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Science/nature/environment

birdcall

(17 Posts)
bichonmad Tue 01-Apr-14 09:08:55

morning all i have been mooching around my back garden this morning and for the past few years at this time of the year i have heard a bird that sounds like its laughing its really loud,i have trees all around 2 parks,and a field so i did think maybe it was a woodpecker but dont they make a tapping noise, i cant see it but going by the loudness i would think it was a quite a big bird,because we also have a main road at the side of us and that carries a lot of traffic so to sound that loud over traffic noise i would presume its a big bird,does anyone have any ideas,and i have been told there is a website that you can hear bird calls and identify the birds but i cant find it does anyone know anything about that please.confused

NfkDumpling Tue 01-Apr-14 09:12:32

Jay?

NfkDumpling Tue 01-Apr-14 09:13:06

Try the RSPB site.

Culag Tue 01-Apr-14 09:16:12

Could it be the call, rather than the song, of a mistle thrush?

www.bto.org/about-birds/bird-id/know-your-thrushes-song-and-mistle

NfkDumpling Tue 01-Apr-14 09:19:12

Thinking about it, it's more likely a magpie. They're on the increase, especially in urban areas where there's stuff for them to scrounge.

shysal Tue 01-Apr-14 09:39:50

www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/g/greenwoodpecker/
The green woodpecker has a laugh, listen to the audio on the link. Remember Profesor Yafle on Bagpuss? Although it drums on trees, it is mainly a ground feeder for insects. I also agree the loudness suggests a cackling magpie or jay.

bichonmad Tue 01-Apr-14 10:07:41

got it thank you all,i used your link shysal its a green woodpecker we have a very large tree in the field at the bottom of our garden i think it must be in there thank you so much all,i am going to sit in the garden with a brew and look for it now grin

Culag Tue 01-Apr-14 10:24:47

You often see green woodpeckers on the grass. They eat ants among other things.

shysal Tue 01-Apr-14 13:10:33

Sorry about my spelling! My 'f' key has to be bashed to operate it, so doesn't like doubles!

dustyangel Tue 01-Apr-14 17:55:40

I've been trying to identify a particular bird song and now I know that there is a green woodpecker if not in our garden then in the field next door so thank you for the links shysal and Culag, they are both good and I know I'll be returning to them. smile

rosequartz Tue 01-Apr-14 22:46:03

Kookaburra? Where are you?

rosequartz Tue 01-Apr-14 22:46:47

grin

MiceElf Wed 02-Apr-14 06:54:17

There's a wonderful App called Chirp which gives photographs and information about many birds together with recordings of their songs.

shysal Wed 02-Apr-14 09:42:36

This morning there is a green woodpecker laughing away in the tree behind my garden. It must be the season for them - a mating call?

whenim64 Wed 02-Apr-14 10:00:45

I have Chirp on my iPhone and find it really useful. This morning, a pair of great tits are picking all the dog hairs out of my back doormat for their nest. Last year, it was chaffinches who got there first. Great to see the activity going on, and one nesting box has been leased by bluetits smile

jinglbellsfrocks Wed 02-Apr-14 10:12:57

We've a lesser spotted woodpecker on one of our bird feeders over the last few weeks. Don't see those so often nowadays.

And there is a bluetit inside the nesting box, pecking away at the wood. I think he's giving it a complete refurbishment.

rosequartz Wed 02-Apr-14 11:41:46

We had a couple of green woodpeckers which regularly came last year to get the ants from a grassy bank in our garden, parent and large chick. I was worried because two magpies were menacing the chick, when all of a sudden it turned and chased them off!