Constantly, with just a little wind, my chimney makes burping sounds.
Maybe for ten seconds. It has the little spin thingey on top. It's just
for the fireplace (which I never use) so it's not a big deal. But I don't
know WHAT is making the machine-gun sound.

I know I should snap a video of it but it's intermittent. I will try to
video it but it's also short (ten seconds, at most) each time. There's a
little wind, and it just happened, but it's not happening now.

Anyway, I realize I'm not giving you much to go on ... but just in case
the sound is symptomatic of something (that should be) obvious ... may I
ask:

What would make a chimney burp like a machine gun relatively loudly (at
about the noise level of a calm conversation) for a couple of seconds at
a time in no wind and low wind?

"Martin C." wrote in message
...

Constantly, with just a little wind, my chimney makes burping sounds.
Maybe for ten seconds. It has the little spin thingey on top. It's just
for the fireplace (which I never use) so it's not a big deal. But I don't
know WHAT is making the machine-gun sound.

I know I should snap a video of it but it's intermittent. I will try to
video it but it's also short (ten seconds, at most) each time. There's a
little wind, and it just happened, but it's not happening now.

Anyway, I realize I'm not giving you much to go on ... but just in case
the sound is symptomatic of something (that should be) obvious ... may I
ask:

What would make a chimney burp like a machine gun relatively loudly (at
about the noise level of a calm conversation) for a couple of seconds at
a time in no wind and low wind?

Metal chimneys are constructed of several separate metal
parts, which may have been loosened or broken by water
damage. (The OP did not say whether his chimney was
metal or masonry.)
--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

On Mar 20, 2:26*pm, "Martin C."
wrote:
Constantly, with just a little wind, my chimney makes burping sounds.
Maybe for ten seconds. It has the little spin thingey on top. It's just
for the fireplace (which I never use) so it's not a big deal. But I don't
know WHAT is making the machine-gun sound.

I know I should snap a video of it but it's intermittent. I will try to
video it but it's also short (ten seconds, at most) each time. There's a
little wind, and it just happened, but it's not happening now.

Anyway, I realize I'm not giving you much to go on ... but just in case
the sound is symptomatic of something (that should be) obvious ... may I
ask:

What would make a chimney burp like a machine gun relatively loudly (at
about the noise level of a calm conversation) for a couple of seconds at
a time in no wind and low wind?

A raccoon? A squirrel? A bird?

"Martin C." wrote in
:

Constantly, with just a little wind, my chimney makes burping sounds.
Maybe for ten seconds. It has the little spin thingey on top. It's
just for the fireplace (which I never use) so it's not a big deal. But
I don't know WHAT is making the machine-gun sound.

I know I should snap a video of it but it's intermittent. I will try
to video it but it's also short (ten seconds, at most) each time.
There's a little wind, and it just happened, but it's not happening
now.

Anyway, I realize I'm not giving you much to go on ... but just in
case the sound is symptomatic of something (that should be) obvious
... may I ask:

What would make a chimney burp like a machine gun relatively loudly
(at about the noise level of a calm conversation) for a couple of
seconds at a time in no wind and low wind?


I use to have a similar problem and it turned out to be a possessed
woodpecker. For some strange reason the darned bird liked the sound. He
would peck on the metal chimmney cap. Could count on him to stop by several
times during the season and let us know that he was still around.
TomC

On Tue, 20 Mar 2012 23:43:47 +0000 (UTC), TomC wrote:

I use to have a similar problem and it turned out to be a possessed
woodpecker. For some strange reason the darned bird liked the sound. He
would peck on the metal chimmney cap. Could count on him to stop by several
times during the season and let us know that he was still around.
TomC

Attracting a mate or sounding his territory...

On Tue, 20 Mar 2012 14:41:22 -0400, Don Phillipson wrote:

Metal chimneys are constructed of several separate metal parts, which
may have been loosened or broken by water damage. (The OP did not say
whether his chimney was metal or masonry.)

Chimney looks like masonry but there is metal pipe-like stuff on the top.

On Tue, 20 Mar 2012 12:42:21 -0700, DerbyDad03 wrote:
A raccoon? A squirrel? A bird?

It's a mechanical metal on metal type of sound.

On Tue, 20 Mar 2012 23:43:47 +0000, TomC wrote:

it turned out to be a possessed woodpecker.

If it is a woodpecker, he's pecking on metal!

But that 'would' explain the apparent randomness of it all.

On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 05:15:00 +0000 (UTC), "Martin C."
wrote:

On Tue, 20 Mar 2012 12:42:21 -0700, DerbyDad03 wrote:
A raccoon? A squirrel? A bird?

It's a mechanical metal on metal type of sound.

Sounds like ;-) expansion of the metal against the masonry. It may be acting
like a spring when it expands or contracts and is being restricted by the
masonry. As it expands (contracts), eventually it breaks free of its
restriction (think of an earthquake fault), and is allowed to slide against
it. ...or not.

On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 05:15:54 +0000 (UTC), "Martin C."
wrote:

On Tue, 20 Mar 2012 23:43:47 +0000, TomC wrote:

it turned out to be a possessed woodpecker.

If it is a woodpecker, he's pecking on metal!

They do that. It gets them noticed, not only by you, but their prospective
mates (in the next county ;-).

But that 'would' explain the apparent randomness of it all.

Not so much if some of that "random" is at night.

Martin C. wrote:
On Tue, 20 Mar 2012 23:43:47 +0000, TomC wrote:

it turned out to be a possessed woodpecker.

If it is a woodpecker, he's pecking on metal!

But that 'would' explain the apparent randomness of it all.

It happens here frequently. Woodpeckers love that sound.

On Mar 20, 6:43*pm, TomC wrote:
"Martin C." wrote :


I use to have a similar problem and it turned out to be a possessed
woodpecker. For some strange reason the darned bird liked the sound. He
would peck on the metal chimmney cap. Could count on him to stop by several
times during the season and let us know that he was still around.
TomC

This is exactly what came to my mind when I started reading the OP.
If there is any critter that can simulate a machine gun (or I guess a
low gutteral BURP) it is a woodpecker.

RonB

On Mar 21, 8:27*am, RonB wrote:
On Mar 20, 6:43*pm, TomC wrote:

"Martin C." wrote :

I use to have a similar problem and it turned out to be a possessed
woodpecker. For some strange reason the darned bird liked the sound. He
would peck on the metal chimmney cap. Could count on him to stop by several
times during the season and let us know that he was still around.
TomC

This is exactly what came to my mind when I started reading the OP.
If there is any critter that can simulate a machine gun (or I guess a
low gutteral BURP) it is a woodpecker.

RonB

I sprayed auto undercoating on my metal chimney cap and it stopped the
local woodpecker's matimg calls

On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 08:20:01 -0700, hr(bob) wrote:

I sprayed auto undercoating on my metal chimney cap and it stopped the
local woodpecker's matimg calls

At first I thought the woodpecker idea was a cocamaimy (sp?) idea ...
but ... it's the only suggestion that fits the evidence!

There's nothing 'moving' up there in the chimney ...
There 'is' metal ...
It doesn't seem to be related to the wind ...
It seems to be sporadic ...
It lasts only for a few seconds at a time ...
But, when it happens, it happens in bunches ...

I grabbed a set of binoculars and told my wife to run outside during the
day and take a look if/when she hears it again ...

Let's see if we can catch the horny avian in action!

On Mar 21, 1:18*pm, "Martin C."
wrote:
On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 08:20:01 -0700, hr(bob) wrote:
I sprayed auto undercoating on my metal chimney cap and it stopped the
local woodpecker's matimg calls

At first I thought the woodpecker idea was a cocamaimy (sp?) idea ...
but ... it's the only suggestion that fits the evidence!

There's nothing 'moving' up there in the chimney ...
There 'is' metal ...
It doesn't seem to be related to the wind ...
It seems to be sporadic ...
It lasts only for a few seconds at a time ...
But, when it happens, it happens in bunches ...

I grabbed a set of binoculars and told my wife to run outside during the
day and take a look if/when she hears it again ...

Let's see if we can catch the horny avian in action!

You could try and find out if it's a woodpecker by trying to eliminate
the woodpecker.

If you try any of the methods detailed here (and elsewhere) and you
never hear the sound again, you'll know that you've found - and solved
- the problem.:

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/wp_about/control.html

On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 10:58:00 -0700, DerbyDad03 wrote:

If you try any of the methods detailed here (and elsewhere)

It's a tile roof. So, I try not to go up there ... if I can help it.

Every time I do, I have to replace the tiles.

Then, I break more as I'm replacing them.

So, I try not to go up there if I can help it.

On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 19:33:13 +0000 (UTC), "Martin C."
wrote:

On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 10:58:00 -0700, DerbyDad03 wrote:

If you try any of the methods detailed here (and elsewhere)

It's a tile roof. So, I try not to go up there ... if I can help it.

Every time I do, I have to replace the tiles.

Then, I break more as I'm replacing them.

So, I try not to go up there if I can help it.

Which type of tile do you have? Mine is Spanish barrel tile. I don't
like walking on it, but it can be done without breaking it. Tennis
shoes and walking in the trough, not the peak of the tile. Even
workers for my pool solar install or repairs do the same.

Gingerly :-\

On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:00:18 -0700, Oren wrote:

Which type of tile do you have?

It's re-tile. The really thin stuff. Looks like barrel tile but it's
actually flat and barreled at the same time. So you put the flats under
the previous barrel. Weird. But that's that.

The problem is this thin re-roofing tile breaks in half if you just look
straight at it long enough. Then add my 230-pound frame, and snap! Breaks
every time!

walking in the trough, not the peak of the tile.

I thought you walk on the keystone part (the peak)????

On Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:26:10 +0000, Martin C. wrote:
I realize I'm not giving you much to go on ... but just in case
the sound is symptomatic of something (that should be) obvious ...
may I ask:
What would make a chimney burp like a machine gun?

It WAS a bird!

Just now, I heard the machine gun. So I ran outside, and lo-and-behold, I
spooked a darkish bird (couldn't tell what kind) which flew away off the
chimney.

You guys are geniuses!

There is no way I would have figured that out on my own! I wasn't even
'thinking' of an animal. I was thinking it was mechanical somehow.

I'll 'try' to snap a picture at the next machine-gun session!

PS: I don't know what a wood pecker looks like ... but I'll try to first
snap a picture.

On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 23:23:53 +0000 (UTC), "Martin C."
wrote:

On Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:26:10 +0000, Martin C. wrote:
I realize I'm not giving you much to go on ... but just in case
the sound is symptomatic of something (that should be) obvious ...
may I ask:
What would make a chimney burp like a machine gun?

It WAS a bird!

Just now, I heard the machine gun. So I ran outside, and lo-and-behold, I
spooked a darkish bird (couldn't tell what kind) which flew away off the
chimney.

You guys are geniuses!

There is no way I would have figured that out on my own! I wasn't even
'thinking' of an animal. I was thinking it was mechanical somehow.

I'll 'try' to snap a picture at the next machine-gun session!

PS: I don't know what a wood pecker looks like ... but I'll try to first
snap a picture.

Some images:

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=woodpecker+pictures&qpvt=woodpecker+pictu res&FORM=IGRE

On 3/21/2012 4:23 PM, Martin C. wrote:
On Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:26:10 +0000, Martin C. wrote:
I realize I'm not giving you much to go on ... but just in case
the sound is symptomatic of something (that should be) obvious ...
may I ask:
What would make a chimney burp like a machine gun?

It WAS a bird!

Just now, I heard the machine gun. So I ran outside, and lo-and-behold, I
spooked a darkish bird (couldn't tell what kind) which flew away off the
chimney.

You guys are geniuses!

There is no way I would have figured that out on my own! I wasn't even
'thinking' of an animal. I was thinking it was mechanical somehow.

I'll 'try' to snap a picture at the next machine-gun session!

PS: I don't know what a wood pecker looks like ... but I'll try to first
snap a picture.
Perhaps a red shafted flicker, or a cousin of a different color. The
males try to find the loudest thing to hammer on they can find. They are
trying to mark a territory to keep other males away.

They have also surprised me by hammering on a metal chimney cover and
once I caught one hammering on the sheet metal on my 60" tiller. We hear
them lots of times hammering on power poles.

Paul in Central Oregon

On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 16:35:07 -0700, Paul Drahn
wrote:

They have also surprised me by hammering on a metal chimney cover and
once I caught one hammering on the sheet metal on my 60" tiller. We hear
them lots of times hammering on power poles.

Paul in Central Oregon

Picture on a pole:

http://www.pestcontrolrx.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/07/24/woodpecker_puts_hole_in_utility_p_2.jpg

On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 16:29:47 -0700, Oren wrote:
Some images:

I didn't see any pretty colors on the woodpecker, so, being in northern
California, I'd say, very very tentatively (i.e., a wild guess) that it's
a Black-backed woodpecker (because it had no colors that I could see).

Maybe I'll get the BB gun out and see if I can hit it and not the tiles.

On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 16:48:11 -0700, Oren wrote:

Picture on a pole:

I only saw it as it flew away so I didn't see any colors other than
darkish brown.

I have a camera set and ready to capture it the next time I hear the
machine gun in daylight!

On Thu, 22 Mar 2012 01:05:36 +0000 (UTC), "Martin C."
wrote:

On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 16:48:11 -0700, Oren wrote:

Picture on a pole:

I only saw it as it flew away so I didn't see any colors other than
darkish brown.

I have a camera set and ready to capture it the next time I hear the
machine gun in daylight!

Don't rush out the door as is the bird will fly away. Ease outside
and have a better chance for a photo.

Become the predictor so to speak :-\

On Tuesday, March 20, 2012 2:26:10 PM UTC-4, Martin C. wrote:
Constantly, with just a little wind, my chimney makes burping sounds.
Maybe for ten seconds. It has the little spin thingey on top. It's just
for the fireplace (which I never use) so it's not a big deal. But I don't
know WHAT is making the machine-gun sound.

I know I should snap a video of it but it's intermittent. I will try to
video it but it's also short (ten seconds, at most) each time. There's a
little wind, and it just happened, but it's not happening now.

Anyway, I realize I'm not giving you much to go on ... but just in case
the sound is symptomatic of something (that should be) obvious ... may I
ask:

What would make a chimney burp like a machine gun relatively loudly (at
about the noise level of a calm conversation) for a couple of seconds at
a time in no wind and low wind?



On Tuesday, March 20, 2012 2:26:10 PM UTC-4, Martin C. wrote:
Constantly, with just a little wind, my chimney makes burping sounds.
Maybe for ten seconds. It has the little spin thingey on top. It's just
for the fireplace (which I never use) so it's not a big deal. But I don't
know WHAT is making the machine-gun sound.

I know I should snap a video of it but it's intermittent. I will try to
video it but it's also short (ten seconds, at most) each time. There's a
little wind, and it just happened, but it's not happening now.

Anyway, I realize I'm not giving you much to go on ... but just in case
the sound is symptomatic of something (that should be) obvious ... may I
ask:

What would make a chimney burp like a machine gun relatively loudly (at
about the noise level of a calm conversation) for a couple of seconds at
a time in no wind and low wind?

Never rule out a mocking bird, we had one at our house for a couple of years that sounded like my cellphone. I heard him one morning and thought I had left my phone on the back porch so I went outside that was when I relized it was too loud to be my phone. That is when I saw him on the ridge of my roof.

Jimmie

On Tuesday, March 20, 2012 2:26:10 PM UTC-4, Martin C. wrote:
Constantly, with just a little wind, my chimney makes burping sounds.
Maybe for ten seconds. It has the little spin thingey on top. It's just
for the fireplace (which I never use) so it's not a big deal. But I don't
know WHAT is making the machine-gun sound.

I know I should snap a video of it but it's intermittent. I will try to
video it but it's also short (ten seconds, at most) each time. There's a
little wind, and it just happened, but it's not happening now.

Anyway, I realize I'm not giving you much to go on ... but just in case
the sound is symptomatic of something (that should be) obvious ... may I
ask:

What would make a chimney burp like a machine gun relatively loudly (at
about the noise level of a calm conversation) for a couple of seconds at
a time in no wind and low wind?



On Tuesday, March 20, 2012 2:26:10 PM UTC-4, Martin C. wrote:
Constantly, with just a little wind, my chimney makes burping sounds.
Maybe for ten seconds. It has the little spin thingey on top. It's just
for the fireplace (which I never use) so it's not a big deal. But I don't
know WHAT is making the machine-gun sound.

I know I should snap a video of it but it's intermittent. I will try to
video it but it's also short (ten seconds, at most) each time. There's a
little wind, and it just happened, but it's not happening now.

Anyway, I realize I'm not giving you much to go on ... but just in case
the sound is symptomatic of something (that should be) obvious ... may I
ask:

What would make a chimney burp like a machine gun relatively loudly (at
about the noise level of a calm conversation) for a couple of seconds at
a time in no wind and low wind?



On Tuesday, March 20, 2012 2:26:10 PM UTC-4, Martin C. wrote:
Constantly, with just a little wind, my chimney makes burping sounds.
Maybe for ten seconds. It has the little spin thingey on top. It's just
for the fireplace (which I never use) so it's not a big deal. But I don't
know WHAT is making the machine-gun sound.

I know I should snap a video of it but it's intermittent. I will try to
video it but it's also short (ten seconds, at most) each time. There's a
little wind, and it just happened, but it's not happening now.

Anyway, I realize I'm not giving you much to go on ... but just in case
the sound is symptomatic of something (that should be) obvious ... may I
ask:

What would make a chimney burp like a machine gun relatively loudly (at
about the noise level of a calm conversation) for a couple of seconds at
a time in no wind and low wind?



On Tuesday, March 20, 2012 2:26:10 PM UTC-4, Martin C. wrote:
Constantly, with just a little wind, my chimney makes burping sounds.
Maybe for ten seconds. It has the little spin thingey on top. It's just
for the fireplace (which I never use) so it's not a big deal. But I don't
know WHAT is making the machine-gun sound.

I know I should snap a video of it but it's intermittent. I will try to
video it but it's also short (ten seconds, at most) each time. There's a
little wind, and it just happened, but it's not happening now.

Anyway, I realize I'm not giving you much to go on ... but just in case
the sound is symptomatic of something (that should be) obvious ... may I
ask:

What would make a chimney burp like a machine gun relatively loudly (at
about the noise level of a calm conversation) for a couple of seconds at
a time in no wind and low wind?



On Tuesday, March 20, 2012 2:26:10 PM UTC-4, Martin C. wrote:
Constantly, with just a little wind, my chimney makes burping sounds.
Maybe for ten seconds. It has the little spin thingey on top. It's just
for the fireplace (which I never use) so it's not a big deal. But I don't
know WHAT is making the machine-gun sound.

I know I should snap a video of it but it's intermittent. I will try to
video it but it's also short (ten seconds, at most) each time. There's a
little wind, and it just happened, but it's not happening now.

Anyway, I realize I'm not giving you much to go on ... but just in case
the sound is symptomatic of something (that should be) obvious ... may I
ask:

What would make a chimney burp like a machine gun relatively loudly (at
about the noise level of a calm conversation) for a couple of seconds at
a time in no wind and low wind?



On Tuesday, March 20, 2012 2:26:10 PM UTC-4, Martin C. wrote:
Constantly, with just a little wind, my chimney makes burping sounds.
Maybe for ten seconds. It has the little spin thingey on top. It's just
for the fireplace (which I never use) so it's not a big deal. But I don't
know WHAT is making the machine-gun sound.

I know I should snap a video of it but it's intermittent. I will try to
video it but it's also short (ten seconds, at most) each time. There's a
little wind, and it just happened, but it's not happening now.

Anyway, I realize I'm not giving you much to go on ... but just in case
the sound is symptomatic of something (that should be) obvious ... may I
ask:

What would make a chimney burp like a machine gun relatively loudly (at
about the noise level of a calm conversation) for a couple of seconds at
a time in no wind and low wind?



On Tuesday, March 20, 2012 2:26:10 PM UTC-4, Martin C. wrote:
Constantly, with just a little wind, my chimney makes burping sounds.
Maybe for ten seconds. It has the little spin thingey on top. It's just
for the fireplace (which I never use) so it's not a big deal. But I don't
know WHAT is making the machine-gun sound.

I know I should snap a video of it but it's intermittent. I will try to
video it but it's also short (ten seconds, at most) each time. There's a
little wind, and it just happened, but it's not happening now.

Anyway, I realize I'm not giving you much to go on ... but just in case
the sound is symptomatic of something (that should be) obvious ... may I
ask:

What would make a chimney burp like a machine gun relatively loudly (at
about the noise level of a calm conversation) for a couple of seconds at
a time in no wind and low wind?

On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 18:29:20 -0700 (PDT), JIMMIE
wrote:


Never rule out a mocking bird, we had one at our house for a couple of years that sounded like my cellphone.

Mocking birds don't hammer of the roof, house, metal or such.

They do have about (?) 135 melodic sounds they make. More than any
other bird. I don't think the OP concerns are from a Mocking bird.

"...Both male and female mockingbirds sing. They often mimic the
sounds of birds (and frogs) around them, including shrikes,
blackbirds, orioles, killdeer, jays, hawks, and many others. They go
on learning new sounds throughout their lives. The song is a long
series of phrases, with each phrase repeated 2-6 times before shifting
to a new sound; the songs can go on for 20 seconds or more. "

I've whistled at them and they try to mimic the sound I make.

On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 18:54:59 -0700, Oren wrote:

On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 18:29:20 -0700 (PDT), JIMMIE
wrote:


Never rule out a mocking bird, we had one at our house for a couple of years that sounded like my cellphone.

Mocking birds don't hammer of the roof, house, metal or such.

No, they just sound like it. ;-)

They do have about (?) 135 melodic sounds they make. More than any
other bird. I don't think the OP concerns are from a Mocking bird.

About 30 years ago, I had one mocking the beeps from my computer. They were
*really* good a mocking the neighbor's parrots. I thought they'd gotten
loose.

"...Both male and female mockingbirds sing. They often mimic the
sounds of birds (and frogs) around them, including shrikes,
blackbirds, orioles, killdeer, jays, hawks, and many others. They go
on learning new sounds throughout their lives. The song is a long
series of phrases, with each phrase repeated 2-6 times before shifting
to a new sound; the songs can go on for 20 seconds or more. "

I've whistled at them and they try to mimic the sound I make.

I used to get Cardinals to follow along too but of course, their repertoire is
much more limited. They're really fascinating to check out across the
country. Their songs are so much different from location to location.

On Mar 20, 2:26*pm, "Martin C."
wrote:
Constantly, with just a little wind, my chimney makes burping sounds.
Maybe for ten seconds. It has the little spin thingey on top. It's just
for the fireplace (which I never use) so it's not a big deal. But I don't
know WHAT is making the machine-gun sound.

I know I should snap a video of it but it's intermittent. I will try to
video it but it's also short (ten seconds, at most) each time. There's a
little wind, and it just happened, but it's not happening now.

Anyway, I realize I'm not giving you much to go on ... but just in case
the sound is symptomatic of something (that should be) obvious ... may I
ask:

What would make a chimney burp like a machine gun relatively loudly (at
about the noise level of a calm conversation) for a couple of seconds at
a time in no wind and low wind?

Maybe your firewood is too spicy. Throw in a few tums with every fire.

On Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:26:10 +0000, Martin C. wrote:

What would make a chimney burp like a machine gun

Here is a picture of the culprit!
http://picturepush.com/public/7897106

I think it it either a flicker or a woodpecker (California Santa Cruz
mountains near Silicon Valley).

Does anyone recognize this bird in love who is trying to impress a mate
by machine gunning my chimney?

On 3/27/2012 6:37 PM, Martin C. wrote:
....

Does anyone recognize this bird in love who is trying to impress a mate
by machine gunning my chimney?

Not a lot of it, but I'm pretty sure flicker.

--

On Tue, 27 Mar 2012 18:53:51 -0500, dpb wrote:

Not a lot of it, but I'm pretty sure flicker.

I agree. All I could get with my camera was the head poking out.
I actually have a video of a female (I think) sitting on one end of the
roof and the male (I think) pecking away at my chimney to impress her.

The problem is that I need to first figure out how to edit the video down
to something manageable and then how to post it for you guys to see the
love-struck birds in action.

On 3/27/2012 8:56 PM, Martin C. wrote:
On Tue, 27 Mar 2012 18:53:51 -0500, dpb wrote:

Not a lot of it, but I'm pretty sure flicker.

I agree, red-shafted flicker.


I agree. All I could get with my camera was the head poking out.
I actually have a video of a female (I think) sitting on one end of the
roof and the male (I think) pecking away at my chimney to impress her.

The problem is that I need to first figure out how to edit the video down
to something manageable and then how to post it for you guys to see the
love-struck birds in action.

"Martin C." wrote in message
...
On Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:26:10 +0000, Martin C. wrote:

What would make a chimney burp like a machine gun

Here is a picture of the culprit!
http://picturepush.com/public/7897106

I think it it either a flicker or a woodpecker (California Santa Cruz
mountains near Silicon Valley).

Does anyone recognize this bird in love who is trying to impress a mate
by machine gunning my chimney?


I agree, it's a flicker which is a type of woodpecker. I've had this happen
when I lived in a apartment in west TN. The chimney was metal so it
resounded loudly! It's happened a couple of times in the spring at my house
in SC. The chimney is also brick but covered with wood. I can sure hear
them hammering when they're trying to attract potential mates.

Jill

On Fri, 30 Mar 2012 10:14:21 -0400, jmcquown wrote:

I agree, it's a flicker which is a type of woodpecker. I've had this
happen when I lived in a apartment in west TN. The chimney was metal so
it resounded loudly!

Here is a better picture of the 'flicker' on my chimney today:
http://picturepush.com/public/8014333

Here he is, pecking away at my metal chimney:
http://picturepush.com/public/8014334

As far as I can tell, he's not going for insects since he stays in the
same spot all the time.

On Thu, 12 Apr 2012 03:58:28 +0000, Martin C. wrote:


Here is a better picture of the 'flicker' on my chimney today:
http://picturepush.com/public/8014333

Here he is, pecking away at my metal chimney:
http://picturepush.com/public/8014334

As far as I can tell, he's not going for insects since he stays in the
same spot all the time.

Nope, certainly not going for insects. Definitely going for the LOUDEST
possible noise he can make to entice a lady friend into his territory and
chase away interlopers.

Tammie
Northwestern Ontario, Canada

On Thu, 12 Apr 2012 12:56:20 +0000, Tammie wrote:

Nope, certainly not going for insects. Definitely going for the LOUDEST
possible noise he can make to entice a lady friend into his territory
and chase away interlopers.

Hi Tammy,

He has a lady friend who sits on the other end of the roof. In the
distance, I can hear another similar machine-gun sound on someone else's
chimney. When he hears that, he goes crazy!

"Tammie" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 12 Apr 2012 03:58:28 +0000, Martin C. wrote:


Here is a better picture of the 'flicker' on my chimney today:
http://picturepush.com/public/8014333

Here he is, pecking away at my metal chimney:
http://picturepush.com/public/8014334

As far as I can tell, he's not going for insects since he stays in the
same spot all the time.

Nope, certainly not going for insects. Definitely going for the LOUDEST
possible noise he can make to entice a lady friend into his territory and
chase away interlopers.


Yeah
We have the same thing at our cabin
Woodpecker shows up few minutes after sunrise and starts hammering at the
metal pole holding the TV/Radio/Cellular antenna on the roof.
Works at it for 10 minutes and moves on to calm his (mist probable) headache
and earache.

On Thu, 12 Apr 2012 03:58:28 +0000 (UTC), "Martin C."
wrote:

On Fri, 30 Mar 2012 10:14:21 -0400, jmcquown wrote:

I agree, it's a flicker which is a type of woodpecker. I've had this
happen when I lived in a apartment in west TN. The chimney was metal so
it resounded loudly!

Here is a better picture of the 'flicker' on my chimney today:
http://picturepush.com/public/8014333

Here he is, pecking away at my metal chimney:
http://picturepush.com/public/8014334

As far as I can tell, he's not going for insects since he stays in the
same spot all the time.

Every year in spring I have a woodpecker start banging away on the metal
roof on an old concrete silo on my farm. Talk about noisy..... I bet it
can be heard a mile away. I was told the males do that as a mating
call. I sure cant see any other reason. There's no insects in metal.
He's not here yet this year, but he will be....

I threatened to cut off his pecker if he keeps it up, but a woodpecker
without a pecker would only be wood.