The fragile Arctic national wildlife refuge is a place of sanctuary and under constant pressure from the big oil companies.
Listen to Ptarmigan, longspurs, rough legged hawks, red necked phalarope and the arctics very own bluethroat.

Arctic Wildlife Refuge Podcast

The morning awakes with the dawn chorus. Dark eyed junco, flycatchers, american robin, mountain quail break the morning air

Lincoln Meadows. California

The dawn breaks with Ravens, mountain bluebirds, a great grey owl calls from a tree. Swainson's thrush and a sapsucker bangs on a tree to be heard

Yellowstone Park

The morning insects give way to the morning dawn chorus of birds, howler monkeys wake with their calls, bellbirds, oropendola , white throated capuchin, resplendent quetzal, sunbittern and falcons are heard through the wet jungle as Cicadas bring an end to the day...
https://www.facebook.com/MartynStewart.Recordist/

https://soundcloud.com/martynstewart/the-listening-planet-album-collections-thailand-promotion

Costa Rican Dream

Last December when my prostate cancer metastasized into my bones, my beautiful niece, Amanda, heard about it and set about creating a legacy for my sounds.
Tirelessly she set about creating a trust and foundation called “the listening planet”
I was given a couple of years to live, my sounds in my library were gathered over 55 years from many different countries.
Amanda didn’t want those sounds to vanish with my death.
Now they are available to everyone to enjoy for pleasure and for Academic use.
97000 files with thousands of hours will be released for everyone.
I want people to understand through sound what we had and still have left so we can persevere it.
Two thirds of my sound library are extinct, my archive is a record of what was.
I hope the listening planet will inspire you to join me in creating a movement through sound and inspire you all to protect nature in her splendor.
I have also teamed up with some of Hollywood’s talented actors to create awareness to mental health.
www.thelisteningplanet.com
https://www.instagram.com/the_listening_planet/?fbclid=IwAR2pNGGyfx0zpNgehIxdIq4hr0ZE3TwK1i15Mff_4PzbnJxqznVnhy_fhO8
https://www.facebook.com/thelisteningplanet/

Eurasian Blackbird

Spring can be bird song or these tranquil sounds of wood frogs and spring peepers. either way, this is my favorite time of year. New birth and a new dawn..
Recorder: Sound Devices 722
Microphone: MKH-30-40
Recordist: Martyn Stewart
Location: Ely. Minnesota
website: www.naturesound.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MartynStewart.Recordist


Wood Frogs And Spring Peepers

Have you ever wondered why your ocean recordings don’t sound like the way you hear them??
Most people record the ocean by standing close to the shore and pointing a microphone at it.
The thing is, Microphones are not ears….
The best way to record the sounds of the ocean is to do it in three steps and mix them together to create a better perspective.
Try recording 50 yards away, then record another separate track 100 yards away and the same, 150 yards away.
When you mix together it sounds more realistic like this.

https://www.facebook.com/thelisteningplanet

20230618T Melbourne Surf Mix

When I was a kid I could distinguish between an alarm call and a song from a bird
https://www.facebook.com/thelisteningplanet

20230623T Blackbird Communication

I started therapy when I was very young……
I didn’t need my mum to go with me
I went alone.
I needed no money
And if I listened, I could hear a calming voice 
My therapy was and is healing.

You could have it too.

Close your eyes and listen……

Ditch your therapist and trust in nature, she listens and heals for free.

free. https://www.thelisteningplanet.com  https://www.thelisteningplanet.com/isanyonelistening

20230625T Nature's Therapy

What language can we learn to better understand?

French, Italian, Spanish? What about German?…..

Well certainly, it is beneficial to communicate in these languages while in these countries but what language can we learn to benefit everybody?

I’ll give you a clue!

The Language of the planet. 

Imagine…if you could lay bare the whole acoustical spectrum of the natural world…
in all its wonder…

To hear the simple flow of water babbling down a stream and the song of the skylark as it takes flight.  To  witness the oceans dawn chorus and the song of a humpback whale as it begins its dance or the hiss of cicadas drifting on waves of heat-humid air.  

To feel the world come alive, to relearn a language critical to our understanding of the world around us.. and to see that our acoustic planet is not simply a random and orderless cacophony, but a palpable ecological dimension of life on earth.

The sounds of nature have long been associated with mental wellbeing, allowing our imagination to linger on what we hear, transporting us… but they also reveal the densities and intricacies of life – its health and fragility.  Sound can also echo a disappearing world, a sonic landscape undergoing an extinction event of its own – one that is, with painful irony, happening silently.
We want to bring NATURE’S VOICE to the world in a way that it has never been felt or experienced before. ..to connect hearts with minds, knowledge with action and to ignite a passion to safeguard its future.
#thelisteningplanet
www.thelisteningplanet.com

The Planet actually talks but we need to listen

In nature's dance, a timeless rhyme,
No wars conceived, no famine's grime.
Mother Nature weaves a gentle song,
Where harmony reigns, and peace belongs.

Animals roam in instinct's grace,
No destructive footprints to erase.
They coexist, a balanced chore,
Unlike the chaos mankind may implore.

A symphony of life in every tree,
No battles fought for territory.
The rivers flow with a tranquil ease,
A stark contrast to man's unease.

Man, with the power to create,
Yet often wields it with darker fate.
In nature's arms, a lesson found,
To nurture, not destroy, on sacred ground.

So let us learn from nature's lore,
Embrace the love that life implores.
In the tapestry of Earth's grand art,
Find the peace that lies in every heart

https://www.facebook.com/thelisteningplanet/

Man Verus Nature

The sage grass deserts of Oregon are an amazing place to listen to Western Meadowlarks and this is no exception. Often not seen, they bunker down low and sing out the morning. I happened to place my recorder very close to this area that this meadowlark would be singing and I got lucky. Surrounded by Lake Abert and cliff faces, you may also hear common raven and red winged blackbird along with various shorebirds calling.
5 min snip taken from this original.
Location: Lake Abert
Date: 2011-06-25
Time: 05:32
State: Oregon

Description: morning soundscape on Lake Abert

Habitat: lake/desert
VoxType: morning
Category: soundscape

Recorder: SD 788
Mics: sennhieser mkh 40/30
Sample rate: 48k 24 bit
Microphone pattern: MS stereo
Take#  1

Anthrophony: passing cars/33:02 airplane

Geophony: lapping lakeside water

Biophony: western meadowlark/common raven/Canada goose/red winged blackbird/killdeer/unknown shorebirds calls 15:40/brown headed cowbird/

Weather: clear
Temp: 45f
Humidity: 65%
Wind: calm

Recordist: Martyn Stewart
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/pages/NaturesoundorgMartyn-Stewart/270743161947?ref=sgm
Website
www.naturesound.org
Notes: inserted -30 db tone at begining of the recording/ Mic suspension with Rycote winjammer and gitzo tripod/


20110625T01-Meadowlark morning

In the dense Costa Rican rainforest, where the air is thick with humidity and the foliage rustles with life, there exists a symphony unlike any other. It is the song of the emerald cicada, a boisterous melody that dominates the auditory landscape with its sheer intensity.

Imagine standing amidst the towering trees, surrounded by a chorus of chirps and clicks. But amidst this cacophony, there emerges a sound so loud, so piercing, that it drowns out all else. It is the call of the emerald cicada, resonating at a deafening 100 decibels, powerful enough to silence even the most raucous of jungle sounds.

Close your eyes and listen. The sound begins as a faint hum, barely audible amidst the rustling leaves and distant calls of other creatures. But as it crescendos, it swells into a thunderous roar, reverberating through the forest with unyielding force.

The males are the architects of this symphony, their bodies vibrating with the effort of producing such a deafening sound. With each pulse, they emit a series of rapid clicks, each one building upon the last until it forms a continuous, pulsating rhythm.

And yet, amidst the chaos of their song, there exists a strange beauty. Picture the emerald cicada, its wings shimmering in the dappled sunlight, a mesmerizing display of iridescence against the lush greenery of the forest.

But beware, for the power of their song is not to be underestimated. To stand too close is to risk permanent hearing damage, the relentless barrage of sound threatening to overwhelm even the most resilient of eardrums.

And so, amidst the verdant expanse of Costa Rica's rainforest, the emerald cicada reigns supreme, its song echoing through the trees like a thunderous symphony of nature's own creation.

Follow us on the listening planet. www.thelisteningplanet.com

The Emerald Cicada Costa Rica

Incredible thunderstorm and heavy rain. take a look at the listening planet on Spotify or your favourite media player. Find us at www.thelisteningplanet.com
#thunder #sleep
https://www.facebook.com/thelisteningplanet

Thunderstorm

This is a sample 4channel (Double MS) recording from the new Schoeps Double MS system.
Recorded today (17th July) you can hear the difference between a good microphone system in a quiet environment compared to the  B Format microphone system of the new ST450 soundfield microphone
This is a 5 minute soundscape of a quiet environment found at Stossel creek, Washington. Taken from the info found below.


Location: stossel creek
Date: 2011-07-17
Time: 18:00
State: WA

Description: evening at stossel creek

Habitat: ponds/coniferous
VoxType: evening
Category: soundscape

Recorder: SD 788t

Mics: schoeps double MS
http://www.schoeps.de/en/products/doublems_mdms_set
Sample rate: 48k 24 bit

Microphone pattern: Double MS stereo-4 channel

Take#  1

Anthrophony: airplane/traffic/04:03 passing truck/6:37 plane/7:50 plane/14:00 plane/14:49 passing truck/16:20 plane/18:15 plane/26:30 plane/


Geophony: light rain/

Biophony: song sparrow/swainsons thrush/common yellowthroat/American robin/8:50 swainsons thrush song/10:40 unknown trill/11:04 high pitched robin calls/15:39 common yellowthroat song/25:20 Douglas squirrel/26:10 red winged blackbird chips/

Weather: overcast
Temp: 58f
Humidity: 87%
Wind: calm

GPS: 

Recordist: Martyn Stewart

Notes: inserted -30 db tone at beginning of the recording/ Mic suspension with Rycote windjammer and gitzo tripod/monitored without headphones/
www.naturesound.org
Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/pages/NaturesoundorgMartyn-Stewart/270743161947?ref=sgm


Schoeps double MS sample

See the listening planet for more info
www.thelisteningplanet.com

https://www.facebook.com/thelisteningplanet

Hurricane Milton came across Florida to Melbourne Beach at around 1:30 am on the 6th of October 2024

#hurricane
#thelisteningplanet

Hurricane Milton RAW 1:20AM 20241006

I’ve been privileged to witness some extraordinary moments in nature—scenes that leave an indelible mark on the soul.  

Recently, a talented videographer and good friend invited me to Columbia, Missouri, to help document a truly unique event: the spectacle of a red-winged blackbird roost.  

As the sun sank low on the  horizon, over two million blackbirds descended on a grassy field in a breathtaking display. Just before dusk, they began to arrive, perching in bare trees until the branches seemed to sprout black, fluttering leaves. More poured in, forming vast, shifting clouds that darkened the sky.  

By sunset, the enormous flock moved into the reed grasses below, settling in for the night. The sound was overwhelming—a deafening symphony of shrieks and trills that reverberated through the air. It was impossible not to feel awestruck.  

I’ve recorded mass bat exoduses from Texas caves, where they spiral into the night skies, but this was different. The blackbirds’ voices carried an emotional weight, raw and powerful.  

Yet, amid the wonder, I felt a growing unease. In the distance, the sharp, jarring cracks of gunfire broke through the natural symphony. It sounded as though hunters were taking aim at the birds. Though I couldn’t be certain, the timing felt deliberate—shots rang out only as the birds arrived, each night at the same time.  

The scene reminded me of the passenger pigeon, a species that once darkened the skies in unimaginable numbers but was driven to extinction through human greed and carelessness. What compels some people to destroy the beauty that nature gifts us so freely?  

I struggled to fully enjoy the experience, haunted by the thought of birds falling from the sky. This kind of senseless destruction threatens the fragile wonders we have left.  

I often hesitate to share the locations of such spectacles, fearing they could be exploited or harmed by the wrong hands. As a species, we’ve already lost so much of the natural world during my lifetime. The wonders of nature are finite; we have only one chance to protect what remains.  

And so, I leave you with the sounds of these majestic birds—a soundscape that I hope will endure as a living testament to their existence, not a memory of what once was.  

www.thelisteningplanet.com


Blackbird roost in the millions

**The Sounds of Human Progress… and Its Impact on Nature**  

You can’t deny that human activity interferes with nature—whether through habitat loss, climate change, hunting, or destruction. But how many realize that **sound** itself can disrupt the natural world?  

This is a recording of the latest SpaceX launch in Florida. I set up a microphone to capture the sonic booms, and what happened next was remarkable—alligators responded to the low frequencies, calling out in reaction.  

Does this interfere with their breeding? Their communication? Their survival?  

Who really knows. But one thing is certain: even the sounds of human progress ripple through the natural world in ways we’re only beginning to understand.

Use headphones or earbuds

MKH110 x 2 in a SASS recorded with Mixpre6.
Maritime hammock, Florida. USA

www.thelisteningplanet.com


Aligator interactions with Space-x Rocket launch.

https://thelisteningplanet.substack.com/p/launching-the-listening-planet-kids?r=3pifed&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&triedRedirect=true

Starting today a new series of podcasts from the listening planet.

Little listens_Fox_jackel_dune

How I see this crazy world these days

Here’s a thought: Earth is around 4.5 billion years old. Humans? We’ve only been around for about 140,000 years.  

To put that into perspective, imagine Earth’s entire existence compressed into a single 24-hour day. Humans would’ve shown up in the last three seconds. Just three seconds. And look what we’ve managed to do in that blink of time.

We gave ourselves the name *Homo sapiens*, meaning "wise man." But are we really wise? Sure, we’re smart. We’ve figured out how to split atoms and send machines into deep space searching for new planets. But we also used those atoms for war. And while we explore the stars, we’re destroying the one home we actually have.

That’s not wisdom. Wisdom listens. It pays attention.  

But we’ve ignored every warning sign from nature. We’ve turned a blind eye to her cries for help. Real wisdom knows that everything we do has consequences. So we shouldn’t be surprised when the weather gets more extreme, or when wildfires and droughts hit harder and more often.

Pollution is at an all-time high. We're cutting down more forests, pumping out more carbon, and wiping out species faster than ever—at a rate **1,000 times** higher than normal. That’s staggering. In the next few decades, animals we all grew up with—lions, rhinos, elephants, gorillas, polar bears—could be gone forever. All in the short time we’ve been here.

These animals survived millions of years without us. But they might not survive us. In our short time, we've turned the natural world into a factory, a conveyor belt of consumption.

We need to wake up.

Earth is a rare gem—maybe the only one like it. We’re not just one in a million. We’re one in **a billion trillion trillion**. That’s a one followed by 33 zeroes. How is that not a miracle?

We sit at the perfect distance from the sun—not too hot, not too cold. Just right. This planet gives us everything: food, shelter, medicine. Forests heal us. Oceans sustain us. It’s no accident. It’s all connected.

Every living thing, from flowers to fish, shares a thread in this web of life. We are quite literally one family.

But somewhere along the way, we forgot. And that’s the real crisis—not just climate change or pollution or industrial farming. These are symptoms. The real problem is **us**—our disconnection.

We’ve lost our relationship with the natural world. Corporations feed us distraction and division, hoping we stay asleep. But people are waking up. And many are realizing: this is not okay. This is not the legacy we want to leave.

We can’t let greed and ignorance write our story.

I believe everyone should have the right to clean water. Safe food. Fresh air. Trees to walk beneath and nature to marvel at. These aren’t luxuries. They’re basic rights.

And no politician should be deciding whether we get them.

They want us to feel small and powerless—but never forget: a butterfly flapping its wings can trigger a storm across the world. When enough of us rise together, we can change everything.

We can build a future filled with care, connection, and freedom—for people and planet alike.

But it starts with *you*. Yes, you—right now.

Time is running out.  
And only together can we make it to that **fourth second**.

3 seconds

Visit the Skagit flats in Washington State around winter time and see the spectacle that is the Snow Goose.. visit www.thelisteningplanet.com


TLP_The skagit flats

We did this podcast BEFORE we went to Scotland in January 2025. See www.thelisteningplanet.com


Life in sound_Mandy_Martyn_Scotland

The world is literally getting quieter - and not in a good way. Since 1970, we've lost nearly 70% of Earth's wildlife populations, and with them, the natural symphony that once filled our planet.

That's such a striking way to think about extinction - not just in terms of numbers, but in terms of silence. And this story about sound recordist Martyn Stewart really brings that home.

You know what fascinates me? He started recording nature's sounds when he was just 11 years old, back when the world had only 3.5 billion people. The recordings from those early days capture something we can barely imagine now - nightingales filling English evenings, wolves howling under Alaskan moons.

And now when he returns to those same locations, what used to take minutes to record can take days. It's like nature's orchestra is missing most of its musicians.

The statistics are pretty devastating. Beyond that 69% decline in wildlife, we've lost up to 75% of insects in some areas. Most people don't think about insects, but they're literally the baseline rhythm section of nature's symphony.

That makes me wonder - what exactly replaced all those natural sounds?

Well, Stewart describes it perfectly - the constant drone of traffic, the whine of development, aircraft noise slicing through skies that used to carry nothing but bird calls. We're basically drowning out nature's voice with our own noise.

The part about recording the last Kauai oo bird is heartbreaking. Imagine being there, knowing you're documenting the final notes of a species that will never sing again.

And here's what's crucial to understand - these aren't just beautiful sounds we're losing. They're vital communication networks. Birds warning about predators, frogs indicating clean water, forests sharing information about danger through sound. When we lose these voices, we're breaking down entire ecological communication systems.

That reminds me of research showing how noise pollution affects everything from bird breeding patterns to plant pollination. It's all connected.

Exactly! And Stewart makes this brilliant point about how silence in nature isn't peaceful - it's actually a warning sign. It's like walking into a usually bustling city and finding it completely empty. Something's very wrong.

The way he describes wetlands really struck me - they've been halved globally. That's not just habitat loss, it's the disappearance of entire acoustic environments.

You know what's fascinating about wetlands? They have unique acoustic properties that help animals communicate more effectively. When we drain them, we're not just destroying habitat - we're literally changing how sound travels through the landscape.

That's such an interesting perspective - thinking about ecosystems in terms of their acoustic space.

And in healthy ecosystems, different species evolve to communicate in different frequency ranges - like nature's version of radio channels. When we lose species, we're not just losing individual voices, we're disrupting this incredibly complex network.

So what hope does Stewart offer? Because this all sounds pretty bleak.

Well, he's seen firsthand how resilient nature can be. Give an ecosystem space and protection, and the sounds can return. Species can rebound. But he's clear that time is running out - we need to act while there are still enough voices left to rebuild these natural choruses.



www.thelisteningplanet.com

The State of the Planet

🌿 TUNE IN! 🌿
I’m joining the brilliant @cerysmatthews tomorrow on BBC Radio 6 Music for a special episode of her Sunday morning show.

🎧 We’ll be diving into the sounds of the natural world, stories from the field, and the beauty that lies in listening deeply.
🦉 With fellow guest @sophiepavs, we explore why nature’s voice matters now more than ever.

🗓 Broadcast: 18 May 2025
🕙 Time: 10:00 AM (UK time)
📻 BBC Radio 6 Music
🎙 Episode: “Naturally Beautiful”

Grateful to share space with Cerys and Sophie to talk about soundscapes, science, and the soul of the wild.

#MartynStewart #CerysMatthews #BBC6Music #NatureSounds #Soundscapes #WildlifeRecording #SophiePavelle #RadioInterview #NatureMatters #EcologyInSound #NaturallyBeautiful #FieldRecording #BBC See less

20250518T BBC_radio 6 Cerys Mathews with Martyn Stewart

A rufous-and-white wren with his beautiful call, long tailed manakins with others in a dry jungle.
Description: soundscape recording

Habitat: dry jungle
VoxType: midday 
Category: soundscape 

Recorder: SD 702
Mics: Sennheiser mkh 40/30
Sample rate: 48k 24 bit  
Microphone pattern: MS stereo
Take# 2
Geophony: leaf rustle/3:22 light rain/4:45 winds increase/5:50 rains/11:39 rains subside/

Biophony: rufous and white wren and song/flies/1:54 unknown birds calling each other/turquoise-browed motmot/
Weather: partly cloudy
Temp: 31c
Humidity: 68%
Wind: calm
Recordist: Martyn Stewart

Dry Jungle Nosara

I was woken up this morning at 04:00 to the sounds of 2 barred owls calling each other or competing for a mate. With bare feet and the microphone in hand, i stood in the driveway recording these amazing sounds. I filtered out some of the anthrophony. Rain, slight winds and leaf rustle is all part of this short recording.

Microphone: Telinga Stereo DAT
Recorder: Sound Devices 722
Tripod mounted with wind protection.
Sample and Bitrate: 48k 24bit
Weather: overcast/Rain
Temp: 52f
Humidity: 95%
Location: Redmond WA

Recordist:Martyn Stewart.
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/NaturesoundorgMartyn-Stewart/270743161947?ref=sgm

website: www.naturesound.org

20121014T01-barred owl

The Pademelons of queensland Australia podcast

Pademelons of Queensland Australia podcast

An adult (Sex unknown) Gerenuk calling in the morning, possibly to her/his young?
www.naturesound.org

The gerenuk, Litocranius walleri, also known as the Waller's gazelle, is a long-necked species of antelope found in dry thorn bush scrub and desert in East Africa, from Somalia, Djibouti and eastern Ethiopia through northern and eastern Kenya to northeastern Tanzania. The word gerenuk (pronounced with a hard g) comes from the Somali language, meaning "giraffe-necked". Gerenuk are sometimes also called the giraffe-necked antelope. It is the sole member of the genus Litocranius.
(Source; Wikipedia)

Microphone:Telinga DAT
Recorder:Sound devices 722
Sample/bit-rate 48k 24 bit
Tripod mounted
Recordist: Martyn Stewart

2004-06-25-Gerenuk

I am a sound recordist, specialising mainly in nature recording. I have been involved in countless TV documentaries and radio with over 150 feature films to boot. I have recorded in over 40 countries. If you were able to upload all my sounds to an iPod it would play for over 1137.5 days continuously.
Vist the website at www.thelisteningplanet.com take a look at my facebook fan-page for more details. http://tinyurl.com/6czrhqg

Martyn Stewart

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