Little Owls - a few questions

[flossyplops]

Hi, just wondering if anyone could shed some light on my Little Owls please. We have a small 60 acre arable farm and these last few weeks i've been lucky enough to watch a group of three Little Owls every day in the same place. This last two weeks i'm only seeing one and thats just a fleeting glimpse as it flys off when i get near. Two were always together and one sat in the tree watching, the two that were together i'm guessing were this years young and they didnt mind my camera going off, would perch opposite my hide within a few feet of me and i could move around no probs. Now i only see one and that doesn't hang around so no photos for me recently. So would the youngsters have flown off to make their way in the world and its just one of the parents left thats why its a bit wary? Are they likely to breed in the same place next year, and was it because the two together were youngsters thats why they werent camera shy? Sorry for all the questions just hoping someone might know a little more than i do. I have to say i'm missing not watching them, might have to go back to Badger watching as he's still visiting our garden for peanuts every night Thanks, Heidi

 

[postcardcv]

Not specifically little lows but it is quite common for young birds to be a lot less wary than adults. It certainly sounds like the young have been turfed out to fend for themselves. Little owls will often return to the same place to nest year after year (as far as I know they will return to the same nest site while both birds survive but once one dies it may be many years before a new pair move into the area).

 

[flossyplops]

Ok, thankyou for your answer Peter, i'm still seeing just the one but it is around the same place everyday but havent managed to get a pic since the youngsters left

 

[kev_blizard]

My friend has a farm with some resident little owls that tend to settle down for hours on end one one of his barn roofs during daylight hours, he told me this has been going on for years