What is this night noise

Took the dog down the garden as you do tonight, and heard this strange noise. I thought it was a frog at first - but it wasn't the same, though similar crrraaiik crraaaiik. Added to which it seemed to be moving over the tops of my small hawthorne trees - though I could see no bird shape against the night sky.

Any idea what it was

Update - just went out again, and its definitly something flying overhead - but I could see nothing.

 

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh, flying frogs!!!

 

Keep us posted, Fran ... I like this ... :D

 

As its the first time I've heard it, and I've lived here for years - could be a one off. If I find out what it is, I'll let you know.

 

Maybe it was a frog , swooped upon and then eaten in flight ?

 

Sounds like it might have been a heron. Maybe there's a recording of one online somewhere as a check?

 

crows can sound very much like a frog

 

My first thought was a crow. Magpies can make such a noise and jackdaws make a sound that I would describe as a sort of croak. Higher pitched than a frog's though.

 

Fran - a question.... Does the call drop in pitch towards the end, or not? A crow's call usually does - in fact most corvids seem to, whereas a heron's flight call stays the same. It also sounds quite harsh - even more so than a crow's.

I've just checked on my "Birdguide" CD, and the sound you describe still sounds heron-ish...

But who can tell? We had a bird calling at night on our windowsill a few days ago. A short "squeak" every two seconds, which went on for quite a long time. When we went to the window it stopped and started again a short distance away, apparently from a nearby roof. The recording on the Web of a Pygmy Owl was identical - but according to theory they aren't found here and they don't usually call at night....!

Perhaps you've got Martians in a UFO trying to contact you!!!!!!!

Heron calls here:
http://www.collectbritain.co.uk/personalisation/object.cfm?uid=020SHOW1CDR1397U0BD07C01

Carrion crow here:
http://www.collectbritain.co.uk/personalisation/object.cfm?uid=020WLLW1CDR1468U0BD04C01

You click the link in the box to hear the sounds...

[ 21. May 2007, 01:55 PM: Message edited by: Hyla arborea ]

 

Fascinating HA - no it wasn't a heron or a crow - both those were too low.

I wondered if it was an owl or a bat. Gotta take the dog out - I'll see if I hear it again tonight.

Nope - nothing at all. Imagine the sound of a circada - but with a regular break in the sound like a frog and thats the sound.

 

Our pigeons make a noise that I sometimes think could be frogs?

 

Ee! 'Eck! That's a right poser!

Like a cicada but with gaps in.... three things spring to mind - given that it's calling at night....

1. Nightjar - they have a call note as well as the churring sound
2. Little Owl
3. Wryneck - but they're extremely rare now.

I haven't checked the website (www.collectbritain.co.uk) for recordings of these three. Will try to do some googling when I have time! Mowing calls this morning before it's too hot - temperature's predicted to reach nearly 30 this afternoon with possible thunder, so 'puters will soon be turned off and unplugged! (We're an hour ahead of you...)

Haven't checked out the bats yet, either. There may be a couple whose squeaks are audible to humans, but I'm not sure.... Back to the books!

 

Have we still not solved this? I'm hooked!



TO

 

Fran's gorn orf... on hols for three weeks roughing it in the Mobile Home, I think!!! So we're ALL still on them tenterhookey things!

Oops... think I meant MOTOR Home.....!!! Dear me.... must be incipient Old Timer's Disease!!!

[ 26. May 2007, 08:22 AM: Message edited by: Hyla arborea ]