Bird call on the Scottish moors (a merlin?) (1 Viewer)

[curlewsandpiper1980]

I posted this on the Bird ID QA forum, but I could not get an ID, so because this call sound was recorded in the Scottish moors, I am trying my luck here.
(Sorry if I posting this is against the rules for the Scotland forum)

This was recorded in the moors in upland Findhorn valley, located in northeast Scotland, southeast from Inverness.

I heard this unknown bird making a quick 2 second squeezing call every minute or so, for a few minutes. My first guess was a grouse or partridge as I was in an area with them, but then I started thinking could this be a merlin or some other bird of prey?

The recording is here https://youtu.be/t_5yRgA7-bk

 

[davercox]

Certainly sounds like a falcon, but I'm not familiar with Merlin calls. Have you tried listening on xeno-canto.org ?

 

[PYRTLE]

Most likely to be an alarm call from a Merlin as previously suggested.

 

[burnie]

I've only heard this call before
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Merlin/sounds

 

[curlewsandpiper1980]

Yes, I am pretty confident it is a merlin, after hearing many recordings on xeno-canto.

Habitat was that of a merlin. It was upland heath, along a river valley, with patches of open meadow and some trees too. Plenty of meadow pipits in the area. Also plenty of partridges in the area, but I am not sure if they hunt those.