Birders - Alert

Stanz · Post by **Stanz** » Wed Apr 07, 2010 6:28 pm

Okay, so all you birders here, I have a bird in my yard that is making me insane. He/she does one VERY LOUD chirp every 6-7 seconds. It starts before sunrise and I am a light sleeper. It sounds like an alert alarm on a smoke detector. I am about to get a gun. This has been going on for two weeks.

Gabes-Apg · Post by **Gabes-Apg** » Wed Apr 07, 2010 6:40 pm

he he he he

I am a morning person (i am normally up by 5am) and bird sounds dont disturb me
TK is NOT a morning person

lately every weekend we have a different type of bird that makes noise early and wakes TK (and his reaction to this makes me laugh)

one weekend it was the australian Kookaburra that 'laugh' and once one starts about 5 others join in
one weekend it was crows (i think these are aussie as well) they have a loud squark and talk to each other
one weekend it was pigeons

one day TK says, i wish they would get computers and use email and SHUT UP!
he has also threatened guns with silencers etc

JLH · Post by **JLH** » Wed Apr 07, 2010 7:05 pm

Last year, we had a darn Summer Tanager who kept pecking at his image in the windows. He better not show up this year.

Finally had a hummer at the feeder today.

Post by **tex** » Wed Apr 07, 2010 7:34 pm

The hummingbirds have been hitting my feeder pretty hard for a couple of weeks, now. Luckily, I've never heard any of them say anything, though.

Connie,

I think I've heard the bird you described, in South Texas, but I can't place it, offhand. Maybe I'll think of it later. If it's the one that I'm thinking of, I'm not sure that I've even seen or heard one here where I live, and I doubt that I even know the correct name.

Tex

JMulkey · Post by **JMulkey** » Wed Apr 07, 2010 8:46 pm

Its probably a grackle. They are very loud.

Post by **tex** » Wed Apr 07, 2010 10:25 pm

They're loud, alright, but they tend to "croak", rather than "chirp", IMO.

Tex

MaggieRedwings · Post by **MaggieRedwings** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 6:40 am

Morning Stanz,

I thought I could nail this right off the bat for you but without some kind of bird description it is really a crapshoot. That is not an uncommon early morning call for birds but it can be annoying to non-birders. Please don't shoot him.

Love, Maggie

Post by **tex** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 10:09 am

Could it be a Western Scrub Jay? (Click on the "Listen" button to hear it's call).

http://www.enature.com/fieldguides/deta ... PageNum=67

How about a Varied Thrush?

http://www.enature.com/fieldguides/deta ... ageNum=123

Tex

Stanz · Post by **Stanz** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 10:56 am

Thanks for the links to the sounds, Tex, unfortunately for some reason I cannot get the speakers on the computer to work this morning. We do have both of those birds here though.

Don't worry Maggie, I'm incapable of killing anything larger than an ant, but this bird has been at it since 5 AM today. I've tried to locate the bird, but we live in a very forested area and he could be anywhere.

MaggieRedwings · Post by **MaggieRedwings** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 12:57 pm

Hi Stanz,

Still has me baffled but you are in such a different area than I. I immediately thought of the Ovenbird in our area cause they are calling early in the morning but the call does not fully qualify.

Here is a link and you can put any bird in your area and then hit the call button. Might find the culprit that way. Breeding season really gets them calling.

http://identify.whatbird.com/mwg/213/0/ ... spx#Values

Stanz · Post by **Stanz** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 1:07 pm

Thanks Maggie, as soon as I figure out what's wrong with my speakers, I'll listen. It's not like any "call" I've heard, just one single chirp every 6 seconds or so and it can go on for an hour nonstop. I have a great little book here on birds that has an audio feature where you can listen to the birds. Cannot find it there either. Seriously, it sounds exactly like a smoke alarm battery warning. When it first started, that's what I thought it was, that it must be in the neighbor's garage on the other side of the hedge, but it is clearly a bird.

We have 4 feeders here and have seen some pretty amazing birds. We've had hawks, red woodpeckers and quail fairly regularly.

Stanz · Post by **Stanz** » Mon Apr 12, 2010 12:29 pm

Maggie and Tex,

After much searching and listening to calls from your links, I cannot find the identity of this bird, which is still driving me crazy. Been going nearly non-stop since 5 AM. Hopefully my brain will begin to filter it out before madness ensues.

Bifcus16 · Post by **Bifcus16** » Tue Apr 13, 2010 7:01 pm

Do you have gecko's in your part of the world by any chance?

The first time I had one living in my house in Qld it drove me mad - I couldn't figure what that call was. I wasn't looking for a lizard climbing the wall.

Lyn

Post by **tex** » Tue Apr 13, 2010 8:20 pm

You might be right - we have them here, but I've never heard they make any sounds.

Tex

Stanz · Post by **Stanz** » Tue Apr 13, 2010 10:46 pm

No Geckos here, too cold for those guys. This bird obviously has an agenda.