A LOCAL conservationist has published what is thought to be the first photographic evidence of a long-eared owl on the Black Mountain.
Ballymurphy man Aaron Kelly has released a photo of an owl chick after years of searching the hills for the elusive bird.
Long-eared owls are nocturnal and secretive, making them incredibly difficult to spot. However, after years of "tirelessly looking" Aaron has identified seven pairs that are raising chicks on the mountain.
"The past three weeks my luck came in and started to find many pairs across the hills and the Black Mountain," he said.
"Currently I am watching seven pairs across the hills raising their chicks which is a dream come true.
"There is something magical about seeing an owl soar across the lower fields of the Black Mountain hunting and watching the chicks do well.
Long-eared owls are the most widespread owl we have, though it doesn’t make it any easier to find them.
"They do better because they are more adaptable to food sources offered in the area as they will eat carrion, amphibians, insects along with the regular owl prey.
"They are products and masters of their environment having more insulation than other owls on the island allowing them to better survive in our harsh Irish weather. Along with this they have adapted slender builds to allow them to hunt in the forest."
Releasing an image of a long-eared owl chick, he added: "The area is holding an abundance of rare and wonderful wildlife – you just have to look for it.
"If this isn’t more of a reason to protect and look after the area then I don’t know what is."
