2016 was a good year. Lists are not something I concentrate on but they do give a good idea of how the year has been. My Norwegian year list of 244 (246 2015, 244 2014, 254 2013, 258 2012) was not that outstanding but I did not visit Finnmark or Rogaland during the year which […]
Tag: Tawny Owl
Owls use ‘stealth technology’ to help capture prey
Owls are equipped with highly developed stealth technology that helps them swoop on prey undetected, a study has shown. The nocturnal hunters have feathers that absorb aerodynamic sound and suppress the vibrations that occur when a bird beats its wings. During flight, an owl’s feathers extract mechanical energy and convert it into heat. The result […]
Why we should learn birdsong alongside French and German?
I arrived home the other evening at dusk after a long journey, and stepped out of the car to hear a shouting match between blackbirds, one of the most beautiful sounds in nature. In the still calm of a clear March evening three males were fiercely staking their suburban territories, belting out sweet and flutey […]
Goldcrests and firecrests flicker with energy
Rich, green, moss covers the ground and the feet of the tall, dark, Norway spruces. Bright yellow beams of sunlight start to spread between the trunks. The thin, high-pitched, calls and songs of goldcrests trickle down from the canopy above. One hovers and feeds among the branches near my head, completely ignoring my presence. I […]
Desert Tawny Owl: New Species of Bird Discovered
A group of ornithologists led by Dr Manuel Schweizer from the Natural History Museum of Bern in Switzerland has described a new cryptic species of owl that inhabits the desert areas of Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Oman and Yemen. The newly-discovered species, named the Desert Tawny Owl, belongs to the earless owl genus, Strix. […]
Owl recorded in Oman could be a new species
Ornithologists working in Oman say an owl discovered in a remote, mountainous region could be a new species. Wildlife sound-recordist Magnus Robb told BBC News that he heard the bird’s call whilst trying to record the call of another type of owl. After repeated trips to the remote site, he and a colleague – naturalist […]
Ugglemärkning
Då var det upploppet på kattugglemärkningen kvar, kattugglorna har varit spridda över lång tid då de gått till häckning normalt kan man märka upp kullarna under en dag men i år har det varit 2 gånger med 2 veckors mellanrum och ändå stora skillnader i storlek på ungarna. Här vid en fikarast där stannar vi […]