An owl in winter
Posted 22nd December 2011
Over the past few weeks up to five short eared owls have been exciting visitors and birdwatchers to the Trust’s wetland nature reserve at Cossington Meadows.
This medium sized owl usually appears on the Swan Meadow area just as the daylight is fading but they do not just hunt at night and it is possible to see foraging birds flying over open ground in daylight.
Their diet is mainly of small mammals and voles. It is said that a good vole summer is usually followed by a good short eared owl winter.
In winter our native population is boosted by an influx of birds from Scandinavia, Russia and Iceland so this is usually the best time of year to see them locally. It may well be worth a visit to Cossington Meadows if you want to get out into the fresh air over the Christmas season and possibly walk off any festive excess!
An Amber List species, short eared owls are of European conservation concern.
Click here for directions to and details of our Cossington Meadows nature reserve.
Photograph: Short eared owl at Cossington Meadows by Andrew Swinfield.
Related categories: General