THE BIRDS OF SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE
SHORT-EARED OWL – Asio flammeus
As with all reports of rare and scarce birds they are subject to ratification by the respective rarities committees
Short-eared Owl is far from common in S. Gloucestershire, those reported are;
...Though undoubtedly present, no Short-eared Owls were documented between 1936 and 1941 nor between 1943 and 1967: Howard Davis (in litt.) ...'Short-eared Owl is an irregular winter visitor to the estuary, usually singly but up to three or four together have been found. Has been reported from the Severn Marshes and once seen as early as mid-August. Perhaps visits inland localities but no published records'...
1942: (1)
One was reported from the salt marsh below Severn Beach on October 6th.
1968: (1)
One was reported on Stoke Moor on November 20th.
1973: (2)
Both reported from the Severn Beach area; One on May 11th & one on November 3rd.
1974: (1)
One was recorded at Aust on May 3rd.
1975: (c.2)
Single birds were noted at Aust in February & October.
1976: (2)
Two were recorded this year both at Aust; One on October 17th & one on November 20th.
1977: (?)
Single birds were noted on the coast between Aust & Avonmouth in February, June & October but no exact locations are mentioned.
1979: (Up to two)
Single birds were noted on the coast between Aust & Avonmouth from January to late Spring & again from October to December but no exact locations are mentioned.
1982: (1)
One was noted at Shepperdine on October 9th.
1984 (c.2)
One or two were reported in the favoured haunts from Aust southwards and were present from January to May 8th and again from October 5th to the year end.
1985: (1)
One was reported from Oldbury Power Station in January & February.
1986: (1)
One was reported at Oldbury Power Station on February 24th.
1988: (2)
At Oldbury Power Station four were noted on November 13th with up to five onwards to the year end; One was seen at Hanham Abbots on December 26th.
1989: (9)
Up to five were present at Oldbury Power Station until February 25th; At Hanham abbots up to three were seen from January until April 20th; One was noted on waste ground alongside ASDA superstore at Longwell Green no date was given.
1990: (3)
One was seen at Oldbury Power Station on March 12th; One was seen heading down the estuary from New Passage on April 12th; One was seen at New Passage on October 27th.
1992: (2)
At Oldbury Power Station one was flushed from fields on January 11th; On October 17th one was seen heading south-west from New Passage.
1994: (1)
A single bird was reported from Northwick Warth on February 26th.
1995: (4)
In the first winter period single birds were reported from New Passage on March 9th & Oldbury Power Station on March 19th.
1996: (2)
One was reported on April 22nd from Northwick Warth; One was seen at Oldbury Power Station on May 5th.
1997: (c.2)
Single birds were present at Oldbury Power Station on February 2nd and March 8th & 9th.
1999: (c.3)
There were 'many' records of single birds from Oldbury Power Station between February and May 5th with two present on April 28th; One was seen at Severn Beach on October 6th; One 'Asio' spp. was noted hunting over Hawthorn scrub at Severn Beach on November 21st.
2000: (4)
One was seen at Oldbury Power Station sometime in May; One was present at Northwick Warth on October 1st & 3rd; One was seen at Oldbury Power Station sometime in November; A single birds was located at Severn Beach on December 27th.
2001: (c.6)
Recorded in the first winter period from the Severn Beach area between January 1st and May 5th with up to six birds present; In the second winter period reports of up to two birds from October 20th through to December 28th.
2002: (2)
Up to two birds were seen between February 15th & 24th in the Orchard pools area at Severn Beach.
Short-eared Owl at Orchard Pools. February 2002. © Paul Bowerman.
2003: (c.7)
One was seen at Northwick Warth on March 26th; At Aust Warth with two birds present on May 4th & three on May 5th, also May 15th, 16th & 17th; One was noted at Oldbury Yacht Club on April 20th; A single bird was seen at Severn Beach on October 16th; One was present at Orchard Pools on December 5th.
2004: (4)
At Aust Warth one was seen o January 4th, 5th & 25th; On October 10th one flew high over Leap Valley, Downend heading towards the coast & a single bird (the same or another) was noted on the same day at Severn Beach; One was seen at New Passage on October 15th & 30th; One was observed at Aust Warth on November 11th & 21st.
2005: (6)
One was noted on two dates at Aust Warth on January 2nd & 9th; One was noted at Oldbury Power Station on March 3rd; One was reported from Northwick Warth on August 30th; One was seen in flight south-west past Severn Beach on October 30th; At Aust Warth in the second winter period two were seen on November 19th & 27th and December 23rd with single birds on December 4th & 24th.
2006: (c.8)
One was seen at Severn Beach on February 24th, March 19th & April 8th; One was present on Westerleigh Common at Yate on March 11th; One was seen at Aust Warth on March 29th with two present from March 30th until April 1st; One was seen at dusk at Aust Warth on April 20th; One was seen in the afternoon at Severn Beach on April 23rd; One was seen at Aust Warth on May 9th; In the second winter period single birds were seen throughout October at Aust Warth on the 14th - 16th, 18th - 19th, 21st - 24th, 27th, 29th & 30th; In November on the 3rd (2) - 6th, 8th - 9th, 16th - 17th & 20th; In December on the 8th, 11th, 16th - 18th & 28th (2); Northwick Warth provided reports of a 'richly coloured' individual on October 14th that was subsequently seen at Aust Warth on October 17th & 27th.
Short-eared Owl at Aust Warth. October 2006. © Paul Bowerman.
2007: (c.13)
One was present in January at Aust Warth on the 6th, 13th - 16th, 19th, 23rd - 29th, & 31st; One was reported from Aust Warth on February 1st - 2nd, 4th - 7th, 10th, 13th & 17th; One was found on Northwick Warth on September 13th; One was present at New Passage on October 14th; One was seen at Severn Beach on October 21st; One was seen at Aust Warth on October 26th - 28th with two on the 27th; On October 28th one was flushed from the Yacht Club, flew upriver and went down along the shore by Lagoon III; One was seen at mid-day harried off to the north from New Passage on November 15th; At Aust Warth in November from the 2nd - 17th, 22nd & 29th with two on the 7th, 11th - 12th & 29th & three on the 9th & 14th; Present in December at Aust Warth from the 1st - 4th, 7th - 16th, 18th, 22nd - 24th, 26th, 30th - 31st with two on the 3rd, 13th - 16th, 18th, 22nd - 24th, 30 - 31st, three on the 1st - 2nd, 7th, 10th - 11th and five on the 9th; One was flushed from the footpath at Lark Lane near Marshfield on December 23rd and was still present on the 24th.
This stunning portrait of Short-eared Owl was captured at Aust Warth on December 7th: © Gary Thoburn.
2008: (c.12)
First winter period: In January there were two birds available at Aust Warth on the 1st - 2nd, 23rd - 24th with single sightings on the 7th, 12th, 16th, 22nd, 25th - 27th & 29th. Most sightings were in the afternoon/ evening from 15:50 onwards but there were some morning reports; In February at Aust Warth two birds were seen on the 6th, 8th - 10th & 24th with singles on the 2nd, 12th, 14th - 17th, 19th - 20th & 23rd. Again most sightings were in the afternoon/evening from 16:10 onwards with the exception of the 23rd when one was noted at 08:45; One was flushed in the morning on February 2nd from the path around Lagoon III at Oldbury Power Station; One was flushed on February 23rd from the path around Lagoon III at Oldbury Power Station. It was then seen perched on a log along the shore at 09:00; In March single birds were reported from Aust Warth on the 1st - 4th, 9th - 10th, 21st, 24th, 26th & 27th; One was noted at Oldbury Power Station on March 9th as it flew along the shore and then to roost on Lagoon III at 09:00. It was first seen hunting along the shore and fields south-west of Lagoon III then circling near the yacht club; A migrant was flushed at around 15:00 from drift wood on the beach at Severn Beach on March 25th.
Short-eared Owl at Aust Warth. Left January, right March 2008. © Paul Bowerman.
One was seen over Rushmead Lane and the east of Orchid Lane at Marshfield at around 18:30 also two were on show at Aust Warth at 19:25 on April 3rd with one still showing well on April 4th - 6th; One was seen at the yacht club at Oldbury on April 6th and again on April 12th & 13th; One was seen hunting along the sea wall at Riverside Park, Severn Beach in the evening on April 15th; One was seen at Oldbury Power Station on April 16th; Another lighter bird was seen at OPS on the Shore on April 20th; One was noted again near the yacht club at OPS on May 2nd & 3rd; At least one was showing well at Aust Warth on June 12th and 14th;
Short-eared Owl at Aust Warth. June 2008. © Don Smith.