Calling surprises.

CJhaughey

I got a call tonight from a friend, a fox came along at 6pm for his dinner and took one of the chickens.
They chased the fox off but the hen was brown bread.
He asked me to come up and have a look around for the cub.
Midges were bad so we were sitting on a rock, me with the midge net on my head and he remarks that a handy way of calling foxes would be to use a mobile phone ringtone. I said that I had a rabbit distress call on mine and put it on.
I looked up and about 6ft away from me was an Owl hovering and checking us out!
What a cool thing to see on a summer evening, it was dark but light enough that we could make out the Owl fly away to a nearby tree and continue on its hunt.
They are silent when they fly not a noise out of them.
I am keeping that ringtone for another day!

Glensman

We had this happen when hand calling... The owl kept circling and swooping in as if it was going to snatch it's dinner. We threw a rabbit out in front of us and held the light on the rabbit to see if he would take it- he swopped in and circled a load of times- but never took the rabbit...
Amazing sight, they're quite big with their wings spread; the one we seen was like the one on the Late Late. :rolleyes:

CJhaughey

Yeah they are incredible birds, its the silent flight that amazed me most.

Birdnuts

CJhaughey wrote: »

Yeah they are incredible birds, its the silent flight that amazed me most.

In contrast the young on the nest utter a sound like the hinges of a rusty gate - scared the **** out of me last year when I was out lamping near some old ruins close to the lake!!!:eek::pac:;)

It wasn't me!

Birdnuts wrote: »

In contrast the young on the nest utter a sound like the hinges of a rusty gate - scared the **** out of me last year when I was out lamping near some old ruins close to the lake!!!:eek::pac:;)

Hehe, been years since I saw one around here. Used to be some around the edge of the forest on the side of my hill. Used to walk at night and you'd get the same experience then. Always seems to be right next to your ear as well. *SHRIIIIIIIEEEK!* Practically jump into Kildare.

Itsdacraic

There is one on the stretch of river where I fish at dusk. It's an amazing site to see him swooping along the bank. But he would also frighten the beyasus out of you, becasue he's come within a few feet of my face on occasion and you don't hear him till he's on top of you.

johngalway

Called in owls a couple of times, lovely to see but scared the beejesus out of me the first time. First thing I knew about it was when it was a couple of feet from my head :pac: