Some selections. May be added to.

(I lived in Tasmania for just over eight years. I left in June 2009. This was my first journey back , after fourteen years. With different ears.)

2023.09.06-29 To Tasmania and Back, by Car

Victorian Smooth Froglets (Geocrinia victoriana), also known as Eastern Smooth Froglets, singing from the margins of a forest pool between bouts of strong wind through the crests of Eucalyptus regnens. Recorded at noon in early Spring in Great Otway National Park, Victoria.

Listening at a low to mid level with good quality headphones (binaural recording) is recommended.

Recorded on the land of the indigenous Gadubanud (Katabanut) peoples.

2023.09.06 Smooth Froglets between the Wind. Early Spring.

A calm and meditative ambience recorded during early evening at the edge of Lake Elizabeth, Great Otway National Park, just before the onset of strong winds followed by heavy rain that continued throughout the night.

Listening at a low to mid level with good quality headphones (preferably open-backed) is recommended. Binaural recording.

Recorded on the land of the indigenous Gadubanud (Katubanut) peoples.

About the recent natural formation of Lake Elizabeth: https://vro.agriculture.vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/coranregn.nsf/pages/corangamite_landform_lake_elizabeth

2023.09.07 Lake Elizabeth Quietude 1. Early Spring.

A calm and meditative ambience recorded during the early evening, in a rare still moment prior to heavy rain and high winds, near Lake Elizabeth, Great Otway National Park.

Listening at a low to mid level with good quality headphones (preferably open-backed) is recommended. Binaural recording.

Recorded on the land of the indigenous Gadubanud (Katubanut) peoples.

About the recent natural formation of Lake Elizabeth: https://vro.agriculture.vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/coranregn.nsf/pages/corangamite_landform_lake_elizabeth

2023.09.07 Lake Elizabeth Quietude 2. Early Spring.

This excerpt from a longer recording focusses on First Light rather than Dawn (Second Light and Sunrise), although it includes the beginnings of the latter. It ought to be listened to with good quality headphones (preferably open-backed, with flat frequency response), or good quality speakers, at a mid-range volume. One of the things that particularly interests me, and that I especially enjoy, about this early spring First Light forest soundscape (and other similar early spring forest Dawn recordings that I made during this road trip to Tasmania) is precisely its very gradual, slow, minimal, and spacious development. This sounds nothing like an overly-busy tropical rainforest. The hush of 'silence' never completely disappears.

In this rich, dense, moist, cool-temperature southern forest of Tasmania, at the time that this excerpt begins, it is still fairly dark to the human eye. One of the earliest of First Light calls is (as usual) that of the Black Currawong (Strepera fuliginosa), a species of Currawong that is found only in Tasmania. Its call is quite unique, very unlike any mainland Currawong, and I grew to adore it, and to recognise it as the main Tasmanian forest sentinel of dawn. However, there is another very vocal and persistent early caller, here: the Yellow Wattlebird (Anthocaera paradoxa), also found only in Tasmania.

Early on, we also hear the final few night calls of Ninox novaeseelandiae leucopsis, which I would prefer to refer to as the 'Tasmanian Boobook', rather than its more common and familiar name, 'Morepork'. Both names are, of course, onomatopoeic labels provided by Europeans. But the name 'Morepork' suggests, to me, an image of radically displaced Europeans in an unfamiliar landscape, craving pork meat, and hearing this beautiful owl call as though it were expressing their own cravings: 'More pork!" (Interestingly, DNA evidence has suggested that Ninox novaeseelandiae is more closely related to the New Zealand Boobook (also commonly known in NZ as the 'Morepork') than to the mainland Southern Boobook (Ninox boobook).)

Gradually, the 'Dawn Chorus' stirs and unfurls into a more richly-populated wakefulness. Thankfully, the introduced and now feral Superb Lyrebirds, which have seriously infested this region, seem to be late risers that enjoy sleeping in: somewhat later in the original recording, they pretty much take over most of the forest soundscape.

Recorded with meditative respect upon the land of the Nuenonne tribe of the Palawa people.

2023.09.23 First Light. Huon Valley. Early Spring.

'Windy dawn quietude' might sound like a contradiction, but the recording earns the label 'Quietude' thanks to the complete absence of any anthropogenic noise. To be sure, the wind soughing through Mountain Ash forest and soft tree ferns dominates the soundscape, but the Eastern Smooth Froglets and the small birds of dawn nevertheless make their presence clearly heard. This excerpt from a longer recording, made in Great Otway National Park, Victoria, begins at Second Light.

Good quality headphones (preferably with a 'flat frequency response', and open-backed) are recommended, especially as this is a binaural recording. The original 96/32 recording has been converted to 48/24, but is otherwise entirely unprocessed.

Recorded on the land of the indigenous Gadubanud (Katabanut) peoples.

2023.09.07 Windy Dawn Quietude beside the Smooth Froglet Pool. Early Spring.

While staying for a week in Launceston, Tasmania, with my daughter, we were very fortunate to enjoy a private tour of Waverley Mills. Of course, I asked whether I could I bring my recording gear along to make some recordings in the factory. No problem. Here are some ear-glimpses. However, the one vitally important element that isn't heard in these glimpses is the people on the floor who make the whole manufacturing process happen. Their knowledge and skill, matured over many years, was deeply impressive. (I did record some impromptu informal 'interviews', or conversations, on the floor, but without particular individuals' (and management's) permissions, these couldn't be included, here.)

To provide some background to Waverley Mills, I quote from a description written by Susan West in 2017: "Waverley Mill was built 143 years ago [150 years ago today], in 1874. Waverley has survived two World Wars, the Great Depression, and the decimation of the Australian manufacturing industry. At its peak, Waverley employed over 300 people, and its beautiful blankets and fabrics were sold all over the world. Waverley even supplied Qantas with business and first class woollen blankets for all of their aircraft.

The wool manufacturing industry in Australia has virtually died. Today, most of our wool gets exported in its raw state to be processed in China. We then buy it back as fabric or finished goods. Only one woollen mill in Australia has survived all this – Waverley Mill. Unless we can save it, it will be lost forever. Waverley is a fully functioning mill – from carding and spinning, to dyeing and weaving. Waverley already has the equipment and staff to produce the highest quality rugs, throws, blankets, scarves and fabrics. ...

There are other groups making beautiful woollen products in Australia. Waverley Mills is the last mill to card, dye, spin, weave, and finish, all under the same roof. No one else is left who is doing all of that!"

Source: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/australia-s-last-woollen-mill-needs-your-help#/

Track photo by Nina Hamilton, published in Emma Do (2019), 'Yarn for the Ages'. (https://www.broadsheet.com.au/national/fashion/article/inside-waverley-mills)

Recorded on the land of the Tyerrernotepanner (and possibly also the Pyemmairrener) people of Lutruwita (Tasmania).

2023.09.11 Waverley Mills. Launceston, Tasmania.

[00:00] Part I; [02:55] Part II, "Hammerklavier"; [13:24] Part III

Radio bardo ₂₀₁₆ ᶰʸᶜ

This is a bit from overnight unattended recording. I woke up with uneasy feeling as the sound resembled Shahed drone sounds I have heard from youtube videos. It was still pretty dark (4:50 AM).  

Drone sound in the night

Recorded with clippies em272 and mxpre 6ii at 192 kHz (32bit float), slowed down to 1/20 of the original speed and rendered to 24bit/48 kHz


Different species of bats circling a barn

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

Somehow, it was quite touching to listen to these little creatures, munching their way into a mushroom somewhere from below. I suppose they might be very small worms, but I did not see them, so I am not sure.
JrF ecoutic into leaf audio field amp into mixpre 6ii



Forest mushroom being eaten – from underneath

. (2025)

A rich morning soundscape recorded on the banks of the Cuyabeno River deep in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Features the magical sounds of Russet-backed Oropendolas.

The Amazon: Oropendola Morning - Album Sample

The Amazon: Cuyabeno Night - Album Sample

Sundown Wild Forest 5:55am (pt. 2)

Migrating Cranes are gathering on strategic places along the coast two-three weeks before leaving the country. This is from an overnight recording inside a barn in Preiviiki Fields not long away from here.

The wind was a strong North Westerly with small showers and very gusty. Five days later the Crane was gone. Listen with headphones, thanks!

http://www.rupuranta.net/weblog/filet/200910/

(MKH8020 ab60cm, MixPre 32>24/48, no processing, flac)

Jan Eerala Finland

Wind Barn & Cranes - 10/9/2020 - Preiviiki Fields

𝔈𝔵𝔭𝔩𝔬𝔯𝔦𝔫𝔤 ℌ𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔦𝔫𝔤, 𝔱𝔥𝔢 ℌ𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔞𝔟𝔩𝔢, 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔱𝔥𝔢 ℌ𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔢𝔯, 𝔞𝔰 𝔞𝔫 𝔈𝔳𝔢𝔫𝔱, 𝔞 𝔐𝔬𝔡𝔢, 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔞 𝔇𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔫𝔰𝔦𝔬𝔫 𝔬𝔣 𝔅𝔢𝔦𝔫𝔤.

2023.09.23 First Light. Huon Valley. Early Spring.

𝕳𝖊𝖆𝖗𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝕭𝖊𝖎𝖓𝖌𝖘

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