Grasshopper Warbler (was - New sound)

E39MSport

There's a new sound across the lane these past few nights. I can't get to it to investigate.

It happens from dusk. Haven't checked whether it continues into the night.

Sounds like a grasshopper but goes on for more than 30 seconds at a time and is somewhat higher pitched. It changes direction also.

Any ideas? Thinking some sort of frog. There are ditches in the field.

Tiercel Dave

Grasshopper Warbler!

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I'd go for Grasshopper Warbler. The time of year is right. Are there reed beds there?

Fuzzy Clam

I'm glad someone else is hearing these. I've also being hearing them here.
I thought too that it sounds like a cross between a grasshopper and a frog but not just coming from the ditches but the field too.

E39MSport

Excellent - thanks folks. The land is very wet here and a lot of the fields have reeds in. I think the local farmer has given up on the field behind the house this year after he got his tractor stuck in it last year. Great for the wildlife it would appear.

The sound seems to be one of those throwing sounds. It's hard to pinpoint.

Thanks again

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

E39MSport wrote: »

The sound seems to be one of those throwing sounds. It's hard to pinpoint.

They turn their heads when singing and they are extremely difficult to locate.

Mothman

They liked my young woodland, but now that my woodland has grown, I no longer hear it
I did manage to see one, though it took an hour to locate ...and I've seen a few together in early Autumn while harvesting a crop of beans. The Grasshopper Warblers among other species had moved in the last strip as I was finishing the field...the poor things then had to flee to nearest hedge as I finished out the field

Mothman

Mothman wrote: »

They liked my young woodland, but now that my woodland has grown, I no longer hear it

Heard one this morning

mgwhelan

heard my first one of the year this evening.

E39MSport

I see these are status Red on RSPB whic is sad.

I have never heard one before this Spring. Yet I have at least 3 and possibly 4 calling individuals around my home these past few days.

At the same time there is an obvious increase in Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler numbers that I can discern.

Anyone know what's different to the past few years or am I just not long in the 'game' enough to see the wider cycles? (real interest these past 5 years with a life long passion)

E39MSport

Finally spotted one yesterday evening. Very difficult to spot imo. Still there calling away at the moment.

swifts need our help!

here's one http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NO-TIBmw8jc/TbQV3f2hPDI/AAAAAAAAIDY/QKtYIADRPKg/s1600/DSCF0010.JPG

Durnish

There's a couple right under the house in west Donegal where we are staying. I positively identified the sound from a website this morning. Shoulda just looked in here first.

Durnish

and they are still around. further down the lane in a reed bed. Heard one arlier and am now getting the new Kodax Z990 ready to try for a better pic. Second brood planned? Is that what the singing is about now?

fryup

is the Grasshopper related to the cricket and locust?

swifts need our help!

fryup wrote: »

is the Grasshopper related to the cricket and locust?

DEfinitely the locust but I don't know about the cricket.

People here are chatting about a bird!

Last Sunday I walked, stopped, walked, stooped to within feet of a grasshopper warbler and I couldnt see it. The sound was hurting my ears. Do they call from ground level? This field was long grass and docks

E39MSport

Hi.

The bird that I managed to finally spot was calling from a height of about 2 feet from the ground and it was quite skittish. They also move their heads aout when calling so the origin of the sound appears to move. Very effective.

It took me days to spot him as he moved about on a daily basis.

If you cup your ears you can pinpoint better then take it from there. I had to wait until it moved then track it visually.

Lovely bird

swifts need our help!

here's a brilliant video of one singing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQiGRus4ETk

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

fryup wrote: »

is the Grasshopper related to the cricket and locust?

They are all of the Order Orthoptera.

Durnish

Great video, I am tempted to take the laptop outside, play the video and see/hear what happens.

Traonach

Durnish wrote: »

Great video, I am tempted to take the laptop outside, play the video and see/hear what happens.

The best way to see them is to go to any area where you've heard them. Young conifer plantation with plenty of gorse and briars is good to see them. Tape lure doesn't work with them so I've been told by experts. Go early after dawn (most active calling). The groppers call from deep cover usually near the ground. Try and get as near as possible to the calling gropper (2m). Patience is just required. They will move position when calling and thus will often reveal themselves.
They are a secretive birds but as long as you don't make much noise, I've seen them reeling at 1-2m getting mega views. They seem to be too busy reeling to notice that there's somebody beside. It amazing watching them reeling, it doesn't seem possible that the call is coming out of them.
With all the scrub removal happening this year it will definitely affect their numbers .

Durnish

the grasshopper warblers are going mad tonight, right outside the front door of this hoiuse. Amazing, Going to look at the footage right now.
Wonder if the female sings Single Ladies.

Captain Scarlet

Traonach wrote: »

Tape lure doesn't work with them so I've been told by experts.

Don't mind the experts.:) My phone ringing-tone is Grasshopper Warbler, and last year I was stopped at the side of the road one evening in April when cycling near Calary Bog, when someone phoned me. The second my phone went off, a Grasshopper Warbler responded from about twelve feet away, shinnied his way up to the top of a gorse bush and belted away. The sound is like a grasshopper or, as some say, a fisherman casting out a long line. This year I hear them most evenings around the Little Sugarloaf. It's my amateurish impression that they are more numerous this year than previously.

Durnish

I think that because of the increased number of migrants this year people's knowledge of them may expand. I just got a film of a pair, and I think there is a call and a response.

Graces7

This is the first place I have lived where I have heard these; the description I read of their song was of a fishing line being reeled in.

Not heard a cuckoo this year either; but we have a pair of goldfinches - or had until the cat got one,, and swallows and a wren etc.

mr.wiggle

Have been hearing the calls for a couple of months now around our place.
First year that they have been around, that I've really noticed the calls.
There must be a big increase in numbers judging by the posts here.

1squidge

On one of my regular walks I heard Grasshopper warblers reeling from one of the fields I passed. Sure enough after a very long wait I got to see two of them although there were a lot more in the field.

Then in the last couple of weeks I noticed a decline in the reeling. I presumed that the Groppers had started nesting. In the last week there is nothing.

I played a Gropper on my phone and no call back. To my horror something caught my eye and I counted 11 rats darting in and out at the edge of the field. I can only hope that the birds moved off before they nested or there would have been devastation.

I'll keep an eye out on the area but I will not get my hopes up but on a more positve note I've heard Groppers in many other areas and there is a definite increase on last year. Ger.