UK - heard at a nature reserve in Greater London 14 April 2021 (1 Viewer)

[Mr Patience]

Recorded yesterday morning. This recording is quite faint I'm afraid. It needs to be listened to in a quiet environment, preferably with headphones.

After the obvious, close Willow Warbler, three repeated calls can be heard in the distance. Thoughts please?

Many thanks

 

[HouseCrow]

Sounds like a Turtle Dove. They are getting very rare here (Netherlands) but hopefully less so in your less tidy ( in a good sense, I hastily add) part of Europe.
They are arriving here now (west coast mainly)
cheers
Gerben

 

[Mr Patience]

Thank you, Gerben.

Any other observations welcome.

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

I agree with Gerben, that it might be a Turtle Dove. But I still stuggle to make a confident identification. I get the feeling, that the tones are to fluid, melody and not "throaty" enough. Is throaty the right word? I hope its understandable, but song of a Turtle Dove consists of similar tones like in this bird, but they are rougher, as they seems to come out of the throat.
Having said that, Turtle Dove might be the best fit, and its the quality of the recording. No offense, as allways!

Conclusion? Is there a possibility to ge the sound clearer and better audible? I have heard it with head-phones and I still struggle to hear a Turtle Dove here with confidence.

 

[Mr Patience]

Thanks, Alexander. No offence taken. I fully agree the recording is not ideal, but it is the best I can do I'm afraid as the call was distant.

 

[Butty]

I don't know. But I don't hear anything like a turtle dove.

 

[Mr Patience]

Thank you Butty. I know that some people can't hear anything. At this point, I confess I thought it was a Turtle Dove. Thank you all for your views on it.

 

[KenM]

Yes Mr Patience, I too could hear (just after the Willow Warbler) a double note purring that might be construed as a Turtle Dove, however I would need to hear more purring to be sure.

Cheers

 

[Butty]

Having a second go... better speakers, etc. Yes, I can hear a short 'purr' call (nothing 'double' about it that I can hear) given 3 times. It sounds too regular and even in tone and in delivery to be typical of turtle dove - so I'd need to hear it for longer to be sure one way or the other, but I'd say it is possibly one.

 

[Mr Patience]

Having a second go... better speakers, etc. Yes, I can hear a short 'purr' call (nothing 'double' about it that I can hear) given 3 times. It sounds too regular and even in tone and in delivery to be typical of turtle dove - so I'd need to hear it for longer to be sure one way or the other, but I'd say it is possibly one.

Agreed. Not a double note. Just three regular purring notes. That's all I have I'm afraid. I was leading a group at the time, otherwise I would have gone closer and hung around to get a better recording but, 'twas not to be!