Spotted Owlets and Scops Owls in India Nov 24.

Spotted Owlets

 As I sorted through my photos taken in India last month I thought I'd do a blog post on Birds of Prey. Well it seems I took lots of them so I've decided to split them up into Owls, Vultures, Eagles, Buzzards and Falcons.

So to start with here are some Owl images, predominantly Spotted Owlets (that is the name of the species and doesn't specify young birds ie. owlets).

Also included are a couple of Collared Scops Owls that we found roosting in a palm tree and despite trying on a few occasions were still difficult to get a clear shot at.

Spotted Owlets are very common in the Keoladeo National Park at Bharatpur and can also be found all around the outskirts of the park in the grounds of farms and temples. We were lucky enough to watch many different pairs thanks to our expert guide Harish Chand.

On a previous trip we found Dusky Eagle Owls and despite a search of a known location it remains a species that eluded us on this trip. However I've included a photo of one I took back in Nov 2005 out of interest.

Spotted Owlet

Spotted Owlets

Spotted Owlet

Spotted Owlet

Spotted Owlet playing peek-a-boo with me!

Spotted Owlet

 

 

Spotted Owlets

Spotted Owlets

Spotted Owlets

Spotted Owlets

5 Spotted Owlets from November 2005 when we had to rent a boat to get to them!

The Collared Scops Owls were a lot easier to find back in 2005 when we were treated to viewing one in its nest hole. This time it was 2 birds but in a dense palm tree.

 

Collared Scops Owls in a Palm.

Collared Scops Owl at its roost / nest hole back in November 2005

 Despite searching for a Dusky Eagle Owl and being told 'it was there yesterday' we failed to locate it so here is a shot of one I took deep in an acacia forest in Bharatpur back in November 2005.

Dusky Eagle Owl