Uncommon residents of the farmland edges of the town.

In the early nineteenth century Little Owls were occasional visitors to Britain from the continent. In the latter half of that century they were successfully introduced to the Country. The first Little Owl recorded in Hertfordshire was shot at Ashwell in 1877, and they first bred in the County in 1897.

Several Little Owls were shot at Stevenage in 1906. The Bird Notes for 1907 contains the following note by Mr S. Maples (Stevenage) from the, “Zoologist” September 1907, “On September 20th a ‘keeper shot one (Little Owl) at Stevenage at about 5 o clock in the afternoon. This was brought to me and is now in my collection. It proved on dissection to be a female but is in very bad plumage. I have since heard from the same Keeper that there are some more Little Owls in the neighbourhood and that they have taken to a tree covered with Ivy: If this is the case it would be reasonable to suppose that they have nested here”. Foster (1914) described them as, “common in the Stevenage district”. In 1919 a Mr Meiklejohn recorded that he had a Little Owls’ nest at Stevenage containing five eggs and, regarded it as an exceptional clutch.

In the 1950s Little Owls were, considered to be the commonest Owl of North Hertfordshire.

The 1973 Breeding Atlas confirmed breeding from one of Stevenage’s tetrads (that covering Knebworth) and probable breeding from two others, the 1992 Atlas considered breeding as probable from seven tetrads, but no confirmed breeding and, the 2012 only considered possible breeding from one tetrad (that covering Bragbury End).

The 2012 Winter Atlas confirmed their presence from the tetrad covering Knebworh.

Little Owls can be found on the edges of the town, and until quite recently were frequently seen along the Watton Road between Knebworth and Bragbury End (the latest record of a bird seen near the Crematorium on 6 July 2012).

In the 1960s two dead birds seen on a Gamekeepers, “gibbet” in a spinney near Box Wood in 1965, one at Mossbury on 24 April 1966, two at Colestrete on 7 July 1966, one in Danestrete on 20 May 1967 and one at Astonbury in April 1968 and on 24 April 1969.

The records for the 1970s are: Astonbury 31 January 1970, 1 March 1970 and 5 April 1970; one at Watery Grove on 4 May 1972; one at Symonds Green on 28 February 1974; Aston End September 1976; one at Astonbury on 19 June and 3 September 1977 and, two, possibly three on 7 August 1977; Holbrook Farm, Aston June and July 1977; one at Astonbury Wood on 23 April 1978; seen in the meadow adjoining Astonbury Wood on 28 January 1979; one being mobbed at Astonbury Wood on 11 March 1979; one at Astonbury Wood on 1 April 1979; one at Aston 24 June 1979.

During the 1980s: one seen at Watery Grove in 1980; two at Astonbury in February and August 1980; one by Collenswood School on 14 June 1981; one at Holbrook Farm, Aston on 14 November 1981; one at the Lister Hospital on 6 June 1982; breeding proven from Stevenage in 1983; a leucistic (white) bird at Box Wood in June 1984; one at Astonbury Wood on 18 February 1985; one at Astonbury Wood in 1986.

Only two records during the 1990s: possible breeding at Aston End 1990; a pair at Norton Green in 1993.

The records since 2000 are: two at Astonbury Wood in 2001; one by the Golf Club Entrance on 28 May 2005; two at Watery Grove on 30 July 2005; up to three at Aston in 2006; one at an unrecorded location on 16 June 2008; one at Astonbury on 8 December 2012; two at Norton Green on 29 March 2014; two calling at Aston End on 4 January 2015; one heard at Aston End on 11 September 2016; one at Chesfield Park on 23 July 2018; up to five seen at Lord’s Farm, Aston End between 6 and 26 July 2019; two at Lord’s Farm on 8 February 2020; one at Aston End 7 May 2020 and recently fledged bird(s) there on 23 June 2020; single bird seen at Lord’s Farm during June 2020 and on 7 December 2020; one at Lord’s Farm on 19 June and 8 July 2022.

Uncommon breeding residents.

Like other birds of prey in the nineteenth century Tawny Owls were regularly shot by, gamekeepers. Having recovered from this persecution in the first half of the twentieth century, their numbers declined again from the effects of toxic insecticides in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and the very cold winter of 1962/63.

In the 1960s they were recorded from: Astonbury; Box Wood; Fairview Road; Grace Way; Monkswood area; Mossbury House; Farm Buildings in Six Hills Way; Watery Grove; Whitney Wood (where one was found dead on 18 May 1968 which seemed to have choked on a mouse or vole which was stuck on its lower mandible), Whomerley Wood. One was also seen to take a Sparrow at dusk in the garden of 2 Lodge Way in 1967.

Records for the 1970s came from: Aston; Astonbury Wood (where one was seen being, “mobbed” on 9 July 1978); Aston End; The Avenue; Barclay School; Barnwell School; Broadwater; Brooches Wood; Box Wood; Bury Mead; Chells; Mobbsbury House; New Wood, Aston End; Old Town; Pin Green; Popple Way; Shephall; Shephalbury; Symonds Green; The Towers, Town Centre; Watery Grove; Whitney Wood; Whomerley Wood; The Willows.

A Tawny Owl pellet found at Astonbury Wood in 1978 contained the bones of Wood Mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus).

1980s records came from: Astonbury Wood; The Avenue; Box Wood (where five were recorded on 15 March 1980); Chells Manor Woods; Gresley Way (where one was a road casualty in September 1981); Popple Way; Ripon Road area.

In the 1990s they were only recorded from Astonbury Wood and Watery Grove.

Between 2000 and 2009 records came from: Exeter Close; Fairlands Valley Lakes; Monks Wood; Pin Green; Watery Grove.

Between 2010 and 2019 records came from: Abbots Grove; Ashtree Wood; Aston End Road; Collenswood; Fairlands Valley Park; Fairview Road; Mossbury School.

Since 2020 they have been recorded from: Abbots Grove; Astonbury Wood; Edmonds Drive; Fairlands Valley Park; Pin Green; Watery Grove.

The 1973 Breeding Atlas confirmed breeding from two of Stevenage’s tetrads, the 1992 Atlas from four and the 2012 Atlas only considered breeding as possible from three tetrads. Breeding was confirmed from Stevenage in 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 and, Aston in 2018.

The 2012 Winter Atlas confirmed their presence from six of the tetrads covering Stevenage.

The Common Bird Census at Watery Grove recorded their presence during the 1972, 1976, 1979 and 1991 breeding seasons.

Rare winter visitor, which may have bred in the past.

Mr Marlborough H. Pryor recorded in 1900 that Long-eared Owls were on the increase in the neighbourhood of Stevenage, and Foster (1914) claimed that they nested near Stevenage.

One was found dead at Box Wood on 15 April 1969 and, three were reported from the wood on 22 February 1971, subsequently pellets were found on 13 March 1971 and 1 May 1971.

One was seen at Watery Grove on 22 October 1989.

Rare winter and spring visitor.

Mr Marlborough H Pryor stated in 1900 that he had seen as many as thirty Short-eared Owls in a plantation north of Stevenage. Although this record is debatable, it is known that the numbers of Short-eared Owls varies dramatically with fluctuations in Vole populations, the Field Vole (Microtus agrestis) being their main food source. In the nineteenth century there were periodical “Vole plagues” in Britain, causing damage to young plantations. At such times Short-eared Owls flocked to the infected districts, it is not known whether Mr Pryor was referring to such a “Vole year”. Mr Pryor also claimed that one or two had been known to stay throughout the summer. Crossman (1902) described them as winter visitors appearing some years in considerable numbers. He also stated that they were, “often flushed out of turnips and rough grass in October and November.” Foster (1914) recorded that Short-eared Owls were, “frequently put up from cover by sportsmen whilst Partridge shooting.”

Other records; one on 1 December 1978, one at Norton Green on 17 April and 3 June 1984, one near Stevenage on 19 April 1986, one at Norton Green on 5 April 1995 and, one at Norton Green Tip on 2 April 2017.