What is this bird heard in Epping Forest last April?

Hello, beginner birder here. I heard this bird in Epping Forest in April. Was wondering what it was... Call starts quiet but repeats every 10 secs or so. Sounded exciting and new to me but the tail end of each call seemed familiar, is it a blackbird being creative?!

Thanks!

  • I've listened to this audio clip several times and I'm still none the wiser. It almost sounds like one of the thrush species that hasn't quite learned the words yet. Of course one shouldn't discount a Starling which is a great mimic and can produce all sorts of weird and wonderful sounds. I can recognise a Blackcap around 1.0 min but that's not were asking for.
    Sorry, not much help.
  • Thanks a lot for trying to identify it Tony. When I heard it at first I thought it must be a thrush species that I hadn't learned about yet, I like the idea that it might be a beginner at bird song, just like me! Do you think it could plausibly be a blackbird, or do you rule that out?
    I always see loads of starlings flocking on the houses in Epping itself so there are plenty of them about too.
  • No, I wouldn't rule a Blackbird out. It is one of the thrush species but I can't rule it in either. Unless someone else comes up with some fresh ideas it may be one of those cases which remain unresolved.
  • Oh well, nevermind, thanks anyway. Given so many birds are such good mimics I imagine unresolved cases must be very common. To be honest I don't quite understand how mimicry works as a communication device between birds of the same species, it would seem confusing and defeat the point of having an individual song...