[Paul 42]

Just a quick word to say that thanks to Andy Bright I've identified a new bird for me. A couple of weeks ago we were out on a walk, heard an unfamiliar call, my missus spotted the culprit high up in a tree by a pond. Blackcap says she. More like Marsh Tit says I, not at all convinced as the call was nothing like. Mental note to verify call with tapes, get home, forget. Then I see Andy's photo and it all clicks. Played the tape- it's a Reed Bunting! Now that's a commun bird and I've been birding a couple of years but I've just never identified it before. I'm sure I'll see it all the time now! Just goes to show the importance of learning the calls and songs. P.S. wanted to tag this onto Andys thread but it's disappeared in the move.

[Andy Bright]

Thanks Paul, always glad when someone i.d's a bird through a pic of mine..... happens quite a lot via my website.
Must admit it took me a minute or so to come to a conclusion that it was a male Reed Bunting on my garden path.... some birds just don't even enter your mind when they are outside of their normal habitat... I reckon an Avocet could land in my garden and it would take ages for me to realise what it was

I'll add the Reed Bunting pic to the gallery as the thread and pic were lost during the server change-over. Not the best Reed Bunting pic I've taken but very pleasing as it was a first for my garden
Regards,
Andy

[Colin]

Paul,
A good way to remember the call of a Reed Bunting is to think of someone learning to count. They go......one, two,.... one, two,..... one, two, three,..... one, two, ....one, two , three, .....one,.... one, .....one, two, .......one, ......one, .....one, two, three etc. That is, there is some uncertainty as to what number comes next and they have to restart the sequence.


Colin

[Paul 42]

I'll remember that one Colin. I've got all the tapes and CDs but there's nothing like seeing and hearing the bird at the same time for it to sink in. It's like Nuthatch, once you learn the call you see them all the time. Now for the Corn Bunting...tic-tic-tic-tack!