Merlin Bird ID

[Neal 1,787]

I've downloaded it and my first impressions were positive. All the birds it was recording in my garden were the ones I'd visibly seen during the morning. It also picked out several species I've seen in my local wood but don't get to physically see very often and I've been unable to recognise their calls e.g. fire and goldcrest, coal tit, blackcap, marsh tit etc.

However, there have been several occasions when I'm fairly certain it's misidentified species. The first time (yesterday morning) was when it detected the carrion crows I could hear but claimed that at least one of them was a hooded crow. This morning it claimed it could hear a stock dove and then a wood pigeon, even though I could only hear one individual calling. On returning home it claimed the house sparrows in my garden were also tree sparrows. The most obvious wrong identification though was a golden oriole this morning. It could've been right but I very much doubt it.

[tatsblisters 7,951]

Down loaded it this morning before i took the dog out got to say i am very impressed with this app after turning it on once i entered a wood at side of a busy road in which i did not think the app would work with the sound of traffic within minutes it had identified blackbird blackcap goldcrest robin chaffinch wren wood pigeon and magpie.

[Neal 1,787]

What I'm finding is helping me to identify them is to use the app to record and identify then, when it comes up with one I don't know the call of, I stop the recording, scroll down from that species and listen to their recorded call. I then listen out again for that specific call.

I've also found it's good for when you can see an lbj but it's not staying still enough for an identification. One example from this morning was either a coal, marsh or willow tit which was in too thick cover so I simply opened the app and waited for it to call.

My two best from my second morning walk were spotted flycatcher and bullfinch. 

It's really good for opening your ears to what's out there that you're unaware of...even my golden oriole.

[Bakerboy 3,253]

Didnt recognise my OEG crowing flat out earlier

[BEARINATOR 2,825]

20 hours ago, Bakerboy said:

Didnt recognise my OEG crowing flat out earlier

Says my canary is a European black bird but it is a excellent app 

[tatsblisters 7,951]

On 19/05/2023 at 11:08, Neal said:

What I'm finding is helping me to identify them is to use the app to record and identify then, when it comes up with one I don't know the call of, I stop the recording, scroll down from that species and listen to their recorded call. I then listen out again for that specific call.

I've also found it's good for when you can see an lbj but it's not staying still enough for an identification. One example from this morning was either a coal, marsh or willow tit which was in too thick cover so I simply opened the app and waited for it to call.

My two best from my second morning walk were spotted flycatcher and bullfinch. 

It's really good for opening your ears to what's out there that you're unaware of...even my golden oriole.

Do you think it's unlikely it picked up golden oriole reason I asked it picked up a common sandpiper this morning on mine which I thought was very unlikely in the area I was in. 

[Neal 1,787]

On 20/05/2023 at 21:02, tatsblisters said:

Do you think it's unlikely it picked up golden oriole reason I asked it picked up a common sandpiper this morning on mine which I thought was very unlikely in the area I was in. 

Definitely unlikely, bordering on the impossible.

I'm slightly dubious about the bullfinch too as I discovered yesterday that my low "pay attention dogs" whistle sometimes triggers the bullfinch response on the app too. Ironically, when I realised and tried to reproduce the same note it then kept telling me it was a golden oriole. I must be a bit Percy Edwards.

However, despite these few examples, I'd say it's definitely more positive than negative. I'm fairly good at recognizing the commoner bird calls but I've learnt a few more since using it and it's also opened my eyes to how common some birds are which I'd always thought of as rarities. I hear a lot more blackcaps, goldcrests and firecrests than I was aware of. It's definitely worth having but I always make sure I back it up with my eyes or ears rather than simply believing the app.  

[tatsblisters 7,951]

28 minutes ago, Neal said:

Definitely unlikely, bordering on the impossible.

I'm slightly dubious about the bullfinch too as I discovered yesterday that my low "pay attention dogs" whistle sometimes triggers the bullfinch response on the app too. Ironically, when I realised and tried to reproduce the same note it then kept telling me it was a golden oriole. I must be a bit Percy Edwards.

However, despite these few examples, I'd say it's definitely more positive than negative. I'm fairly good at recognizing the commoner bird calls but I've learnt a few more since using it and it's also opened my eyes to how common some birds are which I'd always thought of as rarities. I hear a lot more blackcaps, goldcrests and firecrests than I was aware of. It's definitely worth having but I always make sure I back it up with my eyes or ears rather than simply believing the app.  

I admit i enjoy using it and it always picks blackcaps' up and yesterday a willow warbler though i could ear a cock pheasant in the distance that the app failed to pick up.

[Neal 1,787]

On 22/05/2023 at 10:19, tatsblisters said:

I admit i enjoy using it and it always picks blackcaps' up and yesterday a willow warbler though i could ear a cock pheasant in the distance that the app failed to pick up.

Yeah, I've found that a few times too i.e. I can hear something but it must be too distant for the app to pick it up. It's made me realise how much I talk to myself when I'm out walking as when I play some of them back I can hear myself. On one I was saying, "Chiffchaff, come on, can't you hear that, it's a chiffchaff...are there it is." But the funniest was when I could hear a tit but wasn't sure which species and I was saying, "pick up the tits" over and over again.

[Greyman 25,279]

On 22/05/2023 at 10:19, tatsblisters said:

I admit i enjoy using it and it always picks blackcaps' up and yesterday a willow warbler though i could ear a cock pheasant in the distance that the app failed to pick up.

Proximity is quite important with the app I think, I can sit on the deck and here a fanfair of birds singing, but put the app up and it mostly picks up Eurasian blackbird but if I walk the few meters to the hedge it will pick out all the smaller stuff,like the chiff chafes and black caps, I think it’s possibly something to do with frequency’s or pitch but definitely the closer you are the better the app seems to work, daughter is also loving the i naturist app and seems to be going to that one more than the merlin one as time goes on  

[Greyman 25,279]

Cuckoo  captured 

[Astanley 11,471]

The police went past sirens blaring when I was using it ,and it came up with ducks and geese .

[bell 3,505]

13 minutes ago, Astanley said:

The police went past sirens blaring when I was using it ,and it came up with ducks and geese .

Quack…quack…is da sound of da police…..

[tatsblisters 7,951]

A woodlark came up on it this morning with a red dot at the side of it and was pleased about the greenfinch that i happened to see a pair as i have not seen any for ages.

[FLATTOP 3,677]

Had a flycatcher come up the other day but the Mrs excelled tonight Tawny Owl at the bottom of the garden I was well chuffed.