Mysterious bird call (is this even a bird call?)

I heard a strange noise today - while I wasn't able to see what was making it, I managed to take a recording. Does anyone recognise this noise? Is it even a bird? Here is the recording, the noise starts at 4 seconds in: https://voca.ro/19YoBEa5p I'm completely puzzled, so any help would be appreciated! The recording is a bit quiet, so apologies if it's hard to hear.

  • Sorry, I can't get this link to play. It seems to want me to record something. Can you find an alternative way to play the recording.

    ____________________________________________________________________

    Tony

    My Flickr Photostream 

  • Same with me Tony!

    Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

  • Hi both! Sorry, that's my fault! I tried the link and you're right, it doesn't work! I must have accidentally deleted some characters off the end of the link - if you try going here: vocaroo.com/19YoBEa5pc7T that should work!
  • Hi again, at a guess I would say it is a Great Tit, hopefully someone else will confirm or correct me if I am wrong.

    Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

  • Hi, I think you might be listening to a different bird within the recording. I've played around with the file in Audacity to cut out the start and end of the clip, and amplify it to an appropriate volume.Hopefully this one is better!

  • Hi Tony, I've had a bit of a play around with the file and managed to upload it here (just one up on my previous post), and I've turned the volume up on it slightly so you can make it out.
  • Yes I can hear the possibly Tit, Pigeon/Dove, Woodpecker but as to what that noise is, I have no clue, birdies twittering around the noise, but it sound like some warning horn-alarm!

    Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

  • It's so strange! We've plenty of Tit/Pigeons/Doves around, and though I've not seen one around here yet there's bound to be woodpeckers, but this is like nothing I've heard before! I was wondering if it could be a nightjar, but it's more stop-start than a nightjar's call, and probably too early in the year.
  • Thanks for the improved audio clip, Yui. I'm afraid I don't recognise it either. Like you I'm not even sure whether it's a bird.

    ____________________________________________________________________

    Tony

    My Flickr Photostream