Is it a bird making that noise?

QI work near a reservoir and I hear a what I think is a bird when I’m out walking, both in the daytime and at night. It sounds like a creaky door opening – can anyone help me ID it? via Facebook

AWithout actually hearing it it’s hard to say. Water Rails make a variety of squealing, squeaking noises, often compared to a piglet, and are found close to water, so they’d be a possibility, while various wildfowl also make noises that might be described this way. Young Long-eared Owls do make a begging call that is often described as being like a creaky gate hinge, but you wouldn’t hear them at this time of year.