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Original poster

To tell you about the Merlin app - Shazam for birds?

399 replies

HoofWankingSpangleCunt · 19/05/2023 12:35

I have just discovered an app which identifies birds by sound and appearance.
In two days I’ve become addicted to listening to various bird song at different times of day.

From my garden I’ve heard over a dozen different birds from robins to coots and collared doves, jackdaws and great tits.

It’s just so lovely to take a few minutes out of the day and just listen to the sounds around us.

My DD is currently travelling through Bulgaria on her way to Turkey and I’m hoping she will install the app too.

Sadly this app is nothing to do with me , I wish I could have invented it. I’ve no skin in the birdsong game. I just wanted to share it as it’s difficult to find little minutes of peace throughout the day and this app does that for me.

Im in suburban/edge of green belt Hertfordshire and I’d love to hear what other mnetters hear too. Particularly ones outside the Uk.

thread title edited by MNHQ at OP's request.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
21
Madcats · 23/05/2023 13:46

Buzzards are badass, round here. On a hot day they ride into town on the thermals and really piss off the seagulls and crows.

I live on a Peregrine flightpath; you've reminded me to try to get a soundclip of the nest (the chicks make a right racket from their steeple roost).

WarningToTheCurious · 23/05/2023 14:18

Our buzzards are not badass - they get absolutely hounded by the local crows and rooks.

Here are some squawky peregrine chicks (or at least they were mostly being squawky when I posted the links).

https://www.nottinghamshirewildlife.org/peregrine-cam

https://www.chichesterperegrines.co.uk/copy-of-webcam-2023

https://www.visitworcester.co.uk/peregrine-falcons/

Fifthtimelucky · 23/05/2023 16:13

Thanks for this. What a great app!

I have just downloaded it and am sitting in the garden.

In the last 5 minutes I have heard:

Blackbirds
Robins
Great Tits
Blue Tits
Goldfinches
Dunnocks
Wood pigeons
Two types of crow.

I was aware of most of them but don't think I know anything about dunnocks so will have to look out for one.

CrepuscularCritter · 23/05/2023 16:38

Having been inundated for some time by pigeons, they have all vanished since downloading the app. New pigeon control device?

The owl also disappeared last night as soon as I turned on the app. However, we do have a coot. Grin

Original poster
HoofWankingSpangleCunt · 23/05/2023 16:41

Those fluffy peregrine chicks.

Be still my beating heart.

OP posts:
ALongHardWinter · 23/05/2023 17:36

Just what I need! I frequently hear a bird singing and wonder what it is. I actually thought a few months ago I need something like Shazam but for bird song!

SabbatWheel · 23/05/2023 17:39

The Chirpomatic app first did this years ago, but it wasn’t very accurate.
Will give Merlin a go and see if it’s any better!

TabithaTitanium · 23/05/2023 17:40

Our Dunnocks are often feeding on the ground very close to the bushes/shrubs, they seem very shy and hide near the edges of our garden never venturing out into the open. They look really similar to female sparrows but are more grey at the front.

Bugalogaloo · 23/05/2023 20:01

This app is fab. I heard my first ever cuckoo this morning and probably wouldn’t have noticed it without the app. Thanks OP. Such a good idea for a thread.😊

Original poster
HoofWankingSpangleCunt · 23/05/2023 20:39

♥️

OP posts:
Pixiedust1234 · 23/05/2023 22:05

You've just reminded me that I haven't seen or heard our buzzards lately, but we do seem to have a couple of very large and menacing crows this year. Even our magpie collection has reduced 😯

Twwodoorsaway · 23/05/2023 22:29

I’m another who has downloaded this, as has DH. We had a very slow dog walk yesterday as we stopped so many times to see what we could hear. Yellowhammers, Robins, Wrens, Warblers, Blackcaps, cuckoo, blackbirds, white throat chiffchaff and buzzard. All on one walk! I love it so thanks for the recommendation @HoofWankingSpangleCunt (great name btw).

PoseyFlump · 24/05/2023 06:12

I keep hearing a bird whistle but haven't managed to catch it yet. We have a lot of starlings, so might be them.

It's a high to low whistle, the sound of something dropping out the sky. Does anyone recognise it?

Original poster
HoofWankingSpangleCunt · 24/05/2023 07:53

@PoseyFlump
the only bird I can think of is a willow warbler. However, I’m probably the least knowledgeable on this thread so I hope others can help.

ive just had my first hearing of a linnet. This app is the gift that keeps on giving.

And my first greenfinch notification whilst I was typing this. 😀

OP posts:
Original poster
HoofWankingSpangleCunt · 24/05/2023 07:59

Twwodoorsaway · 23/05/2023 22:29

I’m another who has downloaded this, as has DH. We had a very slow dog walk yesterday as we stopped so many times to see what we could hear. Yellowhammers, Robins, Wrens, Warblers, Blackcaps, cuckoo, blackbirds, white throat chiffchaff and buzzard. All on one walk! I love it so thanks for the recommendation @HoofWankingSpangleCunt (great name btw).

Thank you 😊

OP posts:
GerundTheBehemoth · 24/05/2023 10:16

PoseyFlump · 24/05/2023 06:12

I keep hearing a bird whistle but haven't managed to catch it yet. We have a lot of starlings, so might be them.

It's a high to low whistle, the sound of something dropping out the sky. Does anyone recognise it?

If it's a single descending note, Greenfinch song includes something like that. It's not that whistly though, more nasal. There's a recording on this page: https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/greenfinch/

Starlings do make similar sounds too (along with lots of other random noises!)

Greenfinch Bird Facts | Carduelis Chloris - The RSPB

With its twittering and wheezing song, and flash of yellow and green as it flies, greenfinches are truly colourful characters. Find out more

https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/greenfinch

Original poster
HoofWankingSpangleCunt · 24/05/2023 10:57

I’ve had a woodpecker !!!!!

Im ridiculously excited and I’ve made a spreadsheet of the different birds ( that might be my ASD tho 😀)

OP posts:
WarningToTheCurious · 24/05/2023 14:51

We have great spotted woodpeckers and their fluffy baby that visit regularly.

Catspyjamas17 · 24/05/2023 14:58

I don't know how this would work as there is always lots of other noise and other birds when I'd want to record something.

There is one bird which makes a two second churring sound in the afternoon, repeated, I think it's in one of our trees, though our neighbour has an aviary and ostensibly it could be something more exotic and coming from next door.

I've driven myself mad listening to various bird calls - robins, thrushes, tits, finches, sparrow, dunnock, warblers but nothing seems quite right.

Damnspot · 24/05/2023 15:03

@HoofWankingSpangleCunt thank you so much. I wanted something like this for ages.

Catspyjamas17 · 24/05/2023 15:04

Thank you @GerundTheBehemoth

youveturnedupwelldone · 24/05/2023 15:14

I used this app for the first time yesterday -
It's a amazing! Thanks for raising awareness of it. Added a whole new dimension to my already lovely walk through the woods 😊

Hollowgast · 24/05/2023 15:18

Thanks, this is just the sort of thing I love.

I am already a heavy user of the Google Lens and Picture This apps, with which you can take a photo of a leaf and it'll tell you what the plant is. This sounds even better.

Hollowgast · 24/05/2023 15:20

Not nature related, but Flightradar 24 is a fun app that lets you see where a plane is going to / coming from and can be really interesting. The nautical equivalent is Vesselfinder. My family are all thoroughly bored impressed when I point out that the ship on the horizon is from Liberia.