Woodland, with Long-eared Owl nest in a tree in the middle distance, near Newmarket, Co. Cork, May 2012 (All photos: M.O'Clery).
And the same spot after the February 2014 storm...
This woodland near Newmarket in Co. Cork has taken a devastating blow from the major storm in mid-February. The Long-eared Owl nest (pictured below), which was discovered during fieldwork for the Duhallow Raptor Conservation Project in 2012, is no more. The area of woodland in which it was found was virtually flattened by the hurricane force winds, and while the actual tree in which the nest was found is still standing, all traces of the large stick nest have gone - blown out of the tree along with many of the surrounding smaller branches.
This site was also notable for several other Long-eared Owls being present simultaneously, with two males and two females calling in close proximity in spring 2012, and one male and two females in 2013. Alas, after resurveying this area a few nights ago, no owls were heard.
Other surveyors around Ireland have been visiting known sites and, while outside the SW most nests and nest trees are still intact, there seems to be no sign so far of any nesting Long-eareds. Time will tell, but at this early stage in the breeding season it looks like nesting Long-eared Owl numbers are going to be well down on previous years.
The Long-eared Owl nest, in spring 2012.
Numbers of recruits to the Long-eared Owl population are likely to be few, following a record poor breeding season last year, caused by an extremely cold spring. For more on that, see this post HERE,
and for more on the former nest site pictured above, see HERE
