My local pair of Ural Owls has started to court each other. This droprig recorded the so-called defensive call or song between 3 and 4AM this morning. It is not so often heard as their normal call but early in the mating season it can be heard more commonly. The recording ends with the harsh bark of the female effectively ending the courtship! Uppsala, February 27, 2023

The defensive call of the Ural Owl

This recording captures the delicate and rhythmic stridulations of aquatic insects, recorded using a pair of hydrophones in the river La Mimente in the Cevennes National Park in southern France. 

Recorded 08.08.2025
Zoom F3 + 2 x Aquarian Audio H2A hydrophones

Aquatic Insect Stridulation - Florac, Cevennes, France

In woodland surrounding the Ferme Des Cevennes near Florac, a lone Cirl Bunting sings from it's song post. I listened to this bird over several days, logging it's various song posts before heading out one morning to record. 

Recorded 08.08.2025
Zoom F3 + 2 x DPA 4060s

Photo credit: Paco Gómez (CC 2.0)

Cirl Bunting - Florac, Cevennes, France

This recording captures hundreds of Swallows as fed early one morning in a large tree, occasionally flying away collectively before returning again to continue feeding. 

Recorded 09.08.2025
Zoom F3 + 2 x DPA 4060s

Photo credit: Mildeep (CC 2.0)

Swallows Feeding At Dawn - Florac, Cevennes, France

A calming insect chorus recorded at night from within the vineyards of La Ferme Des Cevennes on the outskirts of Florac on a calm, moonlit evening. 

Recorded 08.08.2025
Zoom F3 + 2 x DPA 4060s

Photo credit: Bernard Dupont (CC 2.0)

Night Insect Chorus - Florac, Cevennes, France

This recording captures a group of goats feeding on hay in a large barn at the Ferme Des Cevennes. 

Recorded 07.08.2025
Zoom F3 + 2 x DPA 4060s

Goats Feeding - Florac, Cevennes, France

Just after dawn, this recording captures farmlife as day begins, with a cockerel calling intermittently and a group of sparrows calling from a nearby tree.

Recorded 08.08.2025
Zoom F3 + 2 x DPA 4060s

Dawn On The Farm - Florac, Cevennes, France

This soundscape was recorded from the top of a magnificant treehouse built in an ancient Chesnut tree in the forest surrounding the Ferme des Cevennes. We hear gentle summer birdsong as well as one of the farm donkeys calling out and resonating beautifully through the valley. We also hear a woodpecker pecking against a nearby tree.

Recorded 08.08.2025
Zoom F3 + 2 x DPA 4060s

Dawn In The Treehouse - Florac, Cevennes, France

Dans les chardons on entend l’Anthidie à manchettes (Anthidium manicatum) qui s’affaire à collecter les poils des feuilles ce qui lui vaut le surnom d’abeille cotonnière.
« Anthidium manicatum est une espèce d'hyménoptères de la famille des Megachilidae. Comme d'autres espèces de son genre, on l'appelle abeille cotonnière à cause de son comportement : gratter les poils des feuilles comme celles de la Molène Bouillon-blanc ou de l'Épiaire laineuse qu'elle met en boule et qu'elle transporte sous son corps pour en revêtir son nid. »
source Wikipedia : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthidium_manicatum

European wool carder bee
In the thistles, we can hear the Wool Carder Bee (Anthidium manicatum) busily collecting hairs from the leaves.
“Anthidium manicatum is a species of bee in the family Megachilidae. They get the name "carder" from their behaviour of scraping hair from leaves such as lamb's ears (Stachys byzantina). They carry this hair bundled beneath their bodies to be used as a nest lining.”
source Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthidium_manicatum

Abeille cotonnière

Each year, on the first Sunday after August 15th towns and villages across Spain, Italy and southern France (Provence) celebrate la Fête de Saint Roch over four days. Saint Roch was born between 1346-1350 in Montpellier and devoted his life to caring for the sick. 

This recording captures the street procession in the village of Rognonas. Along with traditional music and dancing (Arlésiennes), a cart decorated with local fruits and vegetables is pulled through the streets by fifty richly harnessed horses.

Recorded 17.08.2025
Zoom F3 + 2 x DPA 4060s

Street Procession (Fête de Saint Roch) - Rognonas, France

Recorded during the festivities of la fête de Saint Roch in Rognonas (Bouches-du-Rhone), this recording captures traditional Provencal music as a group of Arlésiennes performed Provencal dances.

Recorded 17.08.2025
Zoom F3 + 2 x DPA 4060s

Traditional Provencal Music (Fête de Saint Roch) - Rognonas, France

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

The defensive call of the Ural Owl

Bo Söderström