BLOG CATEGORY:
Binaural Soundscapes
Binaural Soundscapes | Podcasts | Videos | Birds | Mammals | Amphibians | Reptiles | Insects | Ramblings | Miscellaneous
Sometimes, a compelling soundscape will present itself when least expected. Yesterday afternoon, during a light rain, I took a brief walk around our pond. To my delight, a flock of American Robins had settled into the patch of woods next to the pond and individuals were calling excitedly as they flew from perch to perch …
As autumn turns to winter, I find myself spending less time outdoors and way more time in front of my computer. Nonetheless, I have managed to get some new field recordings, the most interesting being a soundscape I recorded in Shindagin Hollow a few weeks ago …
Wood Ducks have been gathering in woodland ponds as of late, with males and females courting like crazy, prior to their migration southward. You’re sure to enjoy this video, which features outstanding photographs by bird photographer Marie Read, accompanied by sound recordings by yours truly …
In mid-October, I went on an expedition to witness the bugling of Elk (Cervus canadensis) in a free-ranging herd near Benezette, Pennsylvania. Although we arrived at the tail end of the rutting season, we were not disappointed …
Join me on a camping expedition to the Apalachicola National Forest in the panhandle of Florida. You’re sure to be amazed at the fascinating natural soundscape of the southern pine woods … birds, frogs, insects and mammals sounding off from night into day …
Leaving the Hill Country of Texas on August 5, I drove straight east into the southwest corner of Louisiana where I visited Sabine National Wildlife Refuge. The next day I traveled northward to Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge in south-central Arkansas. This post features highlights from both locations, including numerous recordings of birds, frogs, mammals, and insects …
After recording in Missouri’s tallgrass prairie, I drove south and west to spend an afternoon and evening in the Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge in southwestern Oklahoma, followed by an overnight at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area in the Hill Country of Texas. In spite of miserably hot temperatures and a fairly stiff breeze, I managed to snag a few really useful recordings, including a growling Bison …
From August 1-2, I recorded in two tallgrass prairie locations in southwestern Missouri, Taberville Prairie Conservation Area, a beautiful refuge with a sweeping view from the parking lot, and Prairie State Park, which sports wonderful expanses of prairie grasses. As expected, the nature sounds were compelling.
I arrived in Missouri on the evening of July 28. I spent the night sleeping in my tent in a beautiful hardwood forest along a ridge overlooking the Missouri River. Awakening at first light, I was completely surprised by the rich chorus of Wood Thrushes, sounding off from all directions …
The season for insect song is rapidly unfolding. Here in upstate New York, it was remarkably quiet insect-wise until last weekend, when I finally heard meadow katydids, coneheads, bush katydids, and tree crickets sounding off in the dark of the night. So I jumped into action late Saturday night, hoping to capture a few pleasing insect soundscape recordings …
I arrived at Shindagin Hollow around 4:30am. It was dead quiet. I walked into the forest and made my way to a small, near-dry stream, with scattered stagnant pools. I had no particular expectations with regard to recording birds. Maybe a gentle chorus of distant, scattered singers? Maybe none at all? It’s mid-July and the soundscape was almost certain to be muted …
Over the Fourth of July holiday, Bob McGuire and I spent two days at Spring Pond Bog, a wonderful Nature Conservancy preserve in a remote area of the Adirondack Mountains. Our trip was rejuvenating and we experienced great pleasure in once again hearing the magical and utterly sublime bogland soundscape …
This season I’ve tried time and again to get a super-pleasing portrait of a Field Sparrow singing its exquisite dawn song. But try as I might, I was unable to beat the wonderful portrait I captured on May 22, way back in 2009 …
The song of the Eastern Bluebird is a delight to the ear, a series of bright, musical warbled phrases sounding like cheer … cheerily … cheer-cheerful-charmer. Females occasionally sing and sometimes answer their mate’s song with their own. Of special interest is the bluebird’s “dawn song,” an excited series of song phrases often preceded by staccato chit calls …
A few nights ago, I camped next to a marsh in nearby Finger Lakes National Forest, here in upstate New York. My plan was to get some sleep so that I could rise at 4am and enjoy the birds, singing at dawn. As it turned out, I stayed awake well into the wee hours of the morning, fascinated by the never-ending chorus of Bullfrogs and Green Frogs …
