Little owls at Lyme Park

Driving toward Pursefield Wood a few days ago, we spotted a little owl perched on a fencepost. Its mottled brown and white plumage meant that it blended effortlessly into the trees behind it.

See if you can spot it through the binoculars..... 

Found it? Here's a close up....



The little owl eyes us warily

Since I started at Lyme Park last October, I've been lucky enough to have seen four owls: barn, tawny, short-eared, and now little. I just need to see a long-eared owl, and I'll have the full set! Let me know if you spot any by emailing john.mead@nationaltrust.org.uk

Little owl FACTFILE:

Latin name: Athene noctua

Habitat: Found in England and Wales with a few in southern Scotland. It likes lowland farmland with hedges and copses, parkland and orchards.

• The little owl was introduced to Britain in the 19th century.
• They hunt mostly at dawn and dusk, swooping down from a perch on to small mammals and insects. They are omnivores, occasionally eating plant material and berries.
• In Greek mythology, the Little Owl was the messenger of Athene (note the Latin name), the goddess of wisdom.
• Breeding Bird Survey data suggest that Little owl numbers are declining, with the UK population estimated to be down by 24 per cent between 1995 and 2008.

Further reading:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/Little_Owl#p007vcns
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/l/littleowl/index.aspx