Wolves & Lynx

I have spent four nights with the wolves of Uppsala this August. No close contact but yesterday night I at least heard the parents howl in the distance. Impressive enough! Both parents are rather close descendants to Russian immigrants and therefore extremely valuable from a genetic perspective. Siggefora, Uppland. August 25, 2022.

Wolves howling

In the wolf forest close to Uppsala I placed a drop rig continuously recording for 48 hours and mixed it down to nine minutes. In the order they appear:
willow tit
crested tit
capercaillie, male flew past very close
pygmy owl
common scooter, two flocks migrating south
rain shower
WOLVES
pygmy owl
ural owl, female barking
jay
crested tit
raven landed close and walked around at the same time as WOLVES had a concert in the distance
crested tit
willow tit
Siggefora, Uppland. September 1 to 3, 2022.

Wolf forest from dusk to dawn

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

Humans smell a lot and this pack of wolves stopped in their tracks to inspect the droprig recorder I put high up in a spruce. Siggefora, Uppland. September 8, 2023.

Panting wolves inspect the droprig

Lousy recording of a calling male lynx. Uppland. February 12, 2023.

Lynx

I have been trying to record the lynx mating call "WAUW" many times but they are always too far off in the distance. Although this lynx is some distance away the quiet of the night made the recording OK. If you listen carefully and with headphones you will hear an Eagle Owl calling incessantly in the background. Nice combination!
Uppsala. March 19, 2024. 

Clippy EM272 + Zoom F3

Lynx and Eagle Owl

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

I put out a droprig close to a nest of a Grey-headed Woodpecker in an aspen close to a small brook. In this recording you can discern a drumming Grey-headed Woodpecker and later on a dusk-singing Blackbird and Robin. And after sunset you will hear two wolves howl in the distance and in the final minutes a calling Great Grey Owl.

Uppland. May 5, 2025.
Zoom F3 + Clippy EM272 as tree ears

ASMR - small brook at dusk with wolves in the distance

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

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

Wolves & Lynx

Bo Söderström