Nightingale, in January, in Nottingham?

[MavisCruet]

I have found this site as somewhere that looks like it might cure the insanity of the above statement. This is not possible is it?

I just heard birdsong, at 2am, Nottingham. I looked out of the window, saw a plain yellowish brown bird sitting in the lower branches of a bare tree singing wildly. I have read that robins do this near street lighting, but it didn't look like a robin.

I have a (fairly poor) sound recording of it, though I wouldn't know where to host it to allow you to hear it, and only had my mobile, not a decent camera with me.

Any thoughts?

Oh, and hello, this looks like a nice forum!

Mavis Cruet (mr.)

[aeshna5]

I can almost guarantee it wasn't a Nightingale- they don't occur here in the winter. Robin is often the species that people hear, but if you're sure it isn't one, Song Thrush would be a good candidate- the wild song + yellowish brown hint at this species.

Certainly if you can download the song we can positively identify it for you (I'm afraid I'm not the one to tell you how to do that- I'm not very technical!).

Welcome to the forum.

[Deb London]

Hi MavisCruet,

Re. your recording. I have used YouTube for videos, but I assume it's not a video. If you download the recording onto your computer and then tell us what the file extension is, I'm sure someone will help you.

You could post your question in this forum:

http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/fo...hnical-issues/

Deb

[Gill Catton]

it couldn't have been yellowish because of street lights could it? Check out dunnock or wren if this was at all possible.

[solus]

No. 1 candidate for singing at night in winter is Robin, followed by Blackbird then Song Thrush although given the relative scarcity of Song Thrush in suburban gardens these days that'd be a more distant third. The red/orange breast of a Robin wouldn't be likely to show its real colour under artificial light so would possibly fit your description. Robin here is singing his little heart out now half the night! A recording would clinch it.

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by solus

No. 1 candidate for singing at night in winter is Robin, followed by Blackbird then Song Thrush although given the relative scarcity of Song Thrush in suburban gardens these days that'd be a more distant third. The red/orange breast of a Robin wouldn't be likely to show its real colour under artificial light so would possibly fit your description. Robin here is singing his little heart out now half the night! A recording would clinch it.

I haven't heard any Blackbirds singing yet, but have heard quite a few Song Thrushes recently in this mild spell.

[Bellfamily]

Hi MavisCruet
Another option would be to listen to other recordings on the web and identify it that way. This helped me to identify the robins that serenade me in the early hours.
I found this website helpful.
British Garden Birds - Bird Song Tutorials

[thebeard]

where in nottingham, although i'm sure they're everywhere, there seems to have been an increase of song thrush singing at night over the last few nights around bridgford/lady bay

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

I haven't heard any Blackbirds singing yet, but have heard quite a few Song Thrushes recently in this mild spell.

yesterday I heard my first song thrush and I must have been keen for it because I heard it through sealed double glazing!! Then I heard a blackbird in song on the walk to the car park and it was such a beautiful and welcome sound I stopped still to listen for a bit, lovely

[GreyStarling]

Originally Posted by MavisCruet

I have found this site as somewhere that looks like it might cure the insanity of the above statement. This is not possible is it?

I just heard birdsong, at 2am, Nottingham. I looked out of the window, saw a plain yellowish brown bird sitting in the lower branches of a bare tree singing wildly. I have read that robins do this near street lighting, but it didn't look like a robin.

I have a (fairly poor) sound recording of it, though I wouldn't know where to host it to allow you to hear it, and only had my mobile, not a decent camera with me.

Any thoughts?

Oh, and hello, this looks like a nice forum!

Mavis Cruet (mr.)

For the last few weeks I have thought that I have been listening to nightingales too. My elderly dog needs to go out through the night and I have stood next to the tree where a little bird is singing fit to burst. I have heard it between 1.00 and 4.00 am. It is a shade larger than a robin but has a pale GREY front. It is not as large as a thrush and, as far as I can make out in the moonlight, does not have a red breast. I have a (not very good) recording of it on my MP3 player. I am no expert on bird song and would love an identification. I know it is the wrong time of year for nightingales, so what is it? I live near the coast in Northumberland.