I think it was probably a frog or toad. There are many species of frogs and toads, most make some sort of sound, some call from the trees, and all have a ventriloqual quality to their calls, making it hard to tell exactly where they are coming from. The regular pattern of calls is very typical of amphibians. I don't think any bird would call that regularly for that long, and there really are only a few candidate birds, none of which sound like what you are describing. Whip-poor-wills and Chuck-wills-widow both call loudly at night, but are pretty easy to recognize - they call out their name. Great Horned Owls make a wide variety of wierd sounds, but I doubt they would call for an hour straight. Barred Owls make mostly deep, hooting sounds. Screech owls whistle and don't call for an hour straight, in most cases. Night Herons might be the culprit here - they make several types of sounds, and aren't real common so you might not have heard them before. Still, my vote is for some type of frog or toad.

Ok, heard it again tonight. Here's a better description, which I wrote as soon as I came back in the house from hearing it. Definitely not a frog, or owl.

whistle, lasting about 1 sec, going from high to low pitch.
immediately following, a very raspy, hoarse "bark", which lasts a little less than 1 sec. and is repeated usu. 2-4 times.
Moved through the woods with ease and noiseless. would make noise, then move about 100 feet and repeat. sometimes further. With 5-10 sec between sounds. Was probably 75-100 feet in front of me to begin with traveling from back of property to front, staying in woods line by at least 25-80 feet. All lasted approx. 15 minutes.

I checked the night heron call, but definitely not it. Nor do we have any standing water nearby. I'm bumfuzzled!

I've asked everyone I could think of who might know. Nothing, except the suggestion that *it*'s not moving; *they* are calling.

I don't like this plain text. No italics.

Maybe you could take a tape recorder and get it on tape or record it digitally for even easier distribution. Then take it, or email it, to a local nature center and see if they know what it is.

Corin-gardener, I agree, plain text really is awful. (-;

Oooh, I love sarcasm, brandon7. Thanks
so much.

since this past week when we had the heavy rains that flooded the creek, there has been a high pitch chirping sound in the woods by the creek. I don't think the birds are awake. So I'm wondering if this is mating season for the frogs. That's the only thing I can think of. What else would it be.?

>deep-throated croaking sort of sound
>almost like some animal hacking on a bone
>very raspy, hoarse "bark"

Confirmed for Sasquatch!

Frogs, or toads most likely. The toads are singing in my pond, the tree frogs have been sounding off, and I have heard a leopard frog also this last week. We don't have bullfrogs but they are really noisy too.

Maybe an Eastern Screech owl? I've read that the female will bark when she feels her nest is threatened. Or maybe you've found out what it is, since this thread is two years old.

Karen

Hey there Civil Enger TN -- I'm a EE in MD. Live near the water. I'm fairly sure you are hearing a water bird (not a frog.) Here they are grey, long beak, long skinny legs, body around 14" or so and wingspan probably twice that. Agree with the start-up whistle but the croaking is gross at times and resembles a large animal gagging I think. Have not looked up the type bird but I'm betting that is what you are hearing.

Storks make sounds like that using their beak, but it sounds to me more like a black grouse (they live on heathlands in scotland and scandinavia)

But I'd try a birdwatchers forum on the Internet. Given your description of the sound, your climate, vegetation and location they should be able to id the bird quickly.

Sad thing about modern AC: with the windows closed, you don't hear anything. I love to go to the mountains and leave the windows open at night...lots of interesting sounds there, and most are from "critters" I cannot ID. Mountain lions mating?? Life and death struggle between bobcat and rabbit? Flying squirrels? Who knows? All interesting.

The bird groundhog described is a great blue heron

Great Blue Heron ...hmmm sounds right. I think other locals have said that. Anyway, the sound is really gross sometimes. When we moved to a home within 100 ft. of the water and spent the first night with windows up -- holy cow!