birdwhistle

[erik]

Ok birdfriends,

pay attention to this:

I got this sort of birdthingie for my bday. It's a piece of wood on a screw and when you move it it produces birdsounds, it just squeeks. Two days ago i tried it for the first time and the results are totally awesome!! I stood next to a tree and the birds came down to see what bird was there. There were blackcapped Tits, Marshheads, robins, wrens, Great Tits, Blue Tits, Shorttoed Treecreepers and all soooo close! It really attracts them so whenever you see one of those things in a store just buy (might be like $4)
Greetz, Erik, Netherlands

[IanF]

Sounds like an interesting device. I've never come across anyhting like that before, other than the duck decoy whistles which go "quack"!
Was there a descritive name for it or a manufacturers name. Even a photo would help, if you have that facility.

[erik]

it was called: 'audouins birdcaller' or something like that.

[ralph]

If it attacts anything other than Jackdaws or Starling then I want one! :cool:

[HelenB]

I have one, bought here in the States. Mine is called an Audubon Bird Call. Its about 6cm (2.25in) long. Have taken a couple of photos and merged them together, so you can all see what it looks like. I used to use it a lot, but now tend to "pish" instead! It works well with warblers, chickadees, tufted titmouse, etc.

o:)

[erik]

helen,

that's exactly what it is indeed! Thanx for adding those pics to get it clear for the other potential buyers. I dunno what price you paid for that, but my brother told me it was €7 in holland.

[HelenB]

I paid about $6 (US) which would be about 4 British pounds.

[burhinus]

Sounds like a useful tool, but what happened to good old pishing?

burhinus

[Michael Frankis]

Hi Erik,

I've got one of these too - they're really good for some birds. The ones that respond best of all are Long-tailed Tits, but lots of others respond as well. The best I managed to get very close views of with it are a Dusky Warbler (Bruine Boszanger) and a Hume's Warbler (Hume's Bladkoning)
(had to look up the Dutch names of those for you!! :-).

I find that after a while the 'squeak' wears out, then it is time to put some fresh resin on where the metal touches the wood. I just use a bit of resin off one of my pine cones (I've got a huge collection!), then rub it in until the squeak returns after a few minutes.

Michael

[Andrew]

Does anyone know of a British source for these contraptions?

[Geoff Pain]

I've got one and I'm sure I ordered it from one of the bird mags.I'll have a hunt around and see what I can find.


Geoff

[Andrew]

I'll have a look too, keep me posted please, Geoff. Thanks too! :t:

[Geoff Pain]

Haven't found anything yet but I'm pretty sure I've seen them in the shop at Titchwell RSPB.


Geoff

[cuddy]

A note of caution guys use wisely dont disturb the object or your desires too much, try patience better not to see the bird than cause it aggravation, ive seen it happen many times.
it seems uk birds are less responsive than some continental species to this method.

Happy birding Cuddy.

[CJW]

I've used mine in Cornwall in October to fairly good effect. Firecrest, Yellow-browed Warbler always react well and even a Red-eyed Vireo showed brief interest a few years ago (these things have been around for a while btw).

[Geoff Pain]

If you email me your address Andrew you can have mine as I never use it.

Geoff

[Michael Frankis]

The impression I've had from seeing ads is that they cost about 3x as much in Britain as they do in the US - typical rip-off Britain, as ever :-((

I got mine on a trip to the US.

Michael

[peter hayes]

You're right Michael. Everything seems to be a rip off here. However, we are about to redress the balance. Just wait until we get the BF shop going!

[KCFoggin]

I'm curious Beverly, did your little bird call attract anything other than what your pishing attracts? I tend to use pishing sparingly. More so during the fall and winter months.

[Andrew]

Thanks very much Geoff, I am really grateful for this. I did some website searches and there was a load of tat. Mostly whistles shaped like birds!!!!

[Beverlybaynes]

KC, it was Helen who had one, and posted about it.

Although, I DID have one. And I rarely used it. It hung off my keyring for years until it finally was accidentally smashed in my car door, which split the wood.

And in all the birding in groups that I've done over the years, I've never seen anyone use one! Doesn't mean it wouldn't work, tho.

I 'pish' and 'kiss' a bit, but have very little with it.

[KCFoggin]

Sorry Beverly and Helen. I guess I was having a blonde moment :(

[Andrew]

Bev,

Do you 'pish' behind bushes and 'kiss' when there's fellas around?

[Andrew]

I have tried the old pishing ploy and have not had a single bird cos of it yet. Doesn't stop me trying!!!

[KCFoggin]

Andrew, it seems to work on some birds more than others. I specifically do not pish during the spring/mating season. I figure the birds are stressed out enough without my adding to their stress. I have been successful in pishing the kinglets and some warblers, most especially the the white eyed vireo.

[Cindy M]

when the question of 'what is pishing' came up on another birding forum last fall, I replied that I indeed pished but not often. I have a squeaker and they do work, but I don't use it often for the same reasons I don't pish often. I would rather see a bird with curiosity in it's eyes than alarm.

[Darrell Clegg]

I agree about not pishing during the breeding season, for the reasons mentioned, but also because it is just not as effective!
I have far more success in autumn/fall because the species attracted by pishind tend to go around in small groups rather than individually. Also there are juvenile/1st winter birds around who seem to be more attracted to the sounds than their older (wiser?) companions.

To get the best out of it - don't do it for too long - birds soon get used to the sound and move off. Don't do it in the same place twice, go 100yards down the road and try again. Try and break up your outline a little - hide behind a branch or a rock. If birds see the sound is coming from a bloke in a funny hat (me!) they'll soon turn tail.

[simondix]

I got one of the bird callers from a pottery in Scotland Strathcarron Pottery in Wester Ross.. It wascalled a Blackbird caller. Howevewr I had one of the original Audoben callers when they first advertised them in one of the bird mags. I have only had limited success. That is probably my lack of skill or the birds think I am taking the pish.

[IanF]

Anyone after an Audobon Bird Call ? It's worth checking out Ebay for them. I picked one up for a few dollars. Threre's another available on auction at the moment.

[HelenB]

KC - did wonder if your question was aimed at me when I couldn't see a post from Bev - perhaps because we have the same last name, tho' spelled differently? To answer your question, pishing has had just as much success as the bird caller. One of our most memorable moments using pishing was in New Zealand a couple of years ago. We were on the Routeburn Track hiking through the native red beech forest, near Queenstown in S.I. It brought in lots of Yellow-crowned Parakeets and Fantails - it was too dark to get any photos, but that magical moment will live on in my memory banks.

Anyone wanting to see the photos I did get on that trip, go to my website (URL below in my signature) and click on New Zealand 2000 in the Trip Reports section. There are 3 sections covering the 2 week trip we did in Oct/Nov 2000.

[KCFoggin]

Good, I'm glad you realized it was you I was aiming my question at. Like I said. A blonde moment.
I've had some success with pishing. Most especially with the kinglets and vireos and a few warblers. Would love to see some of those yellow crowned parrots.