Just for a laugh - London UK (1 Viewer)

I know this is ridiculous, but the replies might be interesting|=)|

At my local Reservoirs on Monday, I saw about a dozen large Gulls and a similar number of Crows, mobbing a large Raptor. I didn't get a clear view, as the light was poor - birds distant - and it's flight path took it behind some tall trees. I assumed that it was a Peregrine, albeit a very big one. The thing that confused me was the call; I'd never heard the noise before. If pushed, I'd say it sounded more like a whining/yelping Puppy than a bird. Nothing else I can add, as I didn't see it for long enough, didn't even have time to look through binoculars. Also, although easy to distinguish from the Crows, it wasn't easy to pick out amongst the largest (GBBs) Gulls that were mobbing it.

I forgot about it later, but on the way out, one of the wardens asked if I'd seen the Osprey flying over|=)|

I'd never seen an Osprey before, and I still can't honestly say that I have; I saw nothing Osprey-like, just a large Gull-like Peregrine. But here's a blurred black blob, it could be the Raptor, or it could be one of the large Gulls; I'm really not sure.

Like I said, I don't seriously expect and ID.

That's a great description of an Osprey, but its not a photo of one!

Jane Turner said:

That's a great description of an Osprey, but its not a photo of one!

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LOL, thanks Jane; I thought I might have got a pic of the wrong bird. Oh, well, maybe it'll return and give me a better view.

Photo might be grey heron??

...which also sounds a bit like a yelping dog! Did your bird call just once or was it a rapid succession of calls??

Mike Montier said:

...which also sounds a bit like a yelping dog! Did your bird call just once or was it a rapid succession of calls??

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My local Reservoirs has a large Heronry, so I'm used to seeing and hearing Grey Herons (and so are the Wardens). The call was a number of calls strung together (I suppose "rapid succession" is pretty accurate), so nothing like a Heron. The call wasn't deep enough either. I'd say a Heron sounds like an adult Dog, but with an echo; this bird sounded like a small Puppy

Mind you, the pic I've uploaded could well be a Grey Heron; plenty of them flying about|=)|

Thanks, that sounds much more like a raptor then. Hope you manage to resolve the question!

For an Osprey call, see here. They have a cool sound: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/osprey/id

Don't know about your bird but the only Osprey I have ever seen looked like a very large gull from a long way off until it circled a few times over my head.