Birds in Lincolnshire
Asio Owls in North Lincolnshire - November 2001
Asio owls North Lincs November 26th 2001
The former grazing marshes on the foreshore between Goxhill Skitter Ness
and East halton Skitter have not been grazed for some fifteen years and
most have reverted to rough grassland. Some of the fields were always
rough and the area has been a known haunt of wintering Short-eared Owls
for many years. I first found a multiple roost of Short-eared here in
the 1970-71 winter when eight birds were flushed from a roost in the long
grass. Since then there have been good and bad years but in the last three
winters there seems to have been something of a resurgence on owl numbers
with up to five birds being regular. This month there have been at least
seven birds and probably up to ten individuals along with two Barn Owls
and up to six Kestrels feeding on the rough fields. The Kestrels frequently
piratise the owls when they see one catch a vole, the Kestrels invariably
coming out on top. They also rob the Barn Owls and sometimes even catch
their own food. Good numbers of Rock Pipits and Reed Buntings also winter
and for the last two winters there have been three Stonechats on the grues
as the marshes are known locally.
Long-eared Owl roosts are easily disturbed and thus I generally do not
disclose precise locations of regular roosts where birds breed in the
summer. The birds are easily flushed by observers who do not know exactly
where the birds sit and when flushed on a regular basis the roost site
can be deserted. More easily accessible Long-eared Owls roost in hawhtorns
alongside the Hobhole drain where they can be watched with safety from
the opposite bank without disturbance. See Long-eared Owl picture at base
of this page.
More Short-eared
Owl Pictures.
Also see: Short-eared
Owl - Marston
Sewage Works - Dec 2001 - Andrew P Chick
Short-eared Owl - Halton grues November 2001 © Graham Catley 2001
Halton grues November 2001 © Graham Catley 2001
East Halton November 2001 © Graham Catley 2001
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