Bid Call Advice

[headington7]

Is there a good video/CD/tape on the market in the UK,that is reasonably full-proof ? My knowledge of bird calls is a little limited,particularly a problem if the bird is not in sight at that time.
Any advice welcome.

[Tim Allwood]

Hi Headington

suprised no one has replied to this.....

the 10 CD called Bird Sounds of Europe (and North-west Africa) by Jean Roche is about as good as you can get.

Songs and calls of 481 species and distinct sub species

It's 60 quid or so but don't think there'll be anything to replace it in next few years...

[satrow]

You really need to spend a lot of time in the field in the next few months (starting ASAP) to get your 'ear in'.

Going through an extended CD-listening session for each new bird will do you no good until you are familiar with the calls of your 'common' birds. Start your fieldwork now, before the summer visitors arrive.

Learn a bird call a day for the next month! Once you hear a 'new' call, do your best to observe it; take notes of it's calls to refer to later. If you have an MP3 player or Dictaphone you may be able to record it.

A CD or DVD of eg. woodland birds may be a quicker fix to get you up to scratch on the commoner birds.

Join a walk with a local bird club or RSPB group; maybe you could find someone there who may give you some 'lessons' in the field.

Watch TV programmes and try to listen for bird songs that you are familiar with! It's all down to practice, really.

Good luck,

Andy.

[Michael Frankis]

the 10 CD called Bird Sounds of Europe (and North-west Africa) by Jean Roche is about as good as you can get.

It's 60 quid or so but don't think there'll be anything to replace it in next few years...Hope there will be - it just got a pretty poor review in British Birds!

I'd agree more with Satrow here, learning each bird by watching it as it sings is far better, until you're familiar with the local common species.

Michael

[Ruby]

I got the Collins double CD from Amazon for about £15 - it's quite comprehensive for the common birds.

Do agree about trying to learn a few though - it's hopeless until you can start to identify the most common ones automatically.

One thing that I have found useful is to use the CD to bone up on the call of a particular bird that you are going to try to see.


Good Luck..... Ruby

[jeff]

I like the 'Bird Songs and Calls of Britain and Northern Europe' by Geoff Sample (2 Cd's) £13.99 from Amazon (http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0002200376/ref=sr_aps_books_1_1/026-6069625-7593248)
Good starting point (for me at least) and not very expensive either.

[Ruby]

I like the 'Bird Songs and Calls of Britain and Northern Europe' by Geoff Sample (2 Cd's) £13.99

That's the one!

[Sven W]

Songs and calls of 481 species and distinct sub species

It's 60 quid or so but don't think there'll be anything to replace it in next few years...

Se this threed http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=12353 for a discusion on a new CD set which might well be a worthy replacement. At least it has a similar price and almost double the amount of species and listening time.