Mistle Thrush

Two goshawks fledglings begging for food. They were still in the vicinity of the nest. My neighbour is not that keen on having them breeding close by since he has a pigeon house... Nåsten, Uppsala. 17 July 2022

Goshawk fledglings begging for food

Last Friday we were out in our local wolf territory (1-hour drive from Uppsala) and at midnight a lone wolf howled at the moon. Always an amazing experience. Siggefora, Uppland. September 8, 2023.

Howling wolf at midnight

From dusk to dawn with two pairs of cranes and one or two single male contenders. In this recording you will hear almost infrasound (80-200 Hz) growls and heavy panting as the males chase each other in the wetland and of course the trumpeting of cranes through the night. An amazing experience to be this close. Huddunge, Uppsala. April 9, 2024.

Mixpre 3ii + Lewitt 440 Pure in ortf

Cranes like you never heard them before!

One of the best recordings I have made of Lynx. In this recording you can first hear the Lynx calling in the distance, then after a while closer.
Uppsala, May 4, 2024.

Lewitt 440 Pure + Mixpre 3ii

A male Lynx calling for mates

Four years in a row I have been trying to record wolves. I have been lucky most years but since they have changed rendez-vouz area it took longer than usual this year. Now I have pinpointed where they are and maybe I will get better recording in the coming weeks. This is a perfect time of the year to listen for wolves.

Siggefora. September 5, 2024.
Zoom F3 + Clippy EM272 as tree-ears

Wolves with pups

A song battle between a nightjar and a song thrush. When the nightjar didn't call it a day, the song thrush became immediately quiet. Eventually, the nightjar went to bed as the sun rose. A short special performance of a woodcock as well.

Svinasjön, Uppland. July 10, 2024.
Zoom F3 + Clippy EM272 as tree-ears

When Night Meets Day

Now is the time to listen for drumming woodpeckers. In this recording I have mixed all woodpecker species that drum regularly in Sweden. Three drums each and in the following order: great spotted, lesser spotted, white-backed, three-toed, grey-headed and black. Green woodpecker almost never drums.

Recorded in Uppland 2022-2025.

Drumming of all Swedish woodpeckers

Lots of volunteers help toads and frogs across a busy city road so that they can go down to small city ponds for their lek. This year more than 2000 toads and frogs have been helped to cross the road!

Ekeby, Uppsala. April 18, 2025.
Mixpre 3ii + Wildtronics Stereoparabolic dish

Frogs and toads in a suburban pond

In 2025 I have visited four breeding sites where males were calling early in the year but there had been no signs of breeding later in the Spring. This was until yesterday when I stumbled upon a breeding pair. In this recording you can first hear begging calls of the female and later on what I gather is the female song (more the tone of a Wood Pigeon than in the male). 

Uppland. May 4, 2025.
Mixpre 3ii + Wildtronics stereoparabolic dish

Lapland Owl breeding in Uppland also this year!

This howl took me by surprise. The wolf call I have heard before is when the parents call to their young in August to September. Often the young wolves join the choir in September. This is obviously quite another call. Discussed it with several colleagues knowledgeable about wolves and we came to the conclusion that this is most likely an 'alpha male' doing this to let other packs or wolves in local territory to stay away. This is the time they are having their pups and if they have young nearby the parents are likely on high alert!

Uppland. May 5, 2025.
Tascam FR-AV2 + MikroUsi as tree ears

Wolf howling at dusk

Perhaps an acquired taste but I have always loved the song of Great Reed Warblers. This recording was made while kayaking Sörsjön, Tämnaren, and as you can hear there was a large colony of Black Terns nearby.

Tämnaren. June 8, 2025.
AudioTechnica BP4025 + Tascam FR-AV2

Great Reed Warbler's powerful, grinding song

Curlew has almost vanished as a breeding bird in Uppland but still a few pair linger on in boreal forest mires. I have for a long time wanted to record this disappearing song. This morning I was lucky!

Svinasjön, Uppland. June 8, 2025.
Zoom F3 + Clippy EM 272 as tree ears

The most beautiful song of all - Curlew over the mire

I have not heard that many recordings of begging Great Grey Owl chicks. This recording is from 1.54 AM when the male comes with a rodent to the two (at least) young roughly 2 weeks old. You can also hear the lower frequency begging call of the female. The young beg with "calls without vowels".

Uppland. June 8, 2025.
Mixpre 3ii + Wildtronics Stereo Parabole

Great Grey Owl begging calls from young

Midsummer is the biggest holiday in Sweden. I put out a droprig on the boat dock from midnight till early morning. Birds have become very quiet this time of year but the Blackbirds are well into their second clutch of the season and continue to sing. A heronry nearby means that Grey Herons pass by now and then. Other birds that can be heard are Common Gulls, Icterine Warbler and more.

Halvan, Runmarö. June 21, 2025.
Zoom F3 + Clippy EM272 spaced 1 m apart

Swedish Midsummer

A favourite sound in the coniferous forest clearings during summer - the Nightjar. It has become more common during the last 20 years and you can now its song from mid-May to end of July.

Svinasjön, Uppland. July 10, 2025.
Zoom F3 + Clippy EM272 as tree ears

Nightjar singing and flapping

1.15 AM iin the middle of July. Only three bird species are still active singing just when the short northern night ends: Song Thrush, Blackbird and Nightjar.

Siggefora, Uppland. July 11, 2025.
Zoom F3 + Clippy EM272 as tree ears

Midsummer trio

A small urban pond on the outskirts of Uppsala attract thousands of starlings at night where they stay in the reedbeds. This recording is from 4 to 4.40 AM. At first something disturbs the starlings at night and they all take to their wings, at the end of the recordings all starlings start their day and leave the pond in 14 big waves.

Ekebydammen, Uppsala. July 19, 2025.
Zoom F3 + Clippy EM272 spread 1 m apart

Starling murmuration

Sadly I am unable to hear wart-biters and bush-crickets live anymore since I lost most of my hearing above 7000 Hz. The Great Green Bush-cricket sings with a frequence of 9500 to 11500 Hz. But using the equalizer I could increase the volume just enough that I could hear them. You will notice that it sits much closer to the right microphone.

Fiskebäckskil, Bohuslän. July 21, 2025.
Zoom F3 + Clippy EM272

Great Green Bush-cricket high-frequency song

When high frequencies start to disappear with older age it is good to have a backup. Here I put out a droprig less than 1 m away from a singing bush cricket on our porch.

Håga, Uppsala. July 28, 2025.
Zoom F3 + Clippy EM 272 spaced 1 m apart

Great Green Bush-Cricket at my porch

In my favourite pond thrushes (fieldfare, blackbird, song thrush) come down to take a morning bath before the sweltering heat of the day.

Högbyhatt, Uppsala. July 28, 2025.
Lewitt 440 Pure in ORTF + Zoom F3

Thrush bath in the early morning

This is a familiar summer sound for me given that I did research on Red-backed Shrikes for 5 years. The parents utter their harsh warning calls and the fledglings beg for food. In the background, a pair of Common Cranes just started their day with a fanfare!

Råksjön, Uppland. August 1, 2025.
Zoom F3 + Clippy EM 272 spread 1 m apart

Scandinavian specialties - Red-backed Shrike and Common Crane

Now is that time of year when tits start to gather in small feeding flocks with mixed species. In this flock Long-tailed Tits are quite vocal but you can also hear Willow Tit, Crested Tit, Great Tit and Blue Tit. 

Kallsjön, Uppland. August 1, 2025.
Zoom F3 + Clippy EM 272 spread 1 m apart

Late summer tit party!

A family of Wild Boar took a short swim in a forest pond before running past my drop rig. Several high-pitched squels from the you as they pass by.

Kallön, Uppland. August 1, 2025.
Zoom F3 + Clippy EM272 spread 1 m apart

Night swimming Wild Boar

Jays have a rich repertoire of calls and can mimic other bird species and mammals. But this is the typical call you hear year-round in mixed deciduous-coniferous forests.

Kallön, Uppland. August 1, 2025.
Zoom F3 + Clippy EM 272 spaced 1 m apart

Typical call of Jay

I had a lovely time in the Siggefora wolf territory. My droprigs did not catch any wolves unfortunately but two singing males Great Grey Owls, two Ural Owls and two Pygmy Owls in addition to Red Deer and Fallow Deer. But the best recording was that of a singing Hazel Grouse. During the autumn they sing quite actively pairing up for next Spring.

Siggefora, Uppland. August 28, 2025.
Zoom F3 + Clippy EM272 as tree ears

Hazel grouse is actively singing during the autumn

A drop rig recording from my favorite forest pond in Nåsten. The call of the (young?) Black Woodpecker was somewhat reminiscent of a handbrake on a wet rim. In the end of the recording the song (?) of a Long-tailed Tit can be heard as well.

Högbyhatt, Uppsala. September 1, 2025.
Zoom F3 + Clippy EM272 separated 1 m apart

A squeaky handbrake? No, a Black Woodpecker drinking

The small forest pond had almost dried up after a long summer without much rain. Perfect conditions for egg-laying Blue Hawkers patrolling the pond edges. In this recording you will also hear a family of Long-tailed Tits visiting the pond for a drink. In the end a Sparrowhawk flies by and all tits flee (Crested Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Coal Tit).

Högbyhatt, Uppsala. September 1, 2025.
Zoom F3 + Clippy EM272 spread 1 m apart

Blue Hawkers and Long-tailed Tits

In this episode, I converse with an exceptionally talented and dedicated field recorder, Mr. Bo Söderström. As a field recorder, Bo spends a considerable amount of time in the wonderful wild habitats around Uppsala, Sweden. Here, in mature forest, expansive wetlands and various other locations, he has honed his craft to secure intimate recordings of the birdlife in these very special locations. Here in this this interview, Bo selflessly talks in depth about his own processes and shares some wonderful intimate recordings of the very highest quality. A true journey into sound and a wonderful glimpse into the quiet places he chooses to spend his time within. His immersive recordings will take you into the wilds of Sweden and lift the veil on some of the wonderful birdlife found here..

Subscibe to Wild Bird Acoustics here;
https://wildbirdacoustics.buzzsprout.com

Alan Dalton: 
A journey into the wonderful world of field recording birds in their natural environment. Join me at Wild bird Acoustic's to experience incredible soundscapes of wild birds, here in Sweden and further abroad. The podcast will feature sound magazines, trips to wild places and interviews with sound recorders from all around Europe and beyond. Carefully selected audio from the field will inform and educate birders who wish to learn more about bird vocalizations. Going forward, I hope to draw together a community of field recorders, birders and outdoor enthusiasts, to share the sounds of wild birds and places from all over the world....

I hope it will appeal to those who seek a relaxing audio experience, contribute to mental well being and provide an outlet for listener's who seek to escape the stress that modern life can generate.

An Interview with Bo Söderström

When the Virginia Creeper flowers in early September all honey bees in the neighborhood come visit our garden.

September 5, 2025. Håga by, Uppland
Zoom F3 + Clippy EM272

Virginia Creeper Honey Bees

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

Popular tracks by Bo Söderström