees roosts broken up with due to outdoor activities during the holidays 

Heres a few more images from this roost:-

Bit of a chore driving across there & very dodgy parking, but well worth it, even if photo opportunities are vimited.
Bonus birds including several each of Crossbill & Woodcock through the shelterbelts

Long roost up The Cheap Mans Well

Ventured up onto the Plain.....

Six months Winter & Six months bad weather in theses here parts...

Used to come up here regularly when i lived closer, round Lanchester, Sacriston, Langley
On the wilder days the numerous shelter-belts & plantations provided plenty of cover, & were more often than not a top coat warmer.

Back then the woods were still chock-a-block with Red Squirrel, the opencasts were still on the go & my travelling companions had 4 legs - A right odd couple. The Boxer was expert at sniffing out Woodcock, but in summer would often lie down & refuse to walk any further - resulting in a trek to the pay-phone to ring for a lift !  The cruelty-case lurcher was gentle as a lamb at home, but had a penchant for feather over fur.
It never did manage to catch a Jack Snipe, but feathers flew on one occasion.

So off up memory plain - it was clearly colder & far more windswept than my rose-coloured specs had allowed for.... off into the wood, out the way of the wind a bit

It certainly paid off - not only was i warmer but i was lucky to locate at least 8 roosting together - this one above wasnt too bad a picture considering the gloom & breeze

.

heres some various bodyparts:-

Not quite the heady days of the twenty odds we used to see roosting, but a very productive visit & nice to see them up a height rather than stuck in the thorn bushes closer to home.

Note to self :- 

Return Visit - wear more clothes, wait till the suns out, take a real camera & a maybe a dog or two.

Daylight hunting Long-eared

Our County Long-eared population is well known, and in several parts well studied for decades.

During the breeding season we routinely see them out & about, active in good light, even so far as hunting in the midday sunshine, following a wet night.

Whilst in awe of these marvellous birds, familiarity does creep in & perhaps we are somewhat lazy knowing we have a full quarter of a year to see them floating about in daylight
( as a rule mid May to mid/late August ).

However the rest of the year is a different matter....
We may be lucky enough to see a migrant come in off the North Sea at Dawdon or Hartlepool or a male arcing about in a Springtime display flight, other than that chances to observe flying birds are few & far between.

Winter Daylight hunting Long-eareds are at a premium here - personally i can recall no more than a dozen occasions where ive seen such activity in over 2 decades.

Below is a series of phenomenal images taken recently in North East England by Mr D.Johnson .
(  D.Johnson website - www.djohnson.org as if you needed a reminder !)

These are of a very accommodating winter hunting Asio otus.
A just reward for many hours dedication, patience & fieldcraft.

Enjoy !

this ones my favourite !

and just a few more ;-)     :-

and we thought we'd all done well with our Shortie pics !

( hopefully Mr Johnson will be resting on his laurels for a while & be giving us mere mortals a look in ;-)  )