Tuesday 7 November 2017

Bird quiz homework

Good evening Class

A little test for you today. Please write down what ten UK birds you think make the following calls.
  1. Sip
  2. Siiiiiiiiii
  3. Je-je
  4. Chuck chuck
  5. Chup
  6. Seeeeep
  7. Chack chack chack
  8. Zherck
  9. Jupp
  10. Squeak squeak squeak
Please note that although I will be scoring you out of 10, there are no right answers. This is simply how I would write down the flight calls of common UK birds you might expect to get around now whilst partaking in that most excellent of pastimes, viz-migging. I had an excellent session this morning where seemingly every bird in the sky was calling (makes a change) and as I was listening to either flocks or singletons go over my mind wandered as to how I would describe what I was doing to people walking by – some of whom see me regularly yet none of whom stop to ask, presumably out of a not unreasonable fear I am a psychotic weirdo, standing as I do morning after morning seemingly looking at an empty sky. Were I to be asked however, the conversation would go along the lines of that I was listening for birds flying over, and that yes, I was able to distinguish between species simply based on their calls. I would then proceed to do an impression of a Brambling, which I imagine I would end the encounter quite quickly. I digress. Answers below please, I am genuinely interested to know if what I have written above corresponds to anyone else’s interpretation of these calls. Note that I have not referenced any form of field guide for this, this is just me writing down the sounds I have in my mind’s eye. Ear. Whatever.

clue

14 comments:

  1. So, with years of viz-migging experience under my belt combined with an alcohol-filled mind, this seems really rather simple. Top Ten Countdown are Song Thrush, Redwing, Spanish Laughing Thrush, a Northern lass on the pull, Chaffinch, Mexican Redwing, Fieldfare, a Polish shopkeeper, Greenfinch and flock of nervy Mipits. How'd I do? Full-house? Nope, didn't think so either. Nice post though, thank you.

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  2. Hawfinch, Hawfinch, Hawfinch, two Hawfinches, Hawfinch, Hawfinch, Hawfinch, Hawfinch, Mute Swan's wings, Hawfinch

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  3. Je-je is redpoll, Zherck is Brambling and squeak squeak squeak is Sooty

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  4. Hawfinch Siskin Chaffinch Fieldfare crossbill redwing Ring ouzel Brambling Yellowhammer mipit

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  5. CLASS UPDATE: Combined, the entrants have got 7 right.

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  6. 1) Hawfinch or even Song Thrush? 2) Yellowhammer? 3) 4) Redpoll? 5) Chaffinch 6) Redwing 7) Ring Ouzel 8) Brambling??? 9) Greenfinch?, I think of it as jub jub jub 10) Meadow Pipit

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