Little farmland bird calls (North Yorkshire, UK) (1 Viewer)

[Articuno]

I've been walking around the farmland surrounding Stillingfleet (York, UK) and I've come across the same flocks of small birds recently that make a sound I don't recognise.

They're always flying high up so I can't see their colouration, only their shape and size. They flit about like finches making a "kip-kip" noise, or maybe a "gip-gip". It actually sounds like clicking and not like a typical finch chirp as with the linnet, redpoll etc.

I think the same birds may also have produced a continuous song similar in pitch to a dunnock but can't remember exactly.

Every time I try and get the camera out to record their calls, they have long gone!

Any suggestions please?

 

[Sangahyando]

Corn Bunting? To me, their call sounds like how you'd "pronounce" an asterisk...

 

[saluki]

I've been walking around the farmland surrounding Stillingfleet (York, UK) and I've come across the same flocks of small birds recently that make a sound I don't recognise.

They're always flying high up so I can't see their colouration, only their shape and size. They flit about like finches making a "kip-kip" noise, or maybe a "gip-gip". It actually sounds like clicking and not like a typical finch chirp as with the linnet, redpoll etc.

I think the same birds may also have produced a continuous song similar in pitch to a dunnock but can't remember exactly.

Every time I try and get the camera out to record their calls, they have long gone!

Any suggestions please?

Corn Bunting?

http://birds-in-flight.net/?p=264

Cheers
Jonathan

 

[Articuno]

Thanks! It took me a while to find a resource that had the right calls but what I found matches up (except the song, must have heard something else singing!)

 

[Dortmundbirder]

Yellowhammer could be a possibility as well, following ur description of the calls.

 

[Simon Wates]

It actually sounds like clicking and not like a typical finch chirp as with the linnet, redpoll etc.

Has to be Corn Bunting really - perfect description.

 

[Andy Hurley]

http://www.xeno-canto.org/

 

[harr1y]

Im thinking meadow pipit
http://www.xeno-canto.org/150293
http://www.xeno-canto.org/151262

 

[Sangahyando]

Im thinking meadow pipit
http://www.xeno-canto.org/150293
http://www.xeno-canto.org/151262

But the description of the call as "clicking" is much more fitting for Corn Bunting.

 

[harr1y]

It also says kip kip or gip gip i dont know the status of corn bunting flocks in that area ... but meadow pipits flocks are very common

 

[Simon Wates]

...They're always flying high up so I can't see their colouration, only their shape and size. They flit about...

Harr1y might have a point - Meadow Pipit would fit better to this part of the OP's description.

 

[Articuno]

I've seen corn buntings here plenty of times in the Summer but only one at a time, this is the first time I've seen them in flocks. Definitely not meadow pipit (too much like tsee-tseee-tsee).
The corn bunting call is identical to what I am hearing thanks all!

 

[Samuel Perfect]

Are there still large enough numbers of Corn Bunting in the area to constitute "flocks"? I'm thinking something more common like Mipits or Linnets

 

[Sangahyando]

Are there still large enough numbers of Corn Bunting in the area to constitute "flocks"? I'm thinking something more common like Mipits or Linnets

The buntings could be in a mixed flock with other birds such as Linnets, making their numbers appear larger. Also, seeing as Articuno has already said (twice) that the calls are matching with Corn Bunting, I see no reason to doubt this.

 

[phil baber]

http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Loxia-curvirostra

 

[Articuno]

My flocks are only about 10-15 strong, sometimes far less.

Red Crossbill....? Not even close, thanks for trying though. That sound is still too chirpy, it sounds like "peep-peep", very finch-like.

I'm certain these are Corn Buntings unless there is any other bird in the area with the exact same call as this http://birds-in-flight.net/?p=264
I describe the call as "kip" or "gip" because it is dull sounding, unlike the sharp "tic" of a robin, but both of these have no "voice" as such, they sound like clicking and not chirping. All other birds mentioned have high pitched cheeping noises.

I'll see if I can find some this weekend when I go walking again and I'll try and bring the binoculars as well as the camera this time.

 

[DOC REED]

It also says kip kip or gip gip i dont know the status of corn bunting flocks in that area ... but meadow pipits flocks are very common

Corn Buntings have been hanging on in York surrounds, ihad a flock of 70+ in hard weather at Long marston during hard weather couple of winters ago

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

I've been walking around the farmland surrounding Stillingfleet (York, UK) and I've come across the same flocks of small birds recently that make a sound I don't recognise.

They're always flying high up so I can't see their colouration, only their shape and size. They flit about like finches making a "kip-kip" noise, or maybe a "gip-gip". It actually sounds like clicking and not like a typical finch chirp as with the linnet, redpoll etc.

I think the same birds may also have produced a continuous song similar in pitch to a dunnock but can't remember exactly.

Every time I try and get the camera out to record their calls, they have long gone!

Any suggestions please?

Flying high up sounds like Skylark.

 

[Articuno]

Flying high up sounds like Skylark.

Thanks but not "that" high, just too high for me to see any markings without binoculars lol!

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Thanks but not "that" high, just too high for me to see any markings without binoculars lol!

Yellowhammers have those short calls and if you have no binoculars (I should try taking some) as you say you cannot pick out any colours.