Call description, thrush-sized bird, UK (1 Viewer)

[gambirder]

Baffled by this. Seen on edge of wood c11am, from a garden on the outskirts of Southampton...

Thrush-sized bird, very top of large tree on edge of wood. Bird appeared dark, but no plumage details observed as bird seen as silhouette only from c50m away. Short, mellow, plaintive call (“pheep"?) uttered in a measured, unhurried way every 2 secs or so, from the edge of a wood. Vaguely recalled Scops Owl.

Bird looked set, but ran to get my bins and, inevitably, the bird had gone by time I returned.

I'm stumped... Any ideas?

 

[01101001]

Like this? ML270934391 Song Thrush Macaulay Library

 

[gambirder]

No, no close sadly. I'd say that's more pipit-like.

The calls I heard were longer, distinct notes. Although the bird was thrush-sized, it didn't sound like any thrush call I'm familiar with. (I'd recognise Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Redwing, Fieldfare...)

 

[01101001]

There's also a longer call (ML170807421 Song Thrush Macaulay Library), but now that you say that, I don't think it will help much.

 

[KenM]

Baffled by this. Seen on edge of wood c11am, from a garden on the outskirts of Southampton...

Thrush-sized bird, very top of large tree on edge of wood. Bird appeared dark, but no plumage details observed as bird seen as silhouette only from c50m away. Short, mellow, plaintive call (“pheep"?) uttered in a measured, unhurried way every 2 secs or so, from the edge of a wood. Vaguely recalled Scops Owl.

Bird looked set, but ran to get my bins and, inevitably, the bird had gone by time I returned.

I'm stumped... Any ideas?

Xeno canto White’s Thrush…..?

Cheers

 

[gambirder]

Xeno canto White’s Thrush…..?

Cheers

Ho, ho. A day late for that methinks!

I did listen, however, to the White's Thrush recording on the Collins Bird App - and that first note has the right mellow, somewhat mournful tone... The call of the bird I heard, however, was shorter and repeated every 2-3 seconds. Anyone know a more likely candidate that has a similar quality call?

 

[pianoman]

Dark, thrush-sized bird with low mellow notes - Blackbird comes to mind. Can often start a "practice" subsong with just a few notes

 

[gambirder]

Dark, thrush-sized bird with low mellow notes - Blackbird comes to mind. Can often start a "practice" subsong with just a few notes

Did consider this but thought unlikely

• top of crown of 80' chestnut tree
• single note repeated many times over 2-3 minutes - unlike any blackbird vocalisations I've heard
• plaintive note sounded weak and not rich boxwood-flute notes of blackbird - though this could possibly reflect tentative subsong of 2CY male
• I don't think the bird was black as per male blackbird - just dark cos silhouetted