Hi Shaun,
Thanks for your
response. I have been impressed by the response from the COG group - lots
of helpful replies.
Being a newbie in
the world of birds, I am not equipped to comment on your suggestion re the Red
Wattlebird variation. All I can say is that it differs considerably to the recording
on the Canberra Birds site.
As I said in
response to another of the helpful responders, the biggest problem in resolving
this riddle is my inability to accurately describe the ‘elusive’
call. I reckon all you experts will have a little laugh at my expense when I
finally reveal the answer to my quest. The call is one of the most prevalent in
this area so it must be known to all you experts. I think I’ll have to
get out with my camera, binoculars & a recording device.
I’m going to
be embarrassed if we learn that the sound I am chasing down is actually from
some furry animal. J
When lying in bed
this morning listening to the birds, I thought that maybe the call I am chasing
should be described more as chuck chuck chuck etc rather than tuk as in my
original description. It is not very melodious and consists solely (although I may
have heard a very brief, quieter prelude once or twice) of usually 6-9 chucks
(although I have heard as few as 4).
It is certainly
possible that the bird I saw & the bird calling are not the same so I wouldn’t
put too much emphasis on the image I described.
Thanks again.
I’ll post the
answer when I finally track it down.
Graham
From: Shaun Bagley
[
Sent: Saturday, 15 November 2008
5:26 PM
To: 'Graham Wright'; 'Peter
Ormay'; 'David McDonald'
Cc:
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds]
matching the call to an image (& name)
Graham,
Scratchy brass door
knocker certainly raises some interesting sounds. I wonder if the call
you are hearing is indeed the Red Wattlebird but a seasonal call that I have
only heard at this time of year which makes me wonder whether what I am hearing
are juveniles at that stage that choristers go through when their voice “breaks”.
It’s much higher pitched than the usual “quock” and
repetitive. Whether it is given by adult or juveniles I cannot attest,
only that I hear it at this time of year and not otherwise.
Cheers
Shaun
From: Graham Wright
[
Sent: Saturday, 15 November 2008
4:33 PM
To: 'Peter Ormay'; 'David
McDonald'
Cc:
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds]
matching the call to an image (& name)
Thanks for your response, Peter. The call
I hear around here differs from that of the recording of the Red Wattlebird in
that the call I am ‘chasing’ is much more regular in tempo. Perhaps
like a scratchy brass door knocker (not sure if that description helps).
It is quite possible that the call and the
image I have described are of different birds.
David McDonald has suggested the call
sounds like the end of the call of the White-eared Honeyeater. It is certainly
very similar to that rapid end of the Honeyeater’s call. However I am not
convinced that it is the same. The call ‘bugging’ me doesn’t
have the other parts of the White-eared Honeyeater call although, at times, I
have heard a short prelude to the ‘knocking’ part. The repetitive
part of the White-eared Honeyeater call is probably a little more rapid than
‘my’ elusive call.
I don’t think it is the Pallid
Cuckoo (another of David’s suggestions) either. “my”
bird’s call is more regular in pitch (here am I, with a terrible
‘ear’ trying to describe pitch & tone) and there is only one
series of ‘knocks’ per call.
I just might have to go roaming with
binoculars and camera in hand to resolve my dilemma. Gee, I think I have
discovered an interest that I would never have dreamt of taking up. J
Thanks again for your help.
Cheers,
Graham
From: Peter Ormay
[
Sent: Saturday, 15 November 2008
3:45 PM
To: Graham Wright;
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds]
matching the call to an image (& name)
The call you describe and yellow on the it's belly seems
like a Red Wattlebird.
