I heard what sounded like a nightjar. Any ideas?

[lucianne1973]

I've heard this bird several times now, and I'd love to know what it could be.

It sounds like a nightjar or a grasshopper warbler, but the sound is not continuous; it occurs in approx. 5 sec. bursts. It's loud.

I heard it this morning at Thursley in Surrey, which is wet heathland. This morning it was coming from the vicinity of the lake ('the moat') at around 9am. I've heard the sound before, in the wetland areas during the day.

Does anyone know what this could be? I haven't seen a bird on any of these occasions.

Thanks!

[htcdude]

Probably Greenfinch or Wren.

Nige

[Tony BEE]

Originally Posted by lucianne1973

I've heard this bird several times now, and I'd love to know what it could be.

It sounds like a nightjar or a grasshopper warbler, but the sound is not continuous; it occurs in approx. 5 sec. bursts. It's loud.

I heard it this morning at Thursley in Surrey, which is wet heathland. This morning it was coming from the vicinity of the lake ('the moat') at around 9am. I've heard the sound before, in the wetland areas during the day.

Does anyone know what this could be? I haven't seen a bird on any of these occasions.

Thanks!

I think it,s likely to be Roussele's Bush Cricket; that's a marsh species.

[lucianne1973]

Originally Posted by Tony BEE

I think it,s likely to be Roussele's Bush Cricket; that's a marsh species.

Thanks for that suggestion. I've just listened to an audio file, and I think that this was much too loud to be a cricket. It wasn't coming from close by; at least 80 feet away, and it was loud.

[lucianne1973]

Originally Posted by htcdude

Probably Greenfinch or Wren.

Nige

Thanks Nige. I've heard a lot of wrens, and I don't think this was a wren. The sound was like the trilling/rolling part of the call, but longer, and repeated with no other notes. I've listened to the greenfinch call on the RSPB site, and I don't think it's that either (We get greenfinches in the garden, and I've never heard this sound in the garden). The sound is similar to the trilling/rolling greenfinch call, but longer, and just one tone; not varying in tone.

Any other suggestions?

[g8ina]

Part of the sedge warbler call is a long trill, but then *usually* followed by a whole symphony of sounds...

[htcdude]

What about a Marsh Frog then?

Nige