Poor old Mr Brown
Harbinger of death in steep decline - Britain - Times Online
BARN OWLS, emblematic of the country idyll, have suffered a catastrophic drop in numbers, with up to 75 per cent feared to have been wiped out.
A cold March and a wet May combined to kill off parent birds and create appalling breeding conditions .... blamed changing weather patterns caused by global warming...
Strangely the old boys down the range were talking about the lack of Barn Owls last night - we didn't blame Global Warming but had noticed the huge rise in the number of Buzzards and Red Kites, and strangely how now there are more large predators there seems to be fewer hares and ground nesting birds as well... but no the old country boys must be wrong, it is global warming..and of course did you see what Cherie said, giggle.
UPDATE - 
Mr Brown as seen by Beatrix Potter - Endangered! Ha Ha!
Comments
We need a cull of raptors,unlikely to happen in the current climate(legally) (+{
Posted by: nick | September 26, 2006 12:16 PM
a cold March = global warming
Yes, that computes!
Just imagine what they would say if it were a warm March....
Posted by: Cato | September 27, 2006 8:53 PM
There used to be owls in the woods out back of our 'ouse. Now I've moved back into roughly the same area there are no wols out back. Can't blame the foxes for taking all the chicks, surely?
Besides, the Big Grey Puss that lives out back picks fights with foxes two at a time. You can hear him early in the morning. I'm convinced he does it and his caterwauling when he knows humans are most snugly ensconced asleep, so most aggravation will be done by waking them up.
Posted by: Chris | October 5, 2006 9:33 PM