Fantastic Great Grey Owl story

Written by Kaarel Võhandu

Early spring, Thursday night in Estonia. We have just arrived from Saaremaa Island with a group of visiting birders, where we watched Steller's Eiders. The tour has been excellent with lots of interesting species. In addition to Steller's Eiders we have seen Hawfinch, 10 Rough-legged Buzzards, two Pygmy Owls, Cranes, several Black Woodpeckers, two Grey-headed Woodpeckers and a White-backed Woodpecker. We are one more observation short of another ideal birding day - we need to find a Ural Owl. At sunset we head into the forest. The first hour of searching doesn't produce any results. Hope is fading. We are driving along a forest track, scanning trees when I suddenly spot a silhouette of an owl on a low pine branch. "Got one", I exclaim, hitting the brakes. It is twilight,so few minutes of instructing where to look are needed, before everyone has found it. Luckily the owl cooperates and does not fly away. Finally everyone has found it and I have time to have a look myself. I raise my binoculars just as the owl looks at us. White half-crescent eye-brows, light eyes. "This is not an Ural Owl" I shout. I grab my bird guide from the bag to make sure. The face that looks at me through my bins is exactly the same as in the guide, under headline - Great Grey Owl.

Great Grey Owl video filmed by Ian Moig

The Great Grey Owl sat there for another few minutes, then took off, unfolding its massive wings, showing its true size. We got out of the vans and looked for it with no result. I decided to resume the Ural Owl operation and took out my Ipod and speaker to play its call. But first I played a series of Great Grey Owl calls. From the other edge of the clearing a deep voice answered: "bvoo-bvoo-bvoo". "Its responding", I whispered excitedly to others. Then an Ural Owl voices its opinion about breaking the quiet of the forest. Its "Uhwo wo-ho" sounding almost girly compared to the deep bass of the Great Grey Owl. Now it was a good time to see if I can lure the Ural Owl closer so we can have a look. I play its call. Instead, the Great Grey Owl flies in and lands in the tree just above us. Now he gives a wholehearted "Bvoo-bvoo-bvoo" making the forest ring. Ural Owl does the smart thing and shuts up. We listen to the deep calls for a few more minutes and then depart quietly, leaving the majestic bird to rule the forest.

Great Grey Owl is very rare in Estonia. In recent years there has been only one sighting per year. This one was a 3rd total observation in Läänemaa (western county of Estonia) and the first singing bird for Läänemaa.

Thank You, Kaarel for a great job!