We have been monitoring activity at known Long-eared Owl sites throughout Connemara and other areas of Galway since last March, using playback survey techniques to locate territorial pairs in the early part of the season (under licence from NPWS). In normal years the characteristic "squeaky gate" calls of young Long-eared's can be heard from May onwards (click here to listen to Long-eared Owl young calling), but this year breeding has been exceptionally late, and it is looking like many pairs have failed to breed altogether.
The photo below shows a Long-eared Owl nest basket which we installed at a site near Spiddal, County Galway alongside Aonghus O'Donaill (NPWS) in 2011. When we checked the basket three weeks ago it was fantastic to see that it was in use with a clutch of three eggs. This is only the second Long-eared Owl basket in the country to have been taken up, both of which are in Connemara. Unfortunately recent visits to the site to watch and listen for adults and hoping to hear the high pitched calls of the young have confirmed that the female has abandoned the nest.
The same situation seems to have happened at at least seven other sites we are monitoring. At this stage it is looking like a particularly bad year for Long-eared Owls, which is probably partly due to the cold and wet spring, but we will be making nocturnal visits to our other traditional sites over the next two weeks, which should shed more light on how they are faring this breeding season.....here's hoping for plenty of squeaking!
Long-eared Owl nest basket near Spiddal, Galway. Photographed under licence (Dario Fernandez-Bellon).
The first active Long-eared Owl basket in Connemara in 2012, which unfortunately also failed to hatch. Photographed under licence (John Lusby).
