[Pete Mella]

This is where I attempt to make a description of bird sound and fail dismally...

I was at the Blackburn Meadows reserve in Rotherham, South Yorkshire yesterday, and heard a strange call coming from a patch of trees, quite close by to the path. Whatever made it only made it twice, and the best description was a short noise that sounded like when you flick the teeth of a comb, but with a bit of a frog-like quality to it. I was unsure if it was coming from the trees or undergrowth.

The area is in the middle of industrialisation on the Sheffield/Rotherham border, and has two lakes formed by a former sewage works surrounded by trees. Other birds that were definitely present were magpies, carrion crows, long-tailed tits, coots, moorhens, goldfinches, bullfinches, black-headed gulls, robins and great and blue tits.

I've found a birdsound that it could be, but I don't want to say now in case that sways people in the wrong direction...

[Tim100]

Going on your description I suggest a Wren

http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/w/wren/gallery.asp

They definitely have that comb-teeth sound.

Tim

[Pete Mella]

Originally Posted by Tim100

Going on your description I suggest a Wren

http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/w/wren/gallery.asp

They definitely have that comb-teeth sound.

Tim

It was deeper and more drawn-out than that, although there were wrens present. Like I say, it was almost frog-like (someone's going to tell me it was a frog now, aren't they!).

[Tri-Counties Birder]

What about the trill of Long-tailed Tits?

[Tim100]

Originally Posted by NaturePete

This is where I attempt to make a description of bird sound and fail dismally...

I was at the Blackburn Meadows reserve in Rotherham, South Yorkshire yesterday, and heard a strange call coming from a patch of trees, quite close by to the path. Whatever made it only made it twice, and the best description was a short noise that sounded like when you flick the teeth of a comb, but with a bit of a frog-like quality to it. I was unsure if it was coming from the trees or undergrowth.

The area is in the middle of industrialisation on the Sheffield/Rotherham border, and has two lakes formed by a former sewage works surrounded by trees. Other birds that were definitely present were magpies, carrion crows, long-tailed tits, coots, moorhens, goldfinches, bullfinches, black-headed gulls, robins and great and blue tits.

I've found a birdsound that it could be, but I don't want to say now in case that sways people in the wrong direction...

I have some new suggestions.

Both Moorhen and Coot do have a croaky element to there calls but...

Have you ever heard the sound a squirrel can make ? One part of it's sound sounds very similar to the comb teeth sound mixed with a frog's croak. It's other sound is similar to a baby crying mixed with the "ark" of a crow.

Hopefully someone can back me up here.

Tim

[Pete Mella]

Thanks for all the suggestions, definitely not Long-tailed Tit, and I'm doubtful about Moorhen or Coot (I know one when I hear one, but appreciate they have a lot of different calls). Squirrel is interesting and will check it out.

Trawling through the RSPB site's sound archive the closest match I'd make is Woodcock, which I know is well within the too-good-to-be-true category. For all I know it was a man behind a tree with a comb...

[bitterntwisted]

Pete,

I thought Woodcock when I saw your first post but it's not a call I have heard often as in my experience when not roding they are pretty quiet. I don't know why I didn't suggest it earlier and there's and no reason it wouldn't have been woodcock in the location. There's plenty about - I saw 14 last night - apparently some winters they are our most numerous wader.

Graham

[buzzard12]

Sound very like Yellowhammer to me. Get a lot of them here through the year and have become used to the call, often given from cover, standard contact call.... Comb description is spot on...

[Pete Mella]

I can see where you're going with Yellowhammer, but it was deeper than that and didn't sound much like a songbird at all. Also it was very sporadic (I only heard it twice) whereas I'd expect a Yellowhammer or other songbird to make more frequent noise.

May have another trip up there and see what I can hear/see. When the snow's gone though, I think...

[rayman64]

Originally Posted by NaturePete

I can see where you're going with Yellowhammer, but it was deeper than that and didn't sound much like a songbird at all. Also it was very sporadic (I only heard it twice) whereas I'd expect a Yellowhammer or other songbird to make more frequent noise.

May have another trip up there and see what I can hear/see. When the snow's gone though, I think...

maybe a mistle thrush???

[Pete Mella]

Originally Posted by rayman64

maybe a mistle thrush???

Possibility, though I'm familiar with mistle thrush and in my wierd vocal similies would have more said it was like an old-fashioned football rattle.

[Macswede]

Greenfinches produce a sound that to me sounds almost exactly like the sound produced when you flick the teeth of a comb but I'm guessing you're familiar with that.
Graham