grasshopper warbler call (1 Viewer)

[k crowther]

I heard a bird yesterday that sounded like a grasshopper, unfortunately the sound was coming from a hedgerow 100m away and I couldn't pick out the bird, so I didn't see it.

Anyway, the obvious candidate seemed to be grasshopper warbler so I looked it up, and discovered that it should not really be in Cumbria at this time of year.

Do any other birds sound like a grasshopper, or is it not that unusual to find a grasshopper warbler at this time of year?

Thanks
Kirsten

 

[aythya_hybrid]

In what way did it sound like a grasshopper? Grasshopper Warbler makes a persistent buzzing noise, often likened to the sound make when a fisherman reels in his (or her) catch.

Grasshopper Warbler would be exceptionally unlikely in february: I do not know of any winter records of Grasshopper warbler.

 

[k crowther]

It was doing the buzzing, fishing reel, grasshopper rubbing legs together sound. I had a listen to my birds songs and calls CD (Geoff Sample), and it sounded very much like the grasshopper warbler on it, I would say the sound on the CD was slightly higher pitched than the sound I heard.

 

[Karl J]

just a thought (?)

buzzing electricity lines / pylons etc can sound similar, or a very early grasshopper ?

uh, ok so thats 2 thoughts :t:

 

[Ronayne88]

I'd say it was either a robin or a wren giving that alarm call they do. Your description pretty much fits that sound I reckon.

 

[Ronayne88]

Here is a link to a wren's alarm call.
http://www.garden-birds.co.uk/birds/wren.htm

 

[k crowther]

It definitely wasn't a power line or a grasshopper!

It wasn't a wren or robin alarm call either, the call carried on for quite a while and sounded relaxed. I liked the garden-birds website though.

Keep coming with the suggestions.

 

[Karl J]

Uh , i'm out of ideas then unless it was indeed a Grasshopper Warbler

anyhow that looks like your first post on here so ... Welcome to BF :t:

 

[Ruby]

Uh , i'm out of ideas then unless it was indeed a Grasshopper Warbler

.... or a Savi's, but that's probably even more unlikely....

 

[level seven]

I was at Mersehead on the Solway Firth on Saturday and heard a bird sounding a bit like what k crowther described. Not a Grasshopper Warbler (extremely unlikely anyway of course) because the sound was in bursts of a second or two, with shorter intervals between them, rather than continuous, but definitely a buzzing, reeling, insect-like sound. It was coming from deep in a hedgerow and I never got a glimpse of the bird itself. It wasn't a Wren's ratchety call though. nowhere near. It's not a bird sound I've come across before, but I'm not too experienced yet.

It did strike me the sound fits the description of what we're discussing here. Anyone have any idea of what it was? I can't imagine the bird's a rare one.

 

[graham catley]

there are also some very odd sounding bird scarers used in the fields by farmers which can fool people with their bird like renditions---

 

[HouseCrow]

Cumbria...hedges...it couldn't be corn bunting, could it...in the distance...

forget it, i never suggested it....

 

[tom24]

I've been out to listen to wren alarm trills.
I thought that this was what you would have heard and still think it might be.
Some were soft and relaxed but never too long in length,but these soft trills could be confusing.(Not doubting you,just saying i've encountered them often).
Tom.

 

[k crowther]

I listened to the corn bunting bit on my bird songs CD, and it seemed a bit shrill and high pitched for what I heard. Near it on the CD I heard the greenfinch, and it seemed to make a noise similar to what I heard. If I imagine the song on the CD done in a more relaxed style, and for much longer, and without the cheap at the end, it could be what I heard.

I should listen to the whole of the two CD's right through, but it's difficult not to drift off to another world or fall asleep after 15 mins or so!

Thanks for the suggestions.