Need help but I don't have a photo...........

Hi,

Welcome to the forums.

I am certainly no expert but I wondered if your bird could be a nightingale.  The first time I heard them was in a park in Berlin and I didn't believe it when I was told what they were as I thought they sounded more like tropical birds.  I also heard some in Spain last month and they have quite a varied song which includes the 'whoop' that you describe. 

You can hear a sound clip on the RSPB identifier  http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/n/nightingale/index.aspx

or this Radio 4 one http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/birdsong.shtml

I am probably way off the mark but it is the first thing that came to mind.

Good luck in your ID.

SB

hi Tgb55 welcome to the RSPB Forum and enjoy yourself here

I think by all account that Sarum Bat has hit the nail on the head with a nightingale

I also visited Spain last year and was lucky to hear a few Nightingales and they have a very distinguished call over other bird species

If only we could hear the call you have mentioned - it would be something.

Regards

Kathy and Dave

Hi,

I realise the security implications of a site such as this, but it would help if you could give a general indication of where you live.  I've tried to insert the Nightingale song from CD, not sure if this works or if it will help! 

Mike

Hi Mike,

Yes , it worked, you are clever!   (Though I expect it is against copyright laws)

SB

Hi,

A big thanks to you all for responding.

I've listened to all the audios you have suggested but it isn't the Nightingale.....

We live in Lincolnshire and I've never heard the likes of it before....as I said previously the noises wouldn't go amiss in a jungle or rain forest.

I recorded the bird on a dictaphone (the best I could do) and if there is an easy way to download it then I certainly will.

Regards,

tgb55

Hi Tgb55 and welcome to the forum. Sounds intriguing.

Obviously, if you can post the sound on the forum that would be the best chance of someone identifying it.

To do this you simply click on the little green filmstrip icon as you would if you were posting a photo. Then browse to the sound file on your computer, assuming you can get it there from your dictaphone. This works for mp3 files and I think for wav files. Don't know about other formats

Given that you heard this bird a t dawn and dusk I am wondering if it might be one of owls. These are little owl calls which include the whooping sound you describe. Have a listen and see what you think.

Regards TJ

Hi TJ,

Thanks for the reply.........I've listened to the recordings of the owls and its definitely not them.

I haven't got any software to enable me to transfer the dictaphone to my PC, so at the moment I'm stuck.

If I could get a photo it would be so much easier  although I don't hold out much hope............

Regards, tgb55

Hi again Tgb55

I'm running out of ideas. Unless you can get a photo the only other thing I can suggest is if your computer has got a microphone input capability, play the recording in front of the mic. Might not be great quality but would be better than nothing. Even the basic Windows sound recorder would allow you to save the file in "wav" format which you could post as previously described.

Regards TJ

Well that has me stumped for sure I thought It might have been a starling with the whooping bit at the start but Thats nooooooo Starling. Real intrested to find out what it is though .

Thanks so much for posting it Sorry Im no help though.

Cheers

AL