Portable mp3 player recommendations please

[Trik]

I would like to be able to play birdsong and calls while out in the field (or woods for that matter ) to, hopefully, attract the real things to come and investigate. I have searched on-line and the choice of mp3 players with integral speakers is limited and some reviews have suggested that sound quality may not be all that good. Someone has recommended buying an iPod plus separate speaker/s, but the speakers I have seen are hardly pocket-sized. Ideally, I would like to be able to hold the speaker in the palm of my hand. Any recommendations as to what set-up to choose, please?

Thanks
Trik

[slimrbp]

I am not sure that it needs to be all that powerful, I have had good results with Robins, Wrens and Great Tits just using the built in MP3 player on my mobile phone.
I would guess that too loud could have the opposite effect as other birds may think a large competitor has arrived in their territory and fly away.

[Jim Ford]

Regarding a separate speaker, I bought one of these a year or so back. It's a little bigger than a golf ball, has an internal rechargeable battery and produces an impressive volume for its size.

XMI X-mini II Mini Speaker: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo

Check the reviews.

Jim

[nigel_b]

Mobile phone can work quite well.

I picked up an mp3 £8 and powered speaker £5 from Asda.

[Trik]

Thanks for the replies. I would rather not buy a mobile `phone, although I know they can be used for all kinds of media. I used to have a basic one but made and received so few calls, the SIM cards kept expiring. When I`m out of touch, I`m out of touch...

Jim : The mini speaker looks promising, and I am guessing that it will be compatible with most mp3 players (the tech specs didn`t say). Thanks for the link. High volume capabilty is not essential in itself; I just thought that there would be less distortion with a powerful speaker at half-volume than with a weak one at full-volume. Besides, if you want to attract a skylark, for example, the sound has got to carry quite a way.

I still cannot decide on which player to go for, so would be very interested to hear what other people think so that I can weigh up the pros and cons.

Trik

[Jonathan]

Originally Posted by Trik

I would like to be able to play birdsong and calls while out in the field (or woods for that matter ) to, hopefully, attract the real things to come and investigate. I have searched on-line and the choice of mp3 players with integral speakers is limited and some reviews have suggested that sound quality may not be all that good. Someone has recommended buying an iPod plus separate speaker/s, but the speakers I have seen are hardly pocket-sized. Ideally, I would like to be able to hold the speaker in the palm of my hand. Any recommendations as to what set-up to choose, please?

Thanks
Trik

Hi Trik,

Just be aware that many birders frown upon what you're proposing to do, especially during the breeding season. Here's what the RSPB say:

Repeatedly playing a recording of birdsong or calls to encourage a bird to respond can divert a territorial bird from other important duties, such as feeding its young. Never use playback to attract a species during its breeding season. See Birds, habitats and the law (linked from this page) in relation to Schedule 1 species in the UK.

The RSPB: Advice: Putting birds first

Do a search on Google for 'tape luring' to get a few opinions.

Cheers
Jonathan

[Trik]

I think the key word here is "repeatedly". However, I do appreciate that, although I may play a call only once and maybe get a response, someone else may come along a short while later and do the same thing, so I accept the caveat.

Trik

[RKB]

The mobile doesn't need a SIM, a contract or anything else - any old mobile that can play mp3 will do as it is built in. I use my mobile (and an old one without SIM for back-up) for censusing woodland birds and it works very well. I sometimes even use it for luring birds into a net. Birds can be detected up to 100 m away just using a basic phone. Sound quality isn't a huge concern (as mobile speakers are not great anyway), as the birds don't seem to mind that a lot of the sound information (in the frequencies above the speaker's capabilities) is missing, but this might vary with species.

Main thing is to use good recordings in the first place. And use several short ones (5-10 secs) that you can repeat, rather than a single long one.

The RSPB is being a bit over-cautious - a bird isn't going to hang around for 15 mins while you play a call. They usually get bored after a few minutes, and are very unresponsive when they have young anyway (as the song period is largely over). But just use common sense and don't overdo it. Once the bird has appeared/been detected, then stop - that is the golden rule. It's no worse than pishing.

Playback of song works best for adults early in their breeding cycle (Feb-Apr for resident single-brooded species) and also young juvs (summer). Mobbing calls are less specific and more of a punt.

[Trik]

Unfortunately, my mobile is so old it will not play any media at all, and the SIM-free unlocked `phones I have seen on the `net are very expensive, so I hoped an mp3 player would be cheaper. Perhaps one of my family members have an old iPhone lying around in a drawer they would let me have

I intended to use the recordings mainly early in the breeding season, when males are establishing their territories, since, logically, that is when they would be most responsive anyway. As you say, when they have young, the feeding imperative is more important.

Thank you for the advice on recording quality and length etc. Useful to know.

Trik

[Jonathan]

Originally Posted by Trik

I think the key word here is "repeatedly". However, I do appreciate that, although I may play a call only once and maybe get a response, someone else may come along a short while later and do the same thing, so I accept the caveat.

Trik

Personally, I don't really have a problem with tape luring, so long - as RKB suggests - common sense is used. Some folk get a little hysterical about it however and I didn't want you getting into an argument with some irrate birder!

I use a rabbit distress call to bring birds out of cover, for me it works far better than pishing.

Have fun!

Cheers
Jonathan