Owl Watching Tonight?

JustRoss23

Myself and two mates are keen bird watchers and we have decided we are going to try and track down an owl tonight if were lucky. any advice for us?:D

cuddlycavies

Saw a Barn owl in Greystones for the second time in two years two weeks ago. But just chance sightings. Don't know where they roost. So hard to find. let me know if you get a likely spot.

JustRoss23

yea thanks were going around the Offaly/Westmeath area have heard from farmers who were out late at night with lambs that have spotted one on a couple of different locations so hopefully we will find them one or where it roosts tonight:)

Kess73

Funnily enough I have been seeing a barn owl/owls on a very regular basis of late along one of my dusk running routes on the outskirts of Limerick city.


It/they are quite vocal in the area as well as the very distinctive screech can be heard.

JustRoss23

Cheers kess73 never had the luck of seeing one yet had the pleasure of watching a wild hawk before catch a pigeon on the sky was an amazing sight:D
Hopefully will spot one tonight:D

Kess73

If it is any help at all, from my own experience areas that support a healthy barn owl population, often have a very visible kestrel population during daylight hours.


Now that is not to say that anywhere you see a kestrel you will see a barn owl, but a regular kestrel presence in the one area is a sure sign of a constant and regular food source that the Barn owl would be just as partial to.


I know that the two points on my run where I see the barn owl at dusk usually have a kestrel hovering above them during the day, and have noticed the same pattern in two other spots (one near the Limerick/Kerry border and the other in Clare) where a barn owl at dusk/night uses pretty much the same spot that a kestrel is very visible in during the day.

V Bull

Try Lough Boora Parklands, Co Offaly - Long eared Owls.

JustRoss23

Cheers mate will do boora itself or finnamore lakes? thanks i no it well up there:D

JustRoss23

have not seen anything the last 2 nights i taught i might have but hey that's owl watching i guess i will keep at it:D

dodderangler

Try calling them with a fox call
It's happened ( I'm aware it is not a hunting thread) not just with myself but have heard other lads say the same when calling in foxes that owls do sometimes swoop down over their heads
Probably LEO

DellyBelly

If you want to see an owl at this time of the year I would say head to Wexford in particular the South Slobs 5 reported there on the 2nd of feb and you don't need to be out at nightime to see them either!

cuddlycavies

Those are Short ears. Diurnal owls. Bull island is a good spot for them also.