Scops Owl is a species I’ve
always wanted to see in Britain, coming in at number 9 on my top ten most
wanted species. Having always loved owls, this quirky, angry looking miniature
bird of prey has always been a firm favourite of mine when visiting falconry exhibits,
and the only birds I’ve seen in the wild are a pair that were flying around a
park in northern Spain several years ago, in the pitch black and just managing to make them out through the inky darkness as they sat perched in the trees, “bong”ing
away in that characteristic and bizarre manner.
Scops Owl in Britain! |
Photos of the bird sat roosting soon began to flood social media as expected (all with ‘that leaf’ obscuring the top of its face!) and it became extremely hard to sit back and watch as scores and scores of birders connected.
Luckily the Scops stayed put and we eventually found ourselves making our way up north in order to try and
see this remarkable little owl for ourselves - thankfully still in the same
Elder bush it was first found in when we arrived and showing well for the small
crowd of birders that had gathered round to admire it. Scops Owl in Britain –
result and relief!
Sat relatively out in the open
half way up the bush we were treated to excellent scope views of what can most
certainly be a difficult bird to see well – I definitely wasn’t expecting to
connect with one on British soil any time soon that’s for sure, and especially
not showing so well!
Phone-scoped shot of the Scops |
The Scops bush.... |
....and its admirers |
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