Dee,
Ordinarily I sit back and wait for others (i.e., those who seem to know what they're talking about!) to reply, but since I haven't seen any replies to your post, I'm going to take a stab at it.
First, a question: are you pretty sure that it's a bird? I can't think of any insects off-hand that might make a similar noise, but there are some frogs that have calls that might evoke a similar description. In particular, I'm thinking of Gray Treefrog (whose distribution is not well known in TN), Cope's Gray Treefrog (which is very common) and Bird-voiced Treefrog (for which, I believe, there are no confirmed records in Davidson County--but stranger things have happened!). Listen to their sounds at http://www.leaps.ms/namepage.htm and see if any of them sound similar.
It wouldn't surprise me, though, if the sound is being made by a fledgling begging for food. In just the past week or so I have been stumped several times by some unfamiliar sound, and upon further investigation (anxiously hoping to add a new migrant to my list of yardbirds!) I have found only familiar faces--robins, goldfinches--with their mouths wide open and wings slightly splayed. I'm learning these things as I go!
Anyway, here's a site that has some samples of juvenile begging calls from different species:
http://www.crowsystems.com/rehab/sounds.html#bysound
The fact that the call occurs night and day makes me lean toward the frogs, but I don't know. Maybe young birds get hungry at night too. Or maybe it's a fledgling mockingbird--though I was of the impression that their nocturnal ballads were symptomatic of unrequited love...
One more thought: have you ruled out the possibility that it's a mechanical sound (i.e., whirly-bird, etc.)? I know you said you had heard it at different locations, but some sounds are hard to locate.
Anyway, let us know what you discover!
Laura McCall
Lynchburg, TN (Moore Co)
Highland Rim Chapter of TOS
___________________
Laura Jennings McCall
Outreach Coordinator
MTSU Center for Environmental Education
P.O. Box 60
Murfreesboro, TN 37132
tel: 615.904.8574
fax: 615.217.7865
___________________
On Sep 5, 2005, at 9:09, Dthomp2669@xxxxxxx wrote:
Blessings to you all on Labor Day,
Here in Charlotte Park, West Nashville, Davidson County, I have been hearing a sound for several days that I just cannot place. I do not know if it is a bird, an insect OR whatever.
It is a somewhat bell-like "tee tee tee tee.........." on and on constantly.
It is on about the same pitch as a slow downy woodpecker call, but a little more melodic.
It is about at the speed of a telephone which is giving a circuit busy signal when the long distance lines are busy.
It calls at all times of day and night.
It is in the hackberry trees in my back yard and has also been heard in the althea, poke berry and grape vines around my deck.
I have not SEEN a particular bird doing this although the entire area is filled with several species of birds at all times.
I cannot remember hearing this particular sound before, or, at my advanced age, I just don't remember it.
Can anyone give me a clue?
Thanks in advance for any ideas.
Dee Thompson
Nashville, TN
