Killed a owl last night :(

09-07-2005, 12:16

Last night while going about my work a owl decided to fly in front of my car, it had no chance neither did I in stopping as I was doing about 60mph. Now I'm a wildlife person who will never hurt any animal big or small, it just flew into the front of my car then went underneath.

I might sound soft but it really knocked me back because I love owls, we have a family of them living in a old building near our house, they keep the local mouse population down nicely.

Jules · 09-07-2005, 12:32

I am sorry to hear that I know it would have really upset me as well. So nice to hear when some one cares like that

Halcyon · 09-07-2005, 12:46

Dont feel too bad. Its a loss of an owl but you couldnt help it, many birds fly into cars by mistake.
Its good you care about wildlife and encourage them to come into your garden.

makikomi · 09-07-2005, 14:52

When I lived down in Surrey, I used to take the bus to work. Part of the route took me over Banstead Downs where wild deer lived.

On one day, the bus passed by a car which had stopped after a deer had been knocked over. It must have just happened.

It sickened me to look at it, and I just hope someone called a vet to see if it could be helped.

ian@huth · 09-07-2005, 15:37

I did the same many years ago in the middle of the night on a unlit road. I wondered what the hell was happening as it just looked like a pale white face suddenly appearing a few feet in front of the windscreen. It hit the very top of the screen and vanished. I was really shaking when I got out of the car as I didn't know what I had hit until I found the remains.

AndrewJ · 09-07-2005, 15:49

That is very sad to hear, there was nothing you could have done there, so do not punish yourself.

Halcyon · 09-07-2005, 15:59

It is interesting you mention caring for wildlife as I wish there were many more people like you. We often have foxes, wood peckers, and owls in our garden and they are so nice to see. It would be good if people looked out and helped wildlife to develop in their garden.

Recently we have seen a decline in Hedgehogs. It would be good to see a rturn as they are great little animals.

ian@huth · 09-07-2005, 16:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Halcyon

It is interesting you mention caring for wildlife as I wish there were many more people like you. We often have foxes, wood peckers, and owls in our garden and they are so nice to see. It would be good if people looked out and helped wildlife to develop in their garden.

Recently we have seen a decline in Hedgehogs. It would be good to see a rturn as they are great little animals.

Our side garden is a wooded bank which we have let grow wild. It is amazing the wildlife that we see as a result including squirrels, foxes and many species of birds. The only problem is that there are a lot of brambles growing and the birds love to eat the blackberries when in season and leave great purple patches on our drive.

There have been a number of hedgehogs which can be quite funny. We went out late one night and heard this really loud rasping, breathing sound coming from the side garden. I got the torch out to find out what it was and discovered a couple of hedgehogs hard at it.

Halcyon · 09-07-2005, 16:27

Yeah its really interesting. The other night we could hear screams as if a girl was screaming but it turned out to be the owls. The foxes also make a hell of a noise too here.

As you say its great when you have a couple of tress or woodland down the bottom of your garden. We are lucky that the house at the back of ours doesnt do much and there are a couple of overgrown trees that bring loads of wildlife. The other night I saw an owl fly past. So nice to see flying at night.

Its also good to see a range of different birds too apart from pigeons that have come to dominate a lot of places.

09-07-2005, 16:41

we don't get many owls near us, well we don't tend to hear them, very often, let alone see one.

We do get a good variety of other birds, though, blackbirds, sparrows, green finches, dunnocks, wrens, robins, great tits, blue tits, collared doves, starlings, wood pidgeons, even a heron, have been seen in our garden - no thrushes, though, which is a shame.

10-07-2005, 09:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Halcyon

It is interesting you mention caring for wildlife as I wish there were many more people like you. We often have foxes, wood peckers, and owls in our garden and they are so nice to see. It would be good if people looked out and helped wildlife to develop in their garden.

Recently we have seen a decline in Hedgehogs. It would be good to see a rturn as they are great little animals.

Cheers Halcyon, we also have hedgehogs in our garden along with the owls squirels birds and bats, plus a couple of foxes visit us, I feed the hedgehogs cat meat, the owls frozen chicks from the pet shop, squriels get a bag of nuts birds get fat balls. The owls have been here for years according to the neighbours, we started feeding them about 5 years ago, they got used to me finishing work around 3am, one morning I let the dogs out, to my amazement the 2 owls were sat on the fence at the bottom of the garden waiting for some food. I threw them 3 frozen chicks each keeping out of their way each time

then off they flew as happy as larry.

makikomi · 10-07-2005, 10:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Halcyon

It is interesting you mention caring for wildlife as I wish there were many more people like you. We often have foxes, wood peckers, and owls in our garden and they are so nice to see. It would be good if people looked out and helped wildlife to develop in their garden.

Recently we have seen a decline in Hedgehogs. It would be good to see a rturn as they are great little animals.

You can help by buying hedgehog houses or making your own... just Google HEDGEHOG HOUSE for more info.

We feed the birds with seed and fatballs. Ocasionally, I'll get some other trats too. We've had a big increase in the number of birds that visit since we started off.

greencreeper · 10-07-2005, 11:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Halcyon

The foxes also make a hell of a noise too here

They do when they're mating

I don't have a garden, but over the months since January that I've been walking to work, I've noticed that the little patches of green between motorways play host to a variety of wildlife. Mistlethrushes, goldfinches (seen feeding on grass seeds and thistle heads), magpies, and robins, plus signs of rabbits, though none seen as yet. You wouldn't immediately think that wildlife could exist in such places. I remember years ago, at dusk, a few rabbits would sit out on the island opposite the DSS building (the one that looks like something from Ghostbusters) in Leeds. The resilence of wildlife huh

Angua · 10-07-2005, 11:25

Such a shame but you should not blame yourself. If it is any consolation I neatly missed a pheasant on Friday and they are truly dozy.

Halcyon · 10-07-2005, 11:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by homealone

We do get a good variety of other birds, though, blackbirds, sparrows, green finches, dunnocks, wrens, robins, great tits, blue tits, collared doves, starlings, wood pidgeons, even a heron, have been seen in our garden - no thrushes, though, which is a shame.

Its good that the smaller birds are returning as they were in decline.
Like you I dont tend to see many Thrushes now which is a shame though I spotted one in the park the other day. Very nice bird.
I really like the doves. Compared to pigeons, they just seem nicer.

Sounds good what you are doing Nidge. I've never fed an owl beofre. Must be great seeing them waiting for you.

Makikomi, Il definately check out those Hedgehog houses.

What I find quite funny in our garden is the squirrels.
I've actually seen them climb up the trees to the hanging nuts and fat balls for the birds, and then seen them hang upside down by their tail and eat the food. They are funny little things.