What on earth is it?

[orkneylass]

Hi - here in Orkney we have been hearing a quite spooky low woo-wooo-wooo-wooo sound of something flying around at dusk and in the dark - the noise could be a call or a sound of wings. Not like an owl hoot - any ideas?

[spurtle]

Hi - here in Orkney we have been hearing a quite spooky low woo-wooo-wooo-wooo sound of something flying around at dusk and in the dark - the noise could be a call or a sound of wings. Not like an owl hoot - any ideas?

Could be that pesky snipe again

[Rheghead]

The Great Northern diver has a scary call which is mostly heard at night (film makers use its call to add atmosphere to horror films) and it should be in Orkney right now. Is it this (click below) perhaps?

http://www.birdforum.net/opus/images...%28song%29.mp3

[nirofo]

]Hi - here in Orkney we have been hearing a quite spooky low woo-wooo-wooo-wooo sound of something flying around at dusk and in the dark - the noise could be a call or a sound of wings. Not like an owl hoot - any ideas[/I]?

Sounds like Storm Petrels to me, they come ashore at night! It's about right for the beginning of their breeding season, they nest in burrows, old walls, buildings etc, and crevices in the rocks.

Here's a photo of one.

nirofo.

Storm Petrel.

[stratman]

How about this there is a button where you can listen to the snipe:

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/bird...nipe/index.asp

[stratman]

I'm scared rheghead!!!!!!!!!

[Rheghead]

I'm scared rheghead!!!!!!!!!

Be afraid people, be very afraid!

[orkneylass]

Well done spurtle and stratman - snipe it is.

Thank you both very much, and thank you too to Rheghead and nirofo. That Diver sound is definitely spooky.....