I was out on a walk through a countryside village with my binoculars, and I heard a strange bird call coming from a tree. I managed to pinpoint the tree as the call was constant for more than 10 minutes and very loud.
It sounded like an ascending whistle, followed by a shorter ascending whistle, then repeated over and over. It almost like a fast slide whistle, but only rising in note.
Sadly, I couldn't spot the bird in the tree, so I have no physical description :(
Any ideas?
Dale
Hi Dale
So your first posting after saying hello is a tough one. It's very difficult to identify birds from a description of their call. The best bet is to try and get a recording of the call on a mobile phone or on your digital camera if it has that facility. You can then attach the sound clip in the same way as you do a photo.
Chances are it is some fairly common species like a greenfinch. They and others often seem to make this repetitive call at this time of year.
Regards TJ
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Tony
My Flickr Photostream
Thanks TJ,
I have listened to the vast majority of the calls on the RSPB website, and have not found any that match yet! My first port of call was the more common birds, including the Greenfinch, which this call sounded nothing like.
In future I shall try to get a recording - I am very new and at the time it hadn't occured to me to try and record it. It's only after having looked on this website that I saw people asking for sound recordings and thought to myself "Duh! Why didn't I do that?". Lol!
In the meantime, if anyone has any suggestions...
The problem with the RSPB website identifier, useful though it is, it often doesn't cover the full range of calls and songs that individual birds make. No identifier will because many birds develop subtle variations to the "standard" call and indeed some birds go in for mimicry as well.
Just to take the example of greenfinch again here's some calls that I've purchased which illustrate the range of calls and songs this species has. The RSPB identifier doesn't cover all these.
Play this audio clip
Doesn't answer your question I know but you can see how difficult it would be to describe in words some of these calls. Hope you can get some sort of recording. I'm sure then someone on this forum would be able to identify it for you.
Hi Dale,
TeeJay might have hit on it when he mentioned greenfinches. Last spring I heard what I can only describe as a "two-note rising whistle" which might be what you heard. It turned out to be greenfinches in a low tree which were defending their chicks from the attentions of magpies (which finally flew off because they'd been rumbled). So if I am right this is their alarm call.
Obviously your event has come and gone Dale, but does anyone else identify this as a possible greenfinch alarm? Would be interested to hear.
Cheers
Andy
Seriously thinking about trying harder!
Thanks for your replies everyone!
I doubt i'll be able to get a recording as I don't pass by that way very often and even when I do I doubt the bird will be there. It sounds like maybe it is a more peculiar call of a Greenfinch as Andy describes.
If I do hear it again, or need anything else identifying, i'll do my best to get a recording on my phone!
Thanks again!
Ok, I have been out to a few of the RSPBs reserves near me, seen and heard many Greenfinch at them and I can confirm that the bird I heard was definitely a Greenfinch! Well done!
Thanks for letting us know!
Hi Dale and welcome to the RSPB Froum. Enjoy yourself here
I have overlooked this thread.
I am please to hear that you have discovered your bird call. It gives a feeling of satifaction whan you work out the species
I am sure it has opened a door up to many new calls to identify
Love to hear how things go for you
Regards
Kathy and Dave
Dale said: I was out on a walk through a countryside village with my binoculars, and I heard a strange bird call coming from a tree. I managed to pinpoint the tree as the call was constant for more than 10 minutes and very loud. It sounded like an ascending whistle, followed by a shorter ascending whistle, then repeated over and over. It almost like a fast slide whistle, but only rising in note. Sadly, I couldn't spot the bird in the tree, so I have no physical description :( Any ideas? Dale