Calling all Ornithologists - Clubhouse

Wilkie

03/04/2012 at 09:37

There's a bird I hear often (particularly in the morning), outside my flat (urban area), in the woods (broad leafed trees), out in the country, but I've never spotted the bird itself.

It makes a rapid two-tone call, like a squeaky toy being squeezed: "dee-do-dee-do-dee-do-dee-do".

It's quite loud and clear, not a timid tweety sound.

I have looked up and listened to so far are:

Chiffchaff
Great Tit
Firecrest
Goldcrest

It's none of them.

Any ideas?

Dave The Ex- Spartan pirate

pirate

03/04/2012 at 09:39

police car in the distance ?

Wilkie

03/04/2012 at 09:41

Not round here - they just use the helicopter!

kittenkat

pirate

03/04/2012 at 09:53

Big Bird?

Wilkie

03/04/2012 at 09:56

Maybe I've got a stalker who carries a squeaky toy around....

fat buddha

03/04/2012 at 09:59

if it sounds like a squeaky hinge it's a Great Tit - although they do have other songs as well but the squeaky hinge is the most common at this time of year.

check out the RSPB site for the birds mentioned and Blue Tit, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Greenfinch and Wren as well - the site has song recordings for all the birds on the relevant species page

Wren's for such a tiny bird are remarkably noisy!

03/04/2012 at 10:06

We used to have a wren nest near our first flat, they are sooo loud for a tiny bird!

Wilkie

03/04/2012 at 10:08

I think you're right about the Great Tit, FB.

I checked it out on a different site yesterday (as I see them quite a lot), and it didn't sound like it - but the sound on the RSPB site does

Ta! I knew I could rely on the forum

LIVERBIRD

pirate

03/04/2012 at 12:38

It was a Liverbird.
I knew I'd track you down eventually....

Wilkie

03/04/2012 at 13:14

Well it's nice to know I've got Great Tits

RicF

03/04/2012 at 14:49

Its a Coal Tit.
Its about 3 inches long, pinky and dull on the body, black head with a white square on the back of its head. They like conifers a lot.

Ploddersoftheworldunite

03/04/2012 at 20:47

I've got one in the back garden that sings in the tree-top all day long, it goes

twee da lee da lee, twee da lee da lee

twee da lee da lee, twee da lee da lee,

Any ideas ?

LIVERBIRD

pirate

04/04/2012 at 08:16

I'm not really bothered WHAT is singing in the trees but they're so frigging loud I'd rather listen to a burglar alarm

fat buddha

04/04/2012 at 09:01

that's about the saddest post I've ever read on these forums LB. really.

sure birds can be loud and raucous at this time of year - their song might as well simply be "shag, shag, who's up for a shag?" but to say you're rather listen to a burglar alarm?? sheesh...

even tongue in cheek you must have thought that thought. I feel sorry for you. I really do.

Plodder - possibly Chaffinch or Robin. check the RSPB site.

LIVERBIRD

pirate

04/04/2012 at 09:06

Seriously FB, it is affecting my sleep. At least with the alarm someone will turn it off.
It's DEAFENING if you've got the windows open. And it's not as if I live in a forest.

LIVERBIRD

pirate

04/04/2012 at 09:09

But yes, I HAVE thought 'those birds are getting more than me'....

It starts at 3am and goes on until 7. Then my neighbour lets his bastard dog out in the garden and we have to listen to THAT yap constantly all day long. So there is nowhere to hide from animal sounds. I have genuinely wanted to pop his mutt but he's an old bloke and it's his only company. All the neighbours hate it.

fat buddha

04/04/2012 at 09:16

nope - still find that very sad sorry.

I'd rather bird song disturbed my sleep than anything man made.

we have a blackbird giving it full throttle at around 4am every morning and I could gladly shoot the little fecker but I'd still rather hear that than road noise or similar. our birds are in rapid decline, so how sad it would be to live in a world with no bird song?

Edited: 04/04/2012 at 09:20

Helen Liz

04/04/2012 at 09:20

One more random bird noise - there's what I suspect to be a duck that quacks in a manner that sounds like a comedy laugh.

sort of Quaaaaaack quaaack quaack quack, down a descending scale.

OK, I know I look a bit odd running, but really, there's no need for the wildlife to laugh at me. Let me know what it is. I may see if the local shoot would care to take them out for me

fat buddha

04/04/2012 at 09:22

that sounds like a Mallard (the common duck you see on ponds) - they have a cackling laughter sound.

LIVERBIRD

pirate

04/04/2012 at 09:31

We had a whole family of mallards sitting on the doorstep once. I have no idea what they wanted! Do they often come knocking on random houses? We're not even near a pond!