Friday 17 November 2017

Owls

Once upon a time I collected owls, mainly pottery or glass. I only have a couple left now and this is one that was given to me by the Cub Scouts in Bacton, where I was Akela , when we moved away to Knodishall.



















But now we have real owls instead........... they've been seen and heard and I spotted this owl pellet just inside the wood shed.
















 If you don't know about owl pellets, I found THIS for you to read

Going by this chart, it's a small Barn Owl pellet





I dissected the pellet and in among the fur I found a skull and lots of tiny bones - fascinating.

 There's even a chart on line so you can work out what the bones are







Our neighbours said they found another pellet down the end of the footpath under the owl box, their two girls and visiting friends were amazed to find all the tiny bones in it.

Thank you for all the comments on the wood.........I hope 41 trees plus those already down at the end of the meadow are enough to make a wood.


Back Soon
Sue

20 comments:

  1. Fascinating information. Did not know owls ate moles as they are rather large.

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  2. It is funny you wrote about owls as for a couple of very early mornings earlier in the week I heard an owl here! Not sure if it was flying over on its way 'home' or it is leaving nearby.

    On another note, I meant to say the other day I love your header photo with the Long Tail Tits, such pretty birds.

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  3. That's really interesting. I'd love to find an owl pellet. I hear plenty of owls around here which my birdwatching twitcher of a brother tells me are tawney owls which a often heard but not often seen.

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  4. Very interesting, how lovely to have real ones around. I know many people who collect owls.

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  5. Once upon a time, I had collecting owls foisted upon me! And that's another story. Much prefer the real thing, and you've got some great charts there to help you do a lot of finding out!

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  6. We have Tawny Owls in a wood across the road from us. Hear them before dawn - bedroom window always open unless force 10 gale...

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  7. how lovely to have owls. The things you learn form dissected poo! ;o)

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  8. When I lived on the farm we always had owl pellets in the barns - such fascinating stuff.

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    1. In theory we ought to find more but only 3 so far. I shall keep looking

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  9. We go to sleep listening to the owls and love it.

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  10. Well, you learn something new every day as they say. Fascinating. I think I know a 12 year old boy who would love to have a root through an owl pellet or two. xx

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  11. We often hear owls here but very rarely see them unfortunately.
    Hugs-x-

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  12. That's all a bit too gruesome for me!

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  13. Very interesting. I love the charts.

    God bless.

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  14. I can remember an acquaintance dissecting an owl pellet, many many years ago. Full of wee bones and fur. We have Tawnies here - they are very vocal at the moment, calling to one another across the paddock.

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  15. I love birds of prey, especially owls, but rarely if ever see owls in the wild. Only once have I seen a snowy owl. (Interesting tidbit: teachers can order owl pellets so science classes can disassemble them and see what the owl has eaten). -Jenn

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  16. I've never found one, but I would be fascinated to unpick one and try and identify the contents. Thanks for the helpful charts.
    Arilx

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  17. Now why oh why did my finger not want to touch the iPad screen over the pellet picture? x

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