Snowy Owl

[porshiepoo]

Are there many confirmed sightings of Snowy Owls here in Caithness?
We've heard one for a while now (they have quite a distinctive call) but finally have a confirmed sighting too. I'm not aware of any escaped Snowy Owls locally so must assume it's wild.
Amazing if it has decided to settle here and isn't here by accident.

[r.rackstraw]

Snowy Owls are very occasional visitors to Caithness. I have seen only 2 in 40 years.
But it is strange that you hear it calling since they are said to be silent outwith the breeding season.
What sort of call does it make?

[kas]

Omg I am having palpitations ....................Seeing a snowy owl in Caithness is one of my biggest ambitions and as I know your experience with owls I know you would not mistake it for anything else. ( a few people with no bird experience have told me now and then they think they have seen one but in most cases I think they have seen a barn owl as they look White when flying in front of cars)Some of my birding friends have seen one over the years and Orkney have had them in recent winters. Would you mind if I sent you a pm to ask a rough location?

[porshiepoo]

Snowy Owls are very occasional visitors to Caithness. I have seen only 2 in 40 years.
But it is strange that you hear it calling since they are said to be silent outwith the breeding season.
What sort of call does it make?

http://www.owlpages.com/owls.php?genus=Bubo&species=scandiacus
Check that one out.
Snowy owl calls can be varied and at first I thought I was hearing a weird Fox call though I doubted it. The sound I kept hearing was the latter half of the above call but the other night while outside my daughter and I heard the very first call from the link and that's what's heard the most.
My daughter had the luck of seeing the owl but believe me if anyone can ID the owl, she can. lol.

You're correct they are usually silent outwith breeding, which usually starts around mid winter which is another reason I doubted what i knew I was hearing. Who knows, maybe the weather has screwed things up, maybe it's attracted to our own Owls as it certainly doesn't seem bothered by them (in fact maybe it's so vocal for territorial reasons with our own Owls around) or maybe this owl is what has emptied our mini lake of all the fish.
Who knows! But it's certainly there.

Kas
I know what you mean about the miss ID. lol.
You wouldn't think it possible to mistake a Barn Owl with a Snowy Owl but to be fair a Barn Owl can look bigger than you'd imagine in flight and they're very white underneath aren't they.
I know many people will be dubious about such sightings but who knows what may have driven it this far? Their natural diet is lemmings and maybe due to the hard winter their supply was diminished. They're strong fliers so it's not suprising they could make it here.
Orkney had confirmed sightings in 2005 and Highland in 2006, here's hoping we get to see more of this fabulous bird in its natural environment.

[nemosia]

Hi Porshiepoo, Nice record and you're right, there aren't many for genuine wild birds. Here's the ones I know of



First Date

Last Date

Count

Age/Sex

Location

Comments



04/07/1876


1


Ousdale

Trapped



04/04/1881


1

ad. m.

Shurrery




13/04/1905


1


Berriedale




25/12/1906


1


Watten




05/11/1931


1


Loch More




22/05/1976

29/05/1976

1


Buldoo




18/01/1993

03/03/1993

1


Loch of Wester




05/09/1993


1


Loch Tuim Ghlais




07/05/2006


1


Dorrery







Would you mind sending me pm with details so I can add it to the database?
Thanks, Iain.

[r.rackstraw]

Thanks for the link to the call recording. The call is certainly distinctive.
Quite possible that your own owls are attracting it and causing it to call
Hope you can get a photo.