We (some Czech and Slovak ornithologists) use commercial recorders for owl monitoring (in a weatherproof box placed on the tree).
I am looking for other people who use this method or similar.
I’ve never used the Olympus DM 650. I’m using Zoom H4n, to record birds (zebra finch and great tit). I think it’s a similar product. I’m pleased with this recorder. It’s easy to use, good quality and not too expensive.
http://www.zoom.co.jp/products/h4n
But when I have to make passive recording in field condition I’m using SongMeter 2 from Wildlife Acoustic. It’s a weatherproof system which can be programed to record for example 2 hours after sunrise each morning. The battery life is really good (several weeks or mouth depending on the program).
http://www.wildlifeacoustics.com/products/song-meter-sm2-birds
Hope this can help.
We also use the Songmeter SM2 Bat to record nocturnal gliders, frogs and owls plus the dawn chorus along with microbat recording on the other channel. You can theoretically train it to search the audio files for specific calls, although I haven't managed to make that work yet! A lot of Owl people here prefer passive survey rather than getting the Owls to respond to call broadcast so that they are not distracted from foraging, brooding etc.
Thank you for answers. I also prefer passive monitoring before call broadcast, but also I agree that it is very effective method. To Olympus recorders - I have experiences with WS 811 and DM 450 resp. DM 650. All can be used by bioacoustical monitoring (WS with some limitation).
I use Olympus LS11 for recordings of owls for individual discerning of Strix aluco. Its parameters are similar. Results are good: records at distanse 500-700 m are good-read at sonogram.
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