Two Unsolved mystery birds -help required

[howy]

Hi I have just joined so hello everyone

I have two mystery birds that are driving me dotty. One recent which is this little chappy who was with a large flock of Long tailed Tits. Sorry about the quality I was just snapping away. Only when reviewing did I notice that this bird was different, same size and general colouring, but its head marking, red eye and beak is not a LTT? Anyone any ideas, taken in wood next to River Wye near Hereford??



The second bird visits us every night every year whilst camping in a field at Cwm Tydu on cardigan bay. Only well after dark, the bird? flies down the narrow valley across the bay and back up the valley- only in darkness. The call I have attempted to identify and found nothing even similar. A very loud Cu-ker-chur, cu-ker-chur, cu-ker-churrrrr, pause then repeat, whilst in flight. I have the impression that the sound is used to echo sound it's food- flying moths? I doubt very much it has any other function.

Any thoughts comments? Ta!

[Dogghound]

The photo is a long tailed tit.

[healfdan]

Howy

Not too sure about your Long tailed tit look-a like but the second bird is probably a nightjar, from your description of the call.

Healfdan

[boogle]

hi, is the 2nd bird a... Nightjar...sounds like a small mechanical engine ???
they hunt months and insects at night...could you give anymore details on its size etc ....thanks boogle !

[howy]

Hi again

Dogghound, yes it does look like a long tailed tit and it was with a flock, sorry about the quality or lack in the photo, but when you compare them directly this is different in key features, most obvious is the beak famously tiny on the LTT, but this is a seed crusher, looks like a parrots beak, the eyes are larger and red, and the head markings are much plainer and simpler! I dont know but comparing the two the colouring and size, tail etc does look identical, but the devils in the detail, just wish i had a better quality shot.

Boogle and Healfdean, I though nightjar first time I heard it, made a lot of sense but I have listened time and again to different recordings of nightjar and none have come close to this distictive repetative call!! Tried listening to as many alternatives as I could find, wish i had recorded it this year, might be nextyear before I get a chance again I wonder if they have regional accents??

[solus]

The photo (which I can't seem to make any bigger?) looks like a Long-tailed Tit.

The other bird could be a Woodcock. A Nightjar would be more likely to be heard making a mechanical (sewing-machine-like) churring for some length of time. Have a listen to both on the RSPB site:
The RSPB: Birds by name

EDIT: I've found the photo in the Image Library - it's a juvenile LT Tit. I think it's just the odd angle that makes the bill look big.

[howy]

did wonder about angles etc this is the best close up I can get at moment


Listened to Woodcock recordings as well and does not match - I will have to record it!! might be next year

[thebeard]

yep the first is most definately, 100% a juvenile long tailed tit, when young they have a dark appearance to the face, with the red eye ring being quite distinctive.

the other sounds like nightjar!

[howy]

Thanks for that Beard, confirms every one else. Like your Hoof Fungus!

I have listened to numerous recordings of woodcock and nightjar, Woodcock nearest but the timing and general sound is very different, but perhaps they vary in call? Trish my tenting partner came up with being in Wales perhaps we were mis-hearing and realy the call was- what's occuring, what's occuring, what's occuring. not very helpfull- but I must say it's nearer the sound than anything we have heard on the internet.

Every year I say I am going to record it, going to have to it's now started to niggle me.

Thanks everyone for your help.

[actionfinch]

here is a pic i took of some LTT....