What could this noise be?

My best guess would be an owl. i say this, based on the time elements involved. we have a screech owl that makes his presence known at just about the same time everyday. am and pm. watch the trees and watch for an owl.

If its not an owl, it must be pizza boy. he loses his way all the time.

Yeah, it most likely is an animal of some sorts.

My co-worker has a bat that lives in his pipes in the winter and it makes all sorts of racket. I know that doesn’t help with a flute… but there is something living in there I am sure.

I would have said a bird… Where do you live? Maybe it could be a Sandhill Crane

That resembles a bird’s call. Is it year round or seasonal?

@Adirondackwannabe She said every winter.

@erichw1504 Thanks. That’s what I get for reading too fast.

Maybe someone’s heater? How close are your neighbors?

Is it more prrevalent in any given weather? Rainy days sunny days?

I know you say “it’s not an animal” but I don’t know how you ruled that out – are you sure? When I saw “Georgia” my first thought was “a mockingbird.” They can imitate an amazing array of sounds.

Mockingbirds also sing most at dawn and dusk.

Yes, a hobo must get a warm pleasure out of playing a recording of a flute while hiding out in the trees.

Throw out some candy bars and bird seed and wack whatever comes out to get them.

Maybe you have a seasonally active, early-rising flautist neighbour.

Really, though, I have no idea! Maybe it’s something to do with the wind blowing across some kind of vent or something, that only happens in the winter because the proportions aren’t right unless the metal is a little constricted… I got nothin’.

Have you tried to record it?

I think it’s a leprechaun.

or a lawn gnome.

Do you have an older windmill near by?

When the oil around the blades gets cold they often are more prone to squeaking. Sometimes in a light breeze that is just barely strong enough to make the blades turn they will make a sound similar to what you describe.

The fact that you mention this only happens in the winter I am drawn to your furnace. Is your thermostat a programmable one where there may be a change in the furnace temp demand?? When my furnace begins to cycle a blower motor starts blowing air up the flu mine sounds like a whistling jet engine. Once the furnace begins to blow air it would generate negative pressures inside the house where any number of sources of air leaks could work like a whistle or flute until the pressure equalizes or the air flow is too fast to maintain it’s flute pitch.

We had something similar in the house I grew up in. It turned out to be a spinning cap on top of the furnace vent squealing as it spun up to speed… in the morning and the evening when we turned the heat up.

Oh, pooh on you guys, @Blueroses and @Cruiser > I was hoping for the windmill climbing, flautist leprecahn gnome owl.

@JilltheTooth That’s what I meant to say.

Could it perhaps be wind chimes?

I’m pretty sure it is a songbird. Several of their voices are described as flute like and the early morning late afternoon fits with bird behavior, as does the winter occurence.

@noelleptc Do you have a Wild Birds Unlimited store near you?

How about an oriole of some sort?

lol @noelleptc :-)

@nebule Your brave. Look what I got when I provoked her. :)

@noelleptc That’s always fun. :)