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Snowy owl in ireland

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  • 16-08-2010 1:30am
    #1
    snowstreams
    Registered Users Posts: 1,315 ✭✭✭


    I see that a female snowy owl has returned to the Mayo region, for the 5th year in a row! She probably isnt camoflaged too well around there since she is white amongst the brown/green of the area.
    Does anyone know where the owl might have come from? Its surely a long journey for it to come from Norway or Iceland repeatedly?
    Tagged:


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    #2
    Connacht
    Registered Users Posts: 447 ✭✭Connacht


    I would respectfully suggest you edit your post to a more general "Mayo" description, as this bird is a very rare vagrant to Ireland and must be protected from 'dodgy' elements.


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    #3
    Feargal as Luimneach
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,139 ✭✭✭Feargal as Luimneach


    snowstreams wrote: »
    I see that a female snowy owl has returned to the Mayo region, for the 5th year in a row! She probably isnt camoflaged too well around there since she is white amongst the brown/green of the area.
    Does anyone know where the owl might have come from? Its surely a long journey for it to come from Norway or Iceland repeatedly?
    I saw the bird in question in 2007. There are plenty of granite rocks on the bog where she winters. She is quite difficult to see because when she is standing still she looks like a bit of granite (she's white with black markings). She's well camouflaged infact.


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    #4
    snowstreams
    Registered Users Posts: 1,315 ✭✭✭snowstreams


    Im sure the coastal parts of Iceland would be snowless for periods during the winter too. So they must be adapted to a variety of terrain types.
    I just found it amazing to know that a bird from such a different climate could be living here.
    Gyrfalcons come here too sometimes Ive heard.


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    #5
    Connacht
    Registered Users Posts: 447 ✭✭Connacht


    Here is an incredibly poor qualty pic of Snowy I took at the weekend. Really must get a proper camera ...:o

    4898529753_271711048d_m.jpg


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    #6
    imbroglio
    Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭imbroglio


    That's amazing! You are so lucky to have seen one in the wild!


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    #7
    wildlifeman
    Registered Users Posts: 91 ✭✭wildlifeman


    very strange connaght...I was there for 2.5 hours on saturday morning. I know you took that pic between 7 am and 9.30 because she was on that fence for 2 hours. I was there between 10 and 12 and got some amazing views. didnt have a camera but my mate has his digiscope. I did meet one birdwatcher coming back up but he didnt have a camera so it mustnt have been you. that sighting really made my weekend. my family have a house 30 minutes drive from there. i wont be revealing the location to a soul thats for sure.


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    #8
    Connacht
    Registered Users Posts: 447 ✭✭Connacht


    Actually I took the pic at 6.20 am. What a truly beautiful bird!
    I went back the following morning and she treated me to a flight - the size of her - the width of her wingspan. Fab.
    Made your weekend ? It made my year. :D


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    #9
    LostCovey
    Registered Users Posts: 1,717 ✭✭✭LostCovey


    wildlifeman wrote: »
    i wont be revealing the location to a soul thats for sure.

    Hi wildlifeman,

    I saw a young Snowy Owl in that exact spot in 2001. Lovely bird.

    Just wondering why all the caution about publicising the bird's whereabouts, when the location has been so well publicised elsewhere, it is appearing there for at least the fifth year in a row (to moult?), by your own account lots of people are going to see it and it's not a breeding location.

    I doubt if anyone would do it any harm, and if anyone was determined to do so, they would find it very easily.

    LostCovey


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    #10
    Mothman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    LostCovey wrote: »

    Just wondering why all the caution about publicising the bird's whereabouts, when the location has been so well publicised elsewhere,
    While this was my thinking with this bird, it is much better to be cautious as a general rule. If we set out the example here of pin pointing location, then this example may be brought forward to case where it is undesirable.

    I'd like this thread to continue about the Snowy Owl.

    General discussion on forum management such as the etiquette with regard to disclosing information such as location of birds etc can be conducted in the feedback thread


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    #11
    LostCovey
    Registered Users Posts: 1,717 ✭✭✭LostCovey


    Mothman wrote: »
    While this was my thinking with this bird, it is much better to be cautious as a general rule. If we set out the example here of pin pointing location, then this example may be brought forward to case where it is undesirable.

    I'd like this thread to continue about the Snowy Owl.

    General discussion on forum management such as the etiquette with regard to disclosing information such as location of birds etc can be conducted in the feedback thread

    Fair points.

    The bigger question is where is this bird for the rest of the year, and why does it return to spend a month in that spot every year.

    I have heard a theory that it goes there to moult.

    LostCovey


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    #12
    Feargal as Luimneach
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,139 ✭✭✭Feargal as Luimneach


    LostCovey wrote: »
    Fair points.

    The bigger question is where is this bird for the rest of the year, and why does it return to spend a month in that spot every year.

    I have heard a theory that it goes there to moult.

    LostCovey
    They should ring her or put a satellite tag on her. Might get some good data on where she's from.


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    #13
    Mothman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    Feargal as Luimneach wrote: »
    They should ring her or put a satellite tag on her. Might get some good data on where she's from.
    And who would "They" be?


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    #14
    Feargal as Luimneach
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,139 ✭✭✭Feargal as Luimneach


    Mothman wrote: »
    And who would "They" be?
    Golden eagle trust perhaps. Would be hard to catch her though and it could scare her off. Crazy idea perhaps:o But it would be great to know.


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    #15
    snowstreams
    Registered Users Posts: 1,315 ✭✭✭snowstreams


    So it only spends a month there on average a year here? Is it the only Snowy Owl in Ireland, or have there been other sightings of males recently?
    That sighting mentioned above in 2001 surely wasnt the same bird, if so it might be an old bird by now?
    It could possibly be the first land the bird comes across after coming from Iceland, and then moults till it can fly the rest of its way to its wintering ground. Very interesting alright :)


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    #16
    wildlifeman
    Registered Users Posts: 91 ✭✭wildlifeman


    Its not that easy to pin point if you dont know where to look. i have gone there 3 times and been unsuccessfull, its a big area to cover.


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    #17
    captain_boycott
    Registered Users Posts: 539 ✭✭✭captain_boycott


    Mayo birdwatch group recorded snowy Owl sightings there in Aug/Sept every year since 2006 (and perhaps in years before that, but not recorded)


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    #18
    Birdnuts
    Registered Users Posts: 9,636 ✭✭✭Birdnuts


    There is increasing evidence that at least one pair of Snowy owls have bred in Mayo in recent years. Both Erris and the Foxford area have been mentioned(obviously I will not go into more detail than that):)


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    #19
    snowstreams
    Registered Users Posts: 1,315 ✭✭✭snowstreams


    Thats amazing if thats true. They used to breed on the shetlands. But we're well south of there!


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    #20
    LostCovey
    Registered Users Posts: 1,717 ✭✭✭LostCovey


    Birdnuts wrote: »
    There is increasing evidence that at least one pair of Snowy owls have bred in Mayo in recent years. Both Erris and the Foxford area have been mentioned(obviously I will not go into more detail than that):)

    What !!!! ????????

    This is stunning news to me, Birdnuts, and of course anything is possible, but I think that is quite implausible. Your coyness and your smiley icon suggest you know more than you are posting, so I will have to respect what can't be questioned. However there is a lot of evidence to suggest that there is no truth in this theory.

    A badly wounded young bird was indeed found near Foxford in mid-winter (found 31/12/2008, put to sleep 01/01/2009). I have no idea what the basis for the Erris suggestion is.

    Snowy Owls definitely attempting to breed in Co. Donegal a few years ago, and I have seen photos of the nest & eggs. The nest failed - the eggs didn't hatch, so I would not say they bred - it was a failed breeding attempt.

    I have pasted in below all the Snowy Owl sightings in Mayo in the last decade in reverse order (the bird I saw was in 2002 not 2001 by the way). There is nothing in this pattern of sightings whatsoever to suggest breeding in Mayo; in fact the vast majority of records in that county since the year 2000 lie outside the breeding season.

    However, I am not arguing that it is theoretically possible that a pair bred, but one might expect a different pattern of sightings if that were the case. And if anything, coverage of suitable habitat by birders, hill walkers, farmers, forestry workers, environmentalists doing studies for wind turbines etc, is way better in summer than in winter, so one would expect that breeding birds, returning regularly to a nest etc would be seen & reported. A few records last summer in May and June refer to a single immature (year-old) non-breeding female on an uninhabited island - interesting support for the argument that Snowy Owls are seen in summer, if they are about. Is it possible that these sightings are the source of the "increasing evidence"?

    I hope your suggestion of breeding in Co. Mayo is well-founded, but I doubt it.

    However, if you really do have evidence of Snowy Owl breeding anywhere in Ireland, then please do not post it here, but please send it to The Irish Rare Birds Committee breeding specialists, the Irish Rare Breeding Bird Panel (IRBBP) whose Hon. Secretary is Dr. J. Paul Hillis, 'Ballylesson', 61 Knocknashee, Dublin 14. Dr Hillis will ensure the record is verified and published with enough detail witheld to protect the birds. I also think that you should notify the appropriate NPWS personnel in the area so that the nest site can be wardened.

    Regards,

    LostCovey


    15/08/10 12/08/10 2/08/10 10/10/09 05/10/09 04/10/09 29/09/09 26/09/09 20/09/09 18/09/09 15/09/09 07/09/09 06/09/09 04/09/09 30/08/09 29/08/09 22/08/09 20/08/09 16/08/09 16/08/09 15/08/09 13/08/09 11/08/09 09/08/09 08/08/09 18/06/09 21/05/09 19/05/09 1/01/09 13/10/08 12/10/08 11/10/08 06/10/08 01/10/08 20/09/08 12/09/08 11/09/08 11/09/08 10/09/08 04/09/08 30/08/08 18/04/08 28/03/08 27/03/08 27/03/08 25/03/08 03/10/07 30/09/07 27/09/07 26/09/07 26/09/07 23/09/07 22/09/07 20/09/07 03/03/07 23/02/07 21/02/07 18/02/07 12/02/07 11/02/07 12/10/06 10/10/06 08/10/06 07/10/06 06/10/06 04/10/06 03/10/06 01/10/06 30/09/06 29/09/06 28/09/06 24/09/06 23/09/06 22/09/06 20/09/06 17/09/06 19/09/06 16/09/06 15/09/06 14/09/06 10/09/06 10/09/06 09/09/06 09/09/06 30/11/02 29/11/02 28/11/02 27/11/02 26/11/02 26/11/02 24/11/02 23/11/02


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    #21
    Feargal as Luimneach
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,139 ✭✭✭Feargal as Luimneach


    LostCovey wrote: »
    What !!!! ????????

    This is stunning news to me, Birdnuts, and of course anything is possible, but I think that is quite implausible. Your coyness and your smiley icon suggest you know more than you are posting, so I will have to respect what can't be questioned. However there is a lot of evidence to suggest that there is no truth in this theory.

    A badly wounded young bird was indeed found near Foxford in mid-winter (found 31/12/2008, put to sleep 01/01/2009). I have no idea what the basis for the Erris suggestion is.

    Snowy Owls definitely attempting to breed in Co. Donegal a few years ago, and I have seen photos of the nest & eggs. The nest failed - the eggs didn't hatch, so I would not say they bred - it was a failed breeding attempt.

    I have pasted in below all the Snowy Owl sightings in Mayo in the last decade in reverse order (the bird I saw was in 2002 not 2001 by the way). There is nothing in this pattern of sightings whatsoever to suggest breeding in Mayo; in fact the vast majority of records in that county since the year 2000 lie outside the breeding season.

    However, I am not arguing that it is theoretically possible that a pair bred, but one might expect a different pattern of sightings if that were the case. And if anything, coverage of suitable habitat by birders, hill walkers, farmers, forestry workers, environmentalists doing studies for wind turbines etc, is way better in summer than in winter, so one would expect that breeding birds, returning regularly to a nest etc would be seen & reported. A few records last summer in May and June refer to a single immature (year-old) non-breeding female on an uninhabited island - interesting support for the argument that Snowy Owls are seen in summer, if they are about. Is it possible that these sightings are the source of the "increasing evidence"?

    I hope your suggestion of breeding in Co. Mayo is well-founded, but I doubt it.

    However, if you really do have evidence of Snowy Owl breeding anywhere in Ireland, then please do not post it here, but please send it to The Irish Rare Birds Committee breeding specialists, the Irish Rare Breeding Bird Panel (IRBBP) whose Hon. Secretary is Dr. J. Paul Hillis, 'Ballylesson', 61 Knocknashee, Dublin 14. Dr Hillis will ensure the record is verified and published with enough detail witheld to protect the birds. I also think that you should notify the appropriate NPWS personnel in the area so that the nest site can be wardened.

    Regards,

    LostCovey


    15/08/10 12/08/10 2/08/10 10/10/09 05/10/09 04/10/09 29/09/09 26/09/09 20/09/09 18/09/09 15/09/09 07/09/09 06/09/09 04/09/09 30/08/09 29/08/09 22/08/09 20/08/09 16/08/09 16/08/09 15/08/09 13/08/09 11/08/09 09/08/09 08/08/09 18/06/09 21/05/09 19/05/09 1/01/09 13/10/08 12/10/08 11/10/08 06/10/08 01/10/08 20/09/08 12/09/08 11/09/08 11/09/08 10/09/08 04/09/08 30/08/08 18/04/08 28/03/08 27/03/08 27/03/08 25/03/08 03/10/07 30/09/07 27/09/07 26/09/07 26/09/07 23/09/07 22/09/07 20/09/07 03/03/07 23/02/07 21/02/07 18/02/07 12/02/07 11/02/07 12/10/06 10/10/06 08/10/06 07/10/06 06/10/06 04/10/06 03/10/06 01/10/06 30/09/06 29/09/06 28/09/06 24/09/06 23/09/06 22/09/06 20/09/06 17/09/06 19/09/06 16/09/06 15/09/06 14/09/06 10/09/06 10/09/06 09/09/06 09/09/06 30/11/02 29/11/02 28/11/02 27/11/02 26/11/02 26/11/02 24/11/02 23/11/02
    I heard the same thing about possible breeding in the Republic. There were rumours of juvenile snowny owls been seen (recently fledged) in the midlands area it was though.


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    #22
    LostCovey
    Registered Users Posts: 1,717 ✭✭✭LostCovey


    Feargal as Luimneach wrote: »
    I heard the same thing about possible breeding in the Republic. There were rumours of juvenile snowny owls been seen (recently fledged) in the midlands area it was though.

    I personally think that might be more likely, given the scale & inaccessibility of some of the midland bogs, but hadn't heard of the recently fledged birds being seen.

    I wasn't quibbling with the possibility of breeding, just a bit scooby-dubious about it happening in Mayo

    LostCovey.


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    #23
    IrishHomer
    Registered Users Posts: 2,936 ✭✭✭IrishHomer


    Feargal as Luimneach wrote: »
    They should ring her or put a satellite tag on her. Might get some good data on where she's from.

    I have heard of birds being tagged and they then they quickly died shortly after. Better left alone i say.

    I know of a nother county in NW where similar has been occurring for over a decade also. Not saying where though


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    #24
    LostCovey
    Registered Users Posts: 1,717 ✭✭✭LostCovey


    IrishHomer wrote: »
    I have heard of birds being tagged and they then they quickly died shortly after. Better left alone i say.


    This is nonsense.

    If you are going to tarnish the reputations of trained people who ring and tag birds for scientific purposes under licence, then at least state your evidence.

    LostCovey


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    #25
    snowstreams
    Registered Users Posts: 1,315 ✭✭✭snowstreams


    According to a book on Irish birds i have, there was less than ten records of snowy owls in ireland in the 25 years, 1967-1992. So what happened in the last 18 years that they have become much more common here? A larger population expanding from the north? Is there evidence that they bred in ireland in the distant past (ie. post ice age :) ).


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    #26
    cfitz
    Registered Users Posts: 1,691 ✭✭✭cfitz


    LostCovey wrote: »
    This is nonsense.

    If you are going to tarnish the reputations of trained people who ring and tag birds for scientific purposes under licence, then at least state your evidence.

    LostCovey


    Here's an old study from the US.

    http://www.fs.fed.us/psw/publications/paton/paton1.PDF

    Don't know what way things have moved on since then...


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    #27
    Feargal as Luimneach
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,139 ✭✭✭Feargal as Luimneach


    cfitz wrote: »
    Here's an old study from the US.

    http://www.fs.fed.us/psw/publications/paton/paton1.PDF

    Don't know what way things have moved on since then...
    That report is nearly twenty years old. I'm assuming that satellite transmitters are alot smaller now than twenty years ago.


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    #28
    Mothman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    Feargal as Luimneach wrote: »
    That report is nearly twenty years old. I'm assuming that satellite transmitters are alot smaller now than twenty years ago.
    If its anything like the reduction in size of mobile phones during same period.


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    #29
    LostCovey
    Registered Users Posts: 1,717 ✭✭✭LostCovey


    Feargal as Luimneach wrote: »
    That report is nearly twenty years old. I'm assuming that satellite transmitters are alot smaller now than twenty years ago.

    Yes there have been remarkable changes in twenty years, and that report refers to radio tags, which are now nearly obsolete anyway. It's all satellite tags now. See http://www.goldeneagle.ie/portal.php?z=232 for some good examples of the data that modern systems can gather at no cost to the bird.

    Apart from the miniaturisation of all electronics (therefore needing less power), batteries have got more efficient and smaller , and then on top of that the newest tags have a little solar panel, so a tiny battery is all that is needed. i think the consensus is that if a tag interferes with behaviour, movement or survival it defeats the purpose of tagging them, so it's just not done.

    Just in case anyone is wondering, this is all theoretical/academic as there is no prospect or suggestion of anyone tagging that Snowy Owl.

    LostCovey


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    #30
    RawrTerriRawr
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1 ✭RawrTerriRawr


    Hi :)
    i just thought i would mention my boyfriend is pretty sure he saw a snowy owl last friday in the north cork region :)


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    #31
    snowstreams
    Registered Users Posts: 1,315 ✭✭✭snowstreams


    RawrTerriRawr wrote: »
    i just thought i would mention my boyfriend is pretty sure he saw a snowy owl last friday in the north cork region :)

    What was the land like in the area of north cork that he saw the owl?
    I think this type of owl likes open countryside mostly. It could have been one of the owls from mayo alright as it made its way across the country.


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