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Post by mirabelle on Apr 19, 2011 18:33:55 GMT 1
I had three swallows indoors today squawking at my cockatiels! Poor Kevin & Perry did not know what to make of these noisy little blighters sitting on the curtain pole. I hope those little owlets are ok though. They look like my cuckoo maran chickens when they were babies.
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Post by HelloThere on Apr 19, 2011 20:09:29 GMT 1
Ali, that picture is clearer, they look more like Tawny Owls. Unfortunately there is not a lot you can do except let nature take it's course. You could perhaps have a look if there is a scrape in a nearby tree or in the barn-look out for pellets or old eggshells but even if you find it I would still leave them to it and perhaps stake out to stop anything else getting them. It's illegal to move them etc but in practise you would probably be fine to take them to a vet however, in our experience the vet is highly likely to euthanase them anywayas they get imprinted really easily and it's then a problem to hack them back into the wild
Let us know what happens....
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Post by Ali on Apr 20, 2011 12:28:59 GMT 1
Thanks everyone for your input so far...... Drove slowly past them this morning and can see the 2 smaller ones hiding in vegetation with their little faces peeking out, couldn't see the larger one but he/she could have been out of view. Mom/dad must be feeding them, they were heard last Saturday so I would have thought they'd be showing signs of malnutrition by now. They're still fine So far so good........ fingers n toes crossed - will update.
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Post by Ali on Apr 21, 2011 21:21:54 GMT 1
Amost sure the larger one is not there anymore Have only seen the 2 smaller ones peeking out of the vegetation over the past coupla days. Was chatting with our neighbour yesterday, they all, the whole family, had apparently popped over to us on Sunday to tell us all about it, but I guess we were down the bottom end of garden so didn't hear the knock. Any road erp - he says that this is the first time he has ever known owls here. Raymond was born here and his family have lived and farmed here 'next door' for at least 70+ years. He is totally delighted and commented that he'd seen mummy owl (or praps daddy) carrying a mouse for the little uns the other eve. Thankfully the family all see it as a good omen and we are all well chuffed to have natural predators in the homeland. He had thought that they had fallen out of a nest above but I'd suggested to him that they may well be Tawny Owls (French word I've now forgotten!) and that they may have their hide-out on the ground. Our neighbours dogs; Dulka the German Shepherd has been fine with them, hasn't touched or been near them at all so she is still loose as usual (putting off the human predators), but poor Asia the Labrador has been confined to quarters until these owlets fledge - thought is that Asia would kill them. Our two dogs are fenced in our grounds so they offer no threat. He says that it's causing a stir in the commune too, and that several people are interested in the story so far. Thankfully we live in a 'cul de sac' only us 2 and any prying visitors are spotted by me from the office window. It's going to be a long haul, hopefully one will survive but nature is cruel. Will keep posting.
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Post by Ali on Apr 22, 2011 11:45:20 GMT 1
Update today All 3 owlets are perfectly fine My neighbour, his mom and I were all looking at them this morning. During the night the owlets had a lovely dinner of something that was a bird but is now just 2 legs........... everything else gonned. They're sleeping it off today ;D
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Post by Madame Moorhen on Apr 22, 2011 12:00:30 GMT 1
Ahhhh glad to hear it - and great that your neighbours are interested and keeping dogs away too.
We hear tawny owls all the time here - first time I heard one my blood ran cold cos they sounds just like that childhood idea you have of a ghost going 'woooooowooooooowooooooo' (that's the one who doesn't go 'twit' - can't remember which one does which, think it's male and female?).
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philippa
I'm settling in nicely
Posts: 266
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Post by philippa on Apr 22, 2011 21:36:00 GMT 1
Those little owls look so lovely Ali. I hope they survive!
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Post by kaylee on Apr 23, 2011 18:40:35 GMT 1
Please do give progress if possible a lovely story so far. Have you got any more photographs?
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Post by hillbilly on Apr 24, 2011 9:37:38 GMT 1
Cute! Open to the elements and predators there arent they. Hope they survive.
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Post by Ali on Apr 25, 2011 9:11:57 GMT 1
Last night at dusk I was sitting with the kitchen window open, the owlets were being fed by the sound of it - noises akin to a squeaky bed-spring!
Still got 3, they're deeper into the undergrowth now so harder to take in focus photo of, but I am sure I saw the beginnings of proper flight feathers on a wing..........
Will try and get more pics.
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