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Bird Songs (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter SAFM
- Start date
Sue Wright
Well-known member
Hi Scott,
It's so good to see you're so interested and you'll find them all so much better if you can learn their songs and calls.
I suppose the Blackbird was my first one, then the Song Thrush which you'll possibly find easy as it repeats each phrase again and sings so loudly as well as beautifully.
If you have a CD of Birdsong then try 1 Bird a night and see how it goes. If you're good at singing in tune then it seems to be that people learn faster that way, at least that's an assumption we all concluded on the old BBC boards. Good luck Scott, you're doing brilliantly! Press on.
Sue
It's so good to see you're so interested and you'll find them all so much better if you can learn their songs and calls.
I suppose the Blackbird was my first one, then the Song Thrush which you'll possibly find easy as it repeats each phrase again and sings so loudly as well as beautifully.
If you have a CD of Birdsong then try 1 Bird a night and see how it goes. If you're good at singing in tune then it seems to be that people learn faster that way, at least that's an assumption we all concluded on the old BBC boards. Good luck Scott, you're doing brilliantly! Press on.
Sue
Hi Scott,
Probably Chiff-chaff but I can't really remember that far back. I can remember creeping through the undergrowth and around bushes trying to see whatever it was singing so that I could remember it; it was usually a Willow Warbler or a Blackcap, or might it have been a Garden Warbler. That was in the days before there were tapes or discs available.
I agree with Sue, try one per night and try singing/chirruping with them; but in the end there's no substitute for actually seeing the bird singing. A lot of people find that using a mnemonic helps, for instance the Yellowhammer is often said to sing 'A little bit of bread and no cheeeeese'.
Keep trying, it's worth all the effort.
Bill.
Probably Chiff-chaff but I can't really remember that far back. I can remember creeping through the undergrowth and around bushes trying to see whatever it was singing so that I could remember it; it was usually a Willow Warbler or a Blackcap, or might it have been a Garden Warbler. That was in the days before there were tapes or discs available.
I agree with Sue, try one per night and try singing/chirruping with them; but in the end there's no substitute for actually seeing the bird singing. A lot of people find that using a mnemonic helps, for instance the Yellowhammer is often said to sing 'A little bit of bread and no cheeeeese'.
Keep trying, it's worth all the effort.
Bill.
PeterK
Well-known member
Hi All I find I can recognise all the "popular bird Calls" but seem to fail miserably in learning any new (to me) bird songs, Ive tried CDs and even recording for myself, usally ending up with a cacophony of calls that are imposible to seperate. We used to have a Recording Studio so tried using the 16 track mixing board, produced an interesting mix down but it was more of a pop song than a bird song, interesting waste of time and equipment.
Good Listening PeterK
Good Listening PeterK
Hi Scott,
First song that I learnt was the song thrush, this was due to a teacher at my primary school teaching us a little poem about the song of a thrush. I cannot remember the author but can still remember almost all the poem
'Did he do it? Did he he do it?
Come and see. Come and see.
Knee deep. Knee deep'
there was a fourth line but that's the one I can't remember
This has got all the right beats and the repetition that characterizes a song thrushes song.
First song that I learnt was the song thrush, this was due to a teacher at my primary school teaching us a little poem about the song of a thrush. I cannot remember the author but can still remember almost all the poem
'Did he do it? Did he he do it?
Come and see. Come and see.
Knee deep. Knee deep'
there was a fourth line but that's the one I can't remember
This has got all the right beats and the repetition that characterizes a song thrushes song.
Liebchen
Well-known member
Hi Scott and everyone
As far as my memory serves me the song of the blackbird is something I have been able to recognise since childhood. They use to sit on the corner of the block of flats where I used to live in Germany singing in the evening while I was playing on the grass below. When I hear one singing today it always takes me back to those spring days and warm evenings.
I remember my first hearing of a song thrush one very early morning. At first I thought it was a buggie. Yes maybe I was just coming back from one of 'those' nights out. :'D
Liebchen :king:
As far as my memory serves me the song of the blackbird is something I have been able to recognise since childhood. They use to sit on the corner of the block of flats where I used to live in Germany singing in the evening while I was playing on the grass below. When I hear one singing today it always takes me back to those spring days and warm evenings.
I remember my first hearing of a song thrush one very early morning. At first I thought it was a buggie. Yes maybe I was just coming back from one of 'those' nights out. :'D
Liebchen :king:
Ross Hunter
The two things that matter in life are the 2 B's B
I just learned the robins song i think the only way i can tell which bird is singing is to see it singing but i am pretty sure i know the robins
Ruth Daniel
Well-known member
Hi Scott,mine was the Blue Tit as we always had them nesting in our garden and I can remember my Mum telling us to move away as the bird was trying to get in to feed it's youngsters but me and my sister saying it would be OK cos the Blue Tit "knew us"!!!!! lol!!! 
I'd forgotten about that till I read your post!!!
Best wishes,
I'd forgotten about that till I read your post!!!
Best wishes,
level seven
Registered user
Mine, all of three years ago, was Blackbird. I can't believe now I went through over 50 years of life without being able to pick that one out without seeing the bird first. Just not interested then unfortunately. It's a different story now.
Next was Songthrush, then probably Chiffchaff, Yellowhammer, Wren, Willow Warbler and Black Cap. All pretty distinctive in their own way.
The one I had trouble getting to grips with funnily enough was the Robin.
It's not easy when you start off, but the pleasure you get when you track a bird down for the first time after only hearing it first is hard to beat. I punched the air when I managed that with a Reed Bunting.
Next was Songthrush, then probably Chiffchaff, Yellowhammer, Wren, Willow Warbler and Black Cap. All pretty distinctive in their own way.
The one I had trouble getting to grips with funnily enough was the Robin.
It's not easy when you start off, but the pleasure you get when you track a bird down for the first time after only hearing it first is hard to beat. I punched the air when I managed that with a Reed Bunting.
Sue Wright
Well-known member
One that's always stuck with me pretty well is the Cetti's Warbler, partly because Bill Oddie was filmed making his own impressions of it by voice/mouth at Radipole Lake, Weymouth. I always 'see' him whenever I hear one. To be honest, I think he's one of those people who would do well in bringing out a DVD on how to recognise Bird Songs. Maybe he has??
Though saying that Dave Gosney does a very good job of most Birds in the DVD of British Birds, brought out a few years ago. I think that's an easier way for the more difficult ones - for me at least.
Good luck Scott & Ross, Sue.
Though saying that Dave Gosney does a very good job of most Birds in the DVD of British Birds, brought out a few years ago. I think that's an easier way for the more difficult ones - for me at least.
Good luck Scott & Ross, Sue.
My earliest memory was skylarks.There were plenty then.When I moved nearer the town I couldn't accept that it was spring without them.A child then,Ithought everyone heard them.
One of the simplest mnemonics(thanks for reminding me of the word Bill)is the red grouse"get back,get back,getback". If you learn the songs ,you'll find the birds.
maurice
One of the simplest mnemonics(thanks for reminding me of the word Bill)is the red grouse"get back,get back,getback". If you learn the songs ,you'll find the birds.
maurice
Mary Evelyn
New member
Mine was the Jackdaw when I was about 10 years old, although I know its not a song.First song around the same time, was the Song Thrush. :flyaway:
bill moss said:
Hi Bill,
I would say that mnemonics would help me - but I have just listened to my CD - the yellowhammer track and I wonder what the person who thought up the yellowhammer mnemonic was thinking at the time as I can just can't hear "A little bit of bread and no cheeeeese" in it.
Scott
Sue Wright
Well-known member
I'll bet a bob the Bird was heard.......just as a starving farm worker opened up his lunch box and saw just how poor he and his wife really were! :C
NIK III
Well-known member
Hi Scott.
I think Yellow Hammer is a good one to know. You often hear it before seeing it. Look around and there it is perched on top of a distant gorse bush or fence post. The first I knew was Blackbird with it's rich fluty phrases. After buying some tapes I identified Song Thrush with it's vigorous repetition. It was singing from deep cover and I never did see it. I remember feeling very pleased with myself because I knew what it was. The next was Willow Warbler. Walking in the woods I could hear these sweet wistful notes. I spotted it but to me it was just one of many similar looking birds. I knew I was familiar with the notes, replayed my tapes and bingo I could now identify Willow Warbler. I still listen to my tapes driving to work and back. It's very satisfying identifying birds from their song. Good luck with it.
Roy.
I think Yellow Hammer is a good one to know. You often hear it before seeing it. Look around and there it is perched on top of a distant gorse bush or fence post. The first I knew was Blackbird with it's rich fluty phrases. After buying some tapes I identified Song Thrush with it's vigorous repetition. It was singing from deep cover and I never did see it. I remember feeling very pleased with myself because I knew what it was. The next was Willow Warbler. Walking in the woods I could hear these sweet wistful notes. I spotted it but to me it was just one of many similar looking birds. I knew I was familiar with the notes, replayed my tapes and bingo I could now identify Willow Warbler. I still listen to my tapes driving to work and back. It's very satisfying identifying birds from their song. Good luck with it.
Roy.
George Garner
Well-known member
Hi Scott,
I dunno what my first bird call was, maybe teacher teacher of the Great Tit.
But my call when I'm out with my mates is, whats that,whats that.
George
I dunno what my first bird call was, maybe teacher teacher of the Great Tit.
But my call when I'm out with my mates is, whats that,whats that.
George
Hi Scott,
Can't help you regarding the Yellowhammer, I'm just passing on what some of the field guides say, though I must admit that I CAN hear it. Actually I don't think it matters what other people hear in a song, it's what you find useful as an aide memoire. Just close your eyes and 'translate' the phrase into something that makes sense to YOU. If you want a song to sound like 'Berties got a new Shirt' that's fine if it works for you. Or liken it to something material rather than words; to me a Willow Warbler sounds like a 'cascade' and a Wood Warbler is like a silver coin spinning down on a marble table. Fanciful? sure, but it works for me.
It's 2 quite seperate issues in being able to identify a bird song for yourself and explaining what it sounds like to other people. Concentrate on the identification and as long as you can do that you're on your way.
Keep listening, Bill.
Can't help you regarding the Yellowhammer, I'm just passing on what some of the field guides say, though I must admit that I CAN hear it. Actually I don't think it matters what other people hear in a song, it's what you find useful as an aide memoire. Just close your eyes and 'translate' the phrase into something that makes sense to YOU. If you want a song to sound like 'Berties got a new Shirt' that's fine if it works for you. Or liken it to something material rather than words; to me a Willow Warbler sounds like a 'cascade' and a Wood Warbler is like a silver coin spinning down on a marble table. Fanciful? sure, but it works for me.
It's 2 quite seperate issues in being able to identify a bird song for yourself and explaining what it sounds like to other people. Concentrate on the identification and as long as you can do that you're on your way.
Keep listening, Bill.
PeterK
Well-known member
Hi Just been brousing through the replies, its interesting how many of you can remember the first bird song you could identify, I seem to be alone in not being able to point to any one bird in this respect. Cant even remember the first bird I could truly identify, no doubt you all can.
PeterK
PeterK
