I have heard it twice now, only between 23:30-00:00
it will call out, 'heehoo heehoo heehoo', always in bursts of 3. it isn't an owl or dove, it's a higher pitched little call.
I've spent hours listening to bird calls and found nothing. I am in preston North West. Please help me.
How can you say with such certainty that it is not an owl? What you describe sounds very much like a Little Owl and the timing would agree with that too.
Because I've spent hours listening to owl noises on YouTube and it is none of them, it sounds more cuckoo than owl but it's not a cuckoo either.
If you can get a recording of it that might help - I find it really tricky to go off a description
Cin J
It's July now. At this time of year, it's typically young birds that cause difficulties re identifying sounds. I'd guess at a young owl of some sort.
I really will try and record him, he's very elusive x