Insects, Drip, Owls and Peepers. Recorded 11pm, 25 September 2017 in Shindagin Hollow near Brooktondale, New York. © Lang Elliott.
Tomorrow, I’m off to the Catskills to attend a workshop with David Abram, author of the splendid book “Spell of the Sensuous.” Should be fun. But to keep y’all happy while I’m gone, I’ve decided to post a new immersive binaural (3D) soundscape … I’m calling it “Crickets, Drip, Owls and Peepers” and I recorded it on the 25th of September 2017 in nearby Shindagin Hollow. How fortunate I am to have captured this wonderful recording!
As always for binaural soundscapes, I urge you to listen using headphones. That way you’ll really get a sense of being there.
I set my soundscape microphone at the edge of a beaver pond. It had rained the previous afternoon so there is a lot of drip from trees overhead. Tree crickets trill continuously and spring peepers sound off periodically from shrubs. A distant Barred Owl hoots and is soon joined by another. Then the owls move closer, and, after a few minutes, come together and celebrate their reunion by “hooting-it-up” … they actually do this twice about halfway through the recording.
Please let me know what you think of this recording. I especially want to hear from all of you headphone listeners … do you sense the magic in this soundscape?
Friends … if you find that my blog has a positive impact on your life, please help support my effort by making a modest donation.
I know this was a year ago but you were in my old stomping grounds. I hope you had an enjoyable time!
Any chance that you might make a full length soundscape of this recording ?
Beautiful and soothing, thanks for sharing!
Beautiful. Sounds like my place on a spring evening…Barred Owls are calling now, too.
Wish we had more Great Horned Owls in my area. They’re here, but certainly don’t vocalize as much as the Barred Owls do.
Lang, do you know if it’s the male or female barred owl – or both? – who make the really raucous sounds? Fine lullaby! Thanks.
Sasquatch hunters will excitedly post recordings of “apes in the woods” which, when I listen, are always Barred Owls having a hootenany. They are so expressive in their dialogue. Thanks for the beautiful recording.
: >)
Can you recommend a good headphone?
Marylyn,
I’ve had many headphones and earbuds, always looking for the “perfect pair.” Corded (vs Bluetooth) seem to reproduce sound better and, if you can find them, ‘over-the-ear’ are more comfortable than the ‘on the ear’ variety imho. Some people love earbuds but I have trouble with extended wearing, so can’t say there but go on Amazon, look at a variety and read comments. I don’t think you have to break the bank to find a decent pair. Good Luck!
Well … if you’ve got the money, I have absolutely fallen in love with the Bose QuietComfort 35 Noise Cancellation headphones. They are so effective at reducing background noise that I can actually edit recordings while sipping a coffee in Starbucks. I think they would also be a boon for office workers in cubicles or open office environments. One could sink deeply into nature in those settings while listening to binaural soundscapes. But dang, the Bose phones cost a whopping $350 (worth every penny, though, if you have other uses for headphones of the noise cancelling variety … and Bose… Read more »
I tried my headphones for the first time and what a difference that made!! The sound quality was excellent. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recording.
Carlene: As you’ve noted, binaural recording truly come alive when headphones are used.
Fabulous bared owl duet. I love when they get going like monkeys!
Me too … sounds like they’re having fun.
How delightful! Actually sounds like my backyard except for the water. I am lucky to have owls, toads and frogs…..I have enjoyed your recordings for years. They are wonderful.
Luck you … but why no water? Maybe you should build a little pond?
We have an old swimming pool that has been a frog pond for the last 20 years…storm damage this year caused a leak….so there are only a few inches of water left….not able to replace at the moment….and it was not running water…never attractedxany beaver.
Oh this is wonderful,I feel like I’m right there.The owls are a added delight and I could listen to them all night.You do great recordings Lang and I am so happy you do.These recordings are a much needed escape from my everyday surroundings, so thanks again and have fun at the workshop.
Thank you Barbara. I also use them to escape into a nature-space when I’m working on my computer. This one works really well for me. Of course, I have hours of drip and subtle water noises, plus the crickets trilling … and I could listen for hours and never get tired of it.
Lang, thank you for sharing this. I am going for headphones ….
Mary Lou
Love this one! Owls are always magical on a late summer night! This recording is indeed enchanting. Thanks for your great work Lang!
Thank you Susan. Did you listen with headphones?
No, but now I will listen with headphones! I forgot that is always better. Thanks!
Love this sooo much, Lang! Owls are my favorite! I was wondering what the big water splashes were…maybe turtles?
I think those are made by Beaver. Earlier in the evening, I recorded several really loud tail slaps. Not sure what was upsetting them. Not me, because I left for the night and the mic was under trees about fifteen feet from the shore. So they reacted to something else. In any event … my guess is Beaver.
Ahhh, love that! Thanks, Lang!
More than magic here. These are typical evening calls of happy owls that have spent the previous day dining on succulent chipmunks.
Superb work, as always. Great blog!
N
I too believe those owls are happy and enjoying themselves. And yes, they do look for prey during the day, especially during twilight hours. And I bet they do indeed manage to catch a chipmunk of two, though I’ve never seen that happen.