I live near Brighton and have been here for over 20 years. Only in the last 12 months have I started to hear what sounds like Donald Duck with asthma! I have been under the tree this bird was in and couldn't see it, so I assume it's something small. Any ideas? I'll try to get a recording on my phone, but the little so and so has managed to catch me every time without it. Seems to be a migrant as I've not heard it in winter yet.
Hi Peanut and a very warm welcome to the forum.
Sounds like you have an interesting little character there.
If you can get a recording there is bound to be someone on here that can help with an ID
I look forward to finding out what it is too and to reading more about wildlife around Brighton
Eilid
"out beyond ideas of right doing and wrong doing there is a field. I will meet you there" Rumi
Hi Peanut,
Obviously the recording will do it, but I wonder if the call sounds really low pitched (like a duck quacking) or is it high pitched like a small bird?
I had a thought it might be a jay - they have a fairly deep 2-note call which sounds like "shraaak-shraaak" so you might describe that as a duck with asthma!
Unless you see the bird or record it, the jury is still out! Jays are pretty shy by the way, so if it's one of those it could be avoiding you!
Cheers,
Andy
Seriously thinking about trying harder!
Hi Andy,
Thanks for this, but I don't think it's a Jay. I have had these living opposite my house the whole time we've lived here and they come into the garden regularly for scraps, but I've only just started hearing this bird in the last 2 summers. Jays sound more like a crow with asthma I think and this is definitely more of a wheezy duck with 3 short quiet calls followed by a longer louder one. I'm at the ready with my phone though to get it next time!
Hi and thanks for the welcome. I live on a hill on the outskirts of Lewes and have always seen foxes and slow worms, but got my first sighting of a young badger this year (with a fox watching it from the hedgerow!). Shame I was driving at the time and couldn't get a picture. Story of my wildlife experiences - never got a camera when I need one. On the bird front, we get barn owls, tawny owls, nightjars and a cuckoo every year as regular as clockwork. Just started getting long tailed tits and buzzards in the area too which is great.
Hi Peanut, welcome to the rspb.
Know what you mean regarding the camera ha ha.
Hope you get a recording of your bird soon too it would be nice to hear it.
An optimist sees the beauty of the complete rose.A pessimist sees only the thorn .
Hi again Peanut,
I echo Sheena, I am waiting to hear what it is!
You've got some really great wildlife down there. I won't ever see a nightjar where I live!
Cheers - have fun
Hi Dyrako and welcome, however the people posting on this very old thread are no longer posting on this forum but it would be good if you could copy the youtube link and post it so that existing members could hear this odd sound?
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
Well, here's a link to the first thing I found
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8b-2TFrx3fg
I would say that the squirrel alarm call is more usually 3 short calls followed by the longer one, exactly like the OP described. The squirrel in the video seems to have a more complex call.