The Lincolnshire Bird Club

I found a dead Little Owl today on the sheep-grazed Trent river bank at Garthorpe. It was apparently undamaged, a day or two dead, and about 400m from a box where they have nested for about 15 years.

Strangely, I'd had a conversation in Kent yesterday with someone who usually has several pairs on his patch but who cannot find any at present. I said mine were still fine but I was wrong as usual. Little Owls are declining nationally (http://blx1.bto.org/birdtrends/species.jsp?s=litow), something tentatively attributed to poor fledgling survival, but apparently had an average breeding season in 2015 after a very good one in 2014 (Sheppard & Ball, anyway). Those in my box failed at the egg or early chick stage in both years after being successful for years, something I cannot explain (though I did wonder about the cold springs).

Been touring my local little owl sites for the past few weeks..only one bird showing so far..
Could normally gaurantee to see them but not now!

i would agree, several sites where i often see Little Owls are no either not producing any sightings or are very sporadic.
A couple of sites have had wind damage to the favoured tree which could initiate a move but the occasional sightings i'm not sure, perhaps they just move locations/natural mortality?
Certainly seen less in the last year.

Cheers,

Oliver

After watching regular 5pm barn owl (saw two yesterday between 12.30pm/2pm in a village named Roo..not Twitter roo) anyway after watching barn owl I noticed a little owl in a place I'd not seen one before but only less than half a mile from where they used to be..as Oliver said their normal tree has been wind damaged..also another site has been wind damaged & entrance blocked from hole in roof theyd sit in..even though a fresh sighting numbers still minus though!

Just an update..9 little owls seen in last few weeks ..was getting quite concerned!