Grouse

Capercaillie lek

Black Grouse and Raven

Black Grouse and Common Crane

Black Grouse lekking

This has been my nemesis bird. For three years I have been trying to record its song and today it happened. I was out in the forest to set up a hide for the Capercaillie lek in advance (will start in one month's time) when I flushed a hazel grouse. In the recording you will hear the contact call the first minute together with lekking black grouse in the distance. After one minute it starts to sing. In the end of the recording you will hear some kind of sub-song of the hazel grouse. Don't know if this has been recorded before. Other birds in the recording are mistle thrush, skylark, jay, raven, coal tit, crested tit, great tit and more. Älgpussen, Uppland. March 19, 2023.

Hazel Grouse in song, finally!

I spent the night in the forest to wake up with lekking Capercaillie. The first minute of the recording two different males fly in to their favourite pine at dusk and directly after they "belch" once or twice. After one minute we have the lek at dawn when they have the very low buzzing (<100 Hz) at the sizzling end part.  April 21, 2023.
AudioTechnica BP6025, Mixpre 3ii

Capercaillies flying in at dusk and lekking at dawn

Field sound recordist and archivist of vanishing sounds in natural Iandscapes. Highly commended in the Sound of the Year Awards 2024 - Best Natural Sound.

Capercaillies flying in at dusk and lekking at dawn

Bo Söderström