I intended to start a new thread, but searched (by mistake) instead and found this*. Last night at about 9.30 -10 I looked out of the window and saw an owl on the clothes prop. With ear tufts. Went and got my bird book and decided it could only be a Long-Eared Owl. It was still quite light outside and it just sat there looking at me.
I've seen Tawny, Little and Barn owls around here but the only Long Eared I've seen in the wild was roosting in a tree at Burton Mere and that one was so camouflaged that I wouldn't have know it was there except for the crowds pointing telescopes at it. I was glad my daughters partner had a telescope - my binoculars hardly found it. But the one in my garden was very visible.
I reported it to the Cheshire recorder who said the nearest known breeding pair is at Sandbach Flashes, about 13 miles away as the crow (owl) flies. And that young owls were out and wandered.
*look at all those 'blast from the past' names posting.