Birdwatcher question

[jeremiah j]

Does anyone have an idea as to what bird I saw but mostly heard. Looked to be about the size of a cardinal. I'm pretty sure it was a migratory species. Ther were lots of them along chattahoochee river in hardwood forest. They always stayed in the very top of trees. Had a very distinct call. It was like a rapid tapping. Sort of a rapid cluck sound. I could only catch very short glimpses of bird. It may of had white or lite gray on wings where a planes wing flaps would be. The woods were full of them last wk,now they seem to have moved on. I realize this is a rather vague description. Thanks

[Wise Old Owl]

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bicknells_Thrush/idy

there are a few others that fit - ask Emerald

[Shutterbug]

Does anyone have an idea as to what bird I saw but mostly heard. Looked to be about the size of a cardinal. I'm pretty sure it was a migratory species. Ther were lots of them along chattahoochee river in hardwood forest. They always stayed in the very top of trees. Had a very distinct call. It was like a rapid tapping. Sort of a rapid cluck sound. I could only catch very short glimpses of bird. It may of had white or lite gray on wings where a planes wing flaps would be. The woods were full of them last wk,now they seem to have moved on. I realize this is a rather vague description. Thanks

I was going to guess "grackle" until I got to your last sentence about the "white or lite gray." From a distance, grackle's look black. You didn't mention their primary color.

When I see a bird I can't identify, I go to http://www.whatbird.com. By answering a series of questions, you can narrow the choices down to a few, then look at the pictures.

[jeremiah j]

Thanks, whatbird site is good. Haven't found it yet. Have eliminated a few. Positive not a grackle.

[jeremiah j]

From whatbird it may have been a downy woodpecker. Call sounds very similar and size etc. The woods were full of them last week. I'm sure it had to be a migratory species. Did not hear this bird during summer. But, do downy woodpeckers migrate thru Ga? I thought they were a full yr resident. Whatbird is an interesting site. Went thru a lot of their stuff & other possibilities did not match call.--Thanks