As the nights draw in, Tawny Owls call out to claim their patch, says Dorking & District Local RSPB Group. Around now, younger owls are noisily making themselves known, hoping to muscle in and set up their own territory. But if other owls are close by, there’s often a standoff in the darkness, it’s hoots before dawn. Listen out as the rival calls reverberate through the woodlands, mature parks and gardens throughout England, Scotland and Wales. The famous ‘too-wit, too-woo’ is actually a duet – the female making a ‘toot-wit’ (or more like a ‘kerweeek’) first note and the male answering with a long, drawn-out ‘too woooooo’.
There are Short-eared Owls in the UK all year round, but now is a great time to see them as more join us from Scandinavia, Russia and Iceland to escape the freezing conditions further north.
In winter the best places to spot them are during the day at our wetlands and coastal marshes, flying low over the landscape on the hunt for rodents. You often see more than one owl surveying the same area, slowly and silently scanning the long grass or marsh, ready to swoop down at deadly speed to catch their supper.
See more on their activities and photos or if you’re interested in joining, please see their contacts below:
Facebook: RSPB Dorking and District
Instagram: @rspb_dorking
Website: https://group.rspb.org.uk/dorkinganddistrict/
Short Eared Owl: Image courtesy RSPB images
