Merlin Bird ID App

I really want to know which annoying buggers have started tweeting at 4.30 am when it isn’t even light!

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It’s dawn chorus, not damn chorus :slight_smile:

Oops!

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Blackbirds and robins round here, with a side order of rock doves who have taken up residence next door

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I use the App regularly when out walking or just sitting in the garden. This afternoon I could hear an unusual call whilst out walking so out came the phone. Male Nuthatch singing away. I have seen Nuthatches and even ringed them but I have never heard one calling like this one.
SteveT

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I am walking every morning at the moment for an hour or so, for both my mental and physical health. I use the app every day and it seem to turn up new ‘sightings’ (‘hearings’?) quite regularly.

Most interesting today was a noisy pair of mistle thrushes (they have a distinctive call) that seemed to be in something of a fracas with a fieldfare. I clearly saw these but not the goldcrest that Merlin told me was nearby. Also heard a song thrush, which seem to be increasingly uncommon around here in Nottinghamshire.

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Picked up a Siskin today.

Last year it was classed as rare in my location, this year it isn’t even classed as unusual.

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Sat out in the garden with Jasmine this morning. Robin in the silver birch was venting forth.

I wound up the volume on the iThing, fired up the Merlin app, and played some recorded Robin sounds.

Robin was not amused and flew down several times to check out this interloper!

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Interesting to note how the variety of birds (picked up by the app) has increased in the last week or so. Previously dominated by blackbird, robin, wren, blue tit, great tit and chiffchaff. Now, in addition, I am hearing greenfinch, goldfinch, blackcap, song thrush and occasionally green and greater spotted woodpeckers. Perhaps this is just by chance or maybe there is a scientific explanation for the apparent change? I am in south Nottinghamshire and my walk is along the same route at about the same time every day.

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Maybe they are singing as it’s now the time of year that they are looking for a mate or claiming territory.

I expect you are right. It was more the timing and how different birds are appearing at different times. I think many are U.K. residents year-round but perhaps some are summer visitors? I am no ornithologist!

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Today in BromleyCross, Greater Manchester we picked up in 10 mins around the Jumbles Reservoir:
Blackbird
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Robin
Chaffinch
Wren
Dunnock
Goldcrest
Nuthatch
Wood Pigeon
Song Thrush
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
Crow
Grey Wagtail

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Good list, good app.

It is surprising how many species are found in a relatively small area. I wonder how many of them you actually saw? I bet you didn’t see the goldcrest, did you?

I have found’’ over 30 species in about four days of listening within 10 miles of home

List to follow :wink:

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Sadly no, but will keep looking!

I’ve just recorded in the garden for 10 minutes. Picked up six birds, the only sighting was the robin. Sat at the top of a tree behind my garden, singing the whole time.

I got a fleeting glimpse of what must have been the blackcap, because it definitely wasn’t any of the other birds I could hear.

When you’re walking about in woodland, some birds hear you coming and lay low or fly away. If you keep still and quiet for a few minutes, they will probably come back.

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First cuckoo for us this year

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Excellent. Where are you roughly, please?

This was Blackheath Common near Guildford, about half an hour ago.

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Well done David, that’s a few days earlier than my earliest cuckoo sighting/hearing log, but not surprised given the weather.
My log shows earliest is 14 April over 4 separate years going back to 1994, yes a bit sad.
Now waiting for the 1st swifts, we usually get a mix of migrants and residents, we normally say they’re residents for sure when we hear the screaming.

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This evening we got two Tawny Owls.
I cannot recall ever hearing owls here. Indeed, Sue had actually gone to bed, heard them while reading, and came to fetch me!

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