THE SHORT EARED OWL

In 1999 a dog picked up what its owner thought was a tawny owl on Bungay Common. It turned out to be a short eared owl – one of our rarer species and only the second that the Trust has ever cared for.

This particular bird had a large open wound on the underside of one wing but the vet’s examination confirmed that the wing wasn’t broken but the bird had sustained serious tissue and muscle damage. It took 113 days of sustained care to nurse the bird back to health and fitness, including “test flights” on a creance.

The major problem was finding somewhere to release him. Short eared owls are unusual in many respects. They are ground nesting, diurnal, colonial birds so the ideal location would be marsh or heathland where it would be safe from disturbance, but where other short eareds already lived.

The perfect place was found – the RSPB reserve at Snettisham on the north Norfolk coast. Arrangements were made with the warden, Jim Scott, and the bird was released in perfect conditions on 15th February, 2000.