Nightjars

Nightjar

All through July nightjars continue to sing when all other birds have gone quiet. In the background a cuckoo can be heard though. This recording was made close to Arlanda so it was a bit of a challenge to find short periods of quiet. At least four males were singing and several females made their froglike croaks. Wingclaps can be heard quite often. Several males checked me out and circled me just a few metres away. The first part, upt to 1 min 40 sec, is a droprig (Clippy EM272 + Zoom F3) and the other part is with a parabole (Wildtronics stereo + Mixpre 3 ii). 8 July 2022. Johannedal, Uppland, Sweden

Nightjars at midnight in July

I wonder if the nightjars have two clutches in Sweden nowadays. At least they sing until early August, and this is one of the species that has been increasing during the last one or two decades. Uppsala. July 24, 2023.

Nightjars active all through summer

I have not heard this call documented anywhere before but two years back I was lucky to verify by sight that this call belonged to young nightjar being fed by the parents. Since this is a drop rig recording I cannot be absolutely certain that this is a nightjar but I do not know what else it could be.

Nåsten, Uppland. July 21, 2024
Zoom F3 + Clippy EM272

Unknown call of a nightjar

Nightjars have been very successful in Uppland the last 10-20 years. Nowadays it is quite a common bird in the forest-clearcut landscape. I had scouted this clearcut last year so I knew exactly where they would display. One of the best recordings I have made with nightjars where you can even hear them landing on the pine branches. Contact calls and lots of wing clapping. At dawn Blackbirds and Song Thrushes take over the scene.

Siggefora, Uppland. June 27, 2025.
Zoom F3 + Clippy EM272 as tree ears

Break of dawn with nightjars

Recorded under cliffs in Alps - no wind was that night so there was almost complete silence . 
Owls and later falling rocks from cliffs which was maybe trigger by some animal walking high above microphones.
Edited with EQ 
Microphones ORTF Mkh40 Sennheiser
Recorder Zoom F6
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Field sound recordist and archivist of vanishing sounds in natural Iandscapes. Highly commended in the Sound of the Year Awards 2024 - Best Natural Sound.

Break of dawn with nightjars

Bo Söderström

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