ID bird?

[clovis]

I have two unknown birds visiting my garden (in countryside next to corn fields). Bad eyesight + rubbish binoculars means I can't make out details but they are about the size and appearance of blackbirds or thrushes, buff/brown with white stripes on wings. They perch on the highest points in trees. Sound is very distinctive - a wee-o-wee or whee-o-whee and I never see them together when they are calling out.
Have ruled out the usual suspects but wonder if they are European visitors as I'm on east coast of Scotland. Someone suggested young immature cuckoos getting ready to migrate, but we don't have adult cuckoos in this area.
Would appreciate any info on this, thanks.

[Fiona Ward]

Just a thought but could they be chaffinches, who make a loud hoo eet and have the white wing bars? Size can be deceiving at distance too.

[clovis]

thanks for the reply I have had chaffinches and greenfinches singing in another tree at the same time as those birds and were different in sound. Thought they might have been young fieldfares but thier call is not the same. I know that sometimes size is difficult to guage but have been through all the bird sounds on the RSPB site and no luck. Mystery!

[htcdude]

Long-tailed Tit?

Nige

[tcvarlh]

Just a thought, try
xeno-canto :: bird sounds from around the world
for bird songs
Maybe you'll find your mystery there
h

[clovis]

thanks for replies

the long-tailed tits are incilined to arrive in a gang, noise up the neighbourhood for a few hours then move on. Those are solitary birds and when one calls, the other replies in the distance. Definitely larger too and thrush or blackbird-like.

appreciate the international site for bird sounds - will try that

[Shrike]

could a be a tree or meadow pipit

[clovis]

Hi shrike
tried those as we don't have them here but their sound, which is a sort of piping, isn't like what I hear and not as clear and loud.

[Tursiops2]

Originally Posted by clovis

they are about the size and appearance of blackbirds or thrushes, buff/brown with white stripes on wings. They perch on the highest points in trees.

This description brings Mistle Thrush to my mind; they have white underwings which are quite conspicuous when seen from below, and habitually perch at the top of tall trees.

On the other hand, this...

Originally Posted by clovis

Sound is very distinctive - a wee-o-wee or whee-o-whee and I never see them together when they are calling out.

... says "Lapwing" to me.

Are you sure that it's the birds you see that are making that sound?

T2

[Gill Catton]

I would also point out that chaffinches have a far wider range of calls than are ever represented in guides and often seem to make calls seemingly specific to season and they also can be very loud.