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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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
MaybeSmaller · 19/05/2023 13:28

YABU for your post title immediately making me think this was going to be some horrible toxic app or social media trend...

YANBU really though because this is the complete opposite of that, and really lovely. Thanks!

Original poster
HoofWankingSpangleCunt · 19/05/2023 13:29

RebulahConundrum · 19/05/2023 13:23

The kettle whistler was probably a song thrush, blackbird, or starling. Magpies don't really imitate that much

What? I’ve been blaming magpies (whilst still saluting them, thanks Mum) when all along it was someone else.

Or, what also may have happened is that I misremembered what they said . I’m terribly menopausal and on HRT now but my memory is appalling these days.

i will double salute the magpies now, to make amends.

OP posts:
Original poster
HoofWankingSpangleCunt · 19/05/2023 13:30

MaybeSmaller · 19/05/2023 13:28

YABU for your post title immediately making me think this was going to be some horrible toxic app or social media trend...

YANBU really though because this is the complete opposite of that, and really lovely. Thanks!

No no, none of that bottom scraping crap, I use Twitter and Reddit for that 😀

OP posts:
MumLass · 19/05/2023 13:30

ooh thank you! I'm going to download this now

Original poster
HoofWankingSpangleCunt · 19/05/2023 13:31

MumLass · 19/05/2023 13:30

ooh thank you! I'm going to download this now

I’ve gone all warm and fuzzy now. 😀

OP posts:
Original poster
HoofWankingSpangleCunt · 19/05/2023 13:35

Ooh @UtterlyUnimaginativeUsername ive got coots too! I just heard one! There is a river a mile or so away but we’re not particularly near other water sources. I wonder where they’re going.

To tell you about the Merlin app - Shazam for birds?
OP posts:
Madcats · 19/05/2023 13:35

It's brilliant isn't it.

I had no idea that we had an army of goldfinches who pass through the garden each day.

I'm a bit of a Merlin app bore whenever we go out somewhere with a few trees!

Original poster
HoofWankingSpangleCunt · 19/05/2023 13:38

Madcats · 19/05/2023 13:35

It's brilliant isn't it.

I had no idea that we had an army of goldfinches who pass through the garden each day.

I'm a bit of a Merlin app bore whenever we go out somewhere with a few trees!

It certainly is. I’ve never minded the dawn chorus as I’m an early bird myself, haha, but it’s lovely to identify the different birds. I had no idea about the goldfinches near me either.

We had a pair of red kites for the last year but I haven’t seen them for months. I hope they’re still alive and just gone to terrorise small mammals elsewhere.

OP posts:
Original poster
HoofWankingSpangleCunt · 19/05/2023 13:39

Sorry, pair of red kites for the last few years, that should say.

OP posts:
MaybeWednesday · 19/05/2023 13:41

Omg! Best app ever!!

Downloaded it as my garden on the sticks is the noisiest freakin' garden ever! People even mention it when I'm on a Teams Meeting.

Pressed record and all I got was a bloody robin and a blackbird!! WTF!! Not even an annoying wood pigeon!

I'll try again in the morning when they wake me up with their dawn chorus!

On another note has anyone heard a cuckoo yet. I normally hear them right at the beginning of May. But not a peep! Or should I say cuckoo!

MaybeWednesday · 19/05/2023 13:43

May I also say how incredibly relaxing it is. Listening to the birds and watching the App pick up the sounds. Bliss.

MaybeWednesday · 19/05/2023 13:48

So my annoying wood pigeon isn't a wood pigeon on after all. It's a collared dove! Who knew?!!

Haffiana · 19/05/2023 13:53

Londoner here. App totally unnecessary. It is:

Ring-necked parakeet
Ring-necked parakeet
Ring-necked parakeet
Ring-necked parakeet
Fox
Ring-necked parakeet
Ring-necked parakeet
Ring-necked parakeet
Fox
Fox
Ring-necked parakeet

Sirzy · 19/05/2023 13:55

I was told about it a couple of weeks back and it’s fantastic.

i am lucky my walk home from work is through a wooded area and it’s lovely to be able to identify the birds I can hear

StrictlyAFemaleFemale · 19/05/2023 13:58

Omg Shazam for birds! THANK YOU for sharing!

WheelsUp · 19/05/2023 14:00

I live by the woods so this is going to be great

Original poster
HoofWankingSpangleCunt · 19/05/2023 14:03

MaybeWednesday · 19/05/2023 13:43

May I also say how incredibly relaxing it is. Listening to the birds and watching the App pick up the sounds. Bliss.

Exactly.

OP posts:
Original poster
HoofWankingSpangleCunt · 19/05/2023 14:03

MaybeWednesday · 19/05/2023 13:48

So my annoying wood pigeon isn't a wood pigeon on after all. It's a collared dove! Who knew?!!

Don’t you mean “whooo ooooo knew?” 😀

OP posts:
Original poster
HoofWankingSpangleCunt · 19/05/2023 14:05

Haffiana · 19/05/2023 13:53

Londoner here. App totally unnecessary. It is:

Ring-necked parakeet
Ring-necked parakeet
Ring-necked parakeet
Ring-necked parakeet
Fox
Ring-necked parakeet
Ring-necked parakeet
Ring-necked parakeet
Fox
Fox
Ring-necked parakeet

Ah parakeets. In my old flat in Whitechapel it would have been

Pigeon
pigeon
police siren
pigeon
air ambulance
pigeon

OP posts:
MaybeWednesday · 19/05/2023 14:05

Omg I'm going to boring everyone about this for weeks. After the initial bird silence in 15 mins I've heard. -

Blackbird
Robin
Great tit
House sparrow
Greenfinch
Collared dove
Green sandpiper
Barn swallow
Rook

MaybeWednesday · 19/05/2023 14:07

AND

A crow, jackdaw and rook all shouting at each other. To be honest I thought they were all the same bird!!

Sorry you may have to block me! I'm loving this app!

Original poster
HoofWankingSpangleCunt · 19/05/2023 14:08

StrictlyAFemaleFemale · 19/05/2023 13:58

Omg Shazam for birds! THANK YOU for sharing!

Shazam for 🦅 😀

OP posts:
Original poster
HoofWankingSpangleCunt · 19/05/2023 14:09

MaybeWednesday · 19/05/2023 14:07

AND

A crow, jackdaw and rook all shouting at each other. To be honest I thought they were all the same bird!!

Sorry you may have to block me! I'm loving this app!

No, please keep posting. You’ll be diluting my copious posts at the very least.

OP posts:
Original poster
HoofWankingSpangleCunt · 19/05/2023 14:10

I bloody love corvids but I haven’t heard many here. I’d love a “pet” crow.

OP posts:
Original poster
HoofWankingSpangleCunt · 19/05/2023 14:11

Can I just inform you that I’ve had a swift overhead ? . It’s so exciting seeing the names appear. Or you can leave the recording running and get notifications.

OP posts:
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