I passed a Short Eared Owl sat on a fence post on my way to work this morning on the boundry between Rossendale and Burnley. It flew off its perch a couple of times to briefly hunt the moor before returning to its lookout! Regards, David Nuttall
Could you give a more exact location please? The actual roadside boundary points are either SD846271, on the B6238 just above Clough Bottom Reservoir or SD815276, on the A65 at Dunnockshaw - or was it at the summit on one of the two roads?
Hi Tony, It was just south of Crown Point Road, which indeed links the two roads you mention and quite clearly in Burnley at the time! I live in hope that in its forays over the moors it also entered Rossendale airspace! Regards, David
Hi David, Nice sighting... By the way I would not be suprised if it is not already within the Rossendale boundaries. I have seen them now and again over the past 8 years either quartering the fields on the opposite side of the road to Crown Point Road (Deerplay/Cloughbottom Reservoir side) and also resting on post alongside the same field (which was alongside the main Burnley-Bacup road - Rossendale side)
i have seen short eared owls over crown point area - one near the singing ringing tree which was heading towards rossendale. i have seen short eared owls around pick up bank and grane road after you leave rossendale.
its quite confusing as to where the actual boundary lies. i have seen plenty of sources who consider crown point, hameldon hill. clowbridge as part of rossendale. even the east lancs bird book which was released over the last 6 months referneces to these areas being in rossendale in some species accounts.
whats the reality? if one drives on the road the burnley borough sign pops up before clowbrdige as you drive up form rawtenstall.
I have heard it tell that the owls always show themselves at 8am in mid summer in this area so to add evidence to the theory I wonder what time you go to work???????????
Hi Dog! It was around 07:00A.M when the owl was showing!
Hi Sarfraz, The boundary does appear several hundred yards before Clowbridge but it cuts back into the reservoir at the "East Bay" and then zig zags north through the res before running through the centre of the "back pond", up the feeder stream for a couple of hundred yards and then turns east and does a convoluted route through Clough Bottom Res as well!
