Earlier in the year a reader asked about ‘peeping’ at dusk.
Two theories were put forward, both of them correct.
Thanks to Phil Law, from Valennes, who sent in the following :
“Having lived in the South for some 12 years before
moving up north we have seen the scops owl in the
evening and heard its ‘pooh’ type of call – a long drawn
out half pooh half whistle.
Lately we have been haunted by the other ‘beep’ –
shorter but not dissimilar. We were lucky enough to find a pair
of these toads in our stable and I enclosed a photo for your readers
to see.”
The toad, Alytes obstetricans, is shown lifesize.
The other ‘peeper’, the scops owl, is tiny, too – little
bigger than a blackbird.
Known in France as le petit duc it also, among Harry
Potter fans, goes by the name of Pigwidgeon.
Its plumage camouflages it well and it is very rarely
seen. This may be because it’s nocturnal, or because it
responds to danger by pressing itself close into the tree it’s
sitting in and becoming motionless, or because of its habit
of reducing its disproportionately large, orange eyes to slits.
Yet another species that is threatened by pesticides and
herbicides – find out more about the movement to protect
owls at www.owls.org
Thanks to Dave Wheeler, of www.fairisle.org.uk, for the photo
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