During a severe wind storm, I revisited the yellow popular from this winter storm recording: https://soundcloud.com/acousticnature/tree-creaks-inside-an-oak

This time, I stuck a pair of EM272 microphones inside the tree cavity instead of putting my SASS in front of the opening. I mainly did this to protect the mics from the heavy rains that came during the night. 

I was really amazed at how well the tree insulated the mics from the outer world's sounds. Even the torrential downpour we received sounded like a gentle drizzle. 

When I popped the SD card into my computer the next morning, I was surprised that the popular made less noise than the previous recording, despite the increased wind speeds. 

I think this may have been due to 2 things: the warmer weather and deeper cracking along the the main trunk. I believe both these factors gave the tree more "wiggle-room" and caused less direct rubbing.

This recording is a compilation of 27 interesting clips throughout the night ranging in length from 3-111 seconds. 

Thanks for reading and listening ♫

Tree Creaks Compilation | 50mph Gusts

The European fire-bellied toad is, in fact, a frog. (No fire, either.) However, this is more than compensated by its satisfyingly fun-to-say Latin name: Bombina bombina. They also produce antimicrobial peptides in their skin secretions – the even more fun-to-say ‘bombinins’. 

Native to eastern mainland Europe – recorded here in the protected land of Poland’s Barycz Valley Landscape Park – they use their internal vocal sacs to produce their “whoop” call: the mournful, slow-motion honk immortalized here. Imagine the sound that clowns might make when they cry and you won’t be far off.

Bombina bombina mysterious call

Sample from the 83 minute album "Borneo: Night Symphony".

Dreamy nocturnal soundscape from Borneo's rainforest featuring the unique calls of Bornean Treehole Frogs.

Full album available for download from wildambience.com/albums/borneo-night-symphony/

Borneo: Night Symphony

Borneo: Night Symphony - Album Sample

At the crossroads of day and night, diurnal birds meet nocturnal animals for a precious hour. Thus the black-crowned night herons, doves, ducks meet the roar of the deer, the fleeting bats and the tawny owl, in a unique and precious soundscape in the heart of the forest of Orléans, the biggest forest in France

Crépuscule Automnal À L'étang Du Ravoir (Automn Nightfall At Ravoir's Pound)

This spring has been extraordinary in Estonia. Very warm, even hot. Plants and insects are sometimes weeks ahead of their normal life cycle. 
During the last days of June green bushcrickets started to sing en masse. Usually I experience this kind of massive bushcricket chorus in the end of July.

Other singers in the recording: corn crake and common quail
30.06.2024
Peebu, Estonia

Summer too early

Midwife Toads Dusk Chorus

 A marsh warbler had established its territory in my garden. I set up microphone and recorder near its regular singing spot and left it recording overnight. Around 2 AM a pair of tawny owls showed up and one of them started calling in the oak tree right next to the recorder. Corn crake and thrush nightingale are also calling and singing in background. 16.06.2025, Peebu village, South Estonia.

Early morning surprise quartet

During the winter and summer,the megaphones of frogs - Rana guentheri and Polypedates braueri are the ones that people always complain about. For some people, there are heavenly music; however, for others, they are noise. When I come to Menghuan Lake, I love to hear the sounds of all kinds of frog.  I have recorded many different kind of frogs in the world. But I know, the symphony of frogs here is awesome, and only exists in Taiwan.

Listening by the pond(Menghuan lake) in Yaminshan National Park

Moor Frogs (Rana arvalis), some Common Frogs (Rana temporaria) and Common Toads (Bufo bufo) are singing in spring evening. Robins and Blackbirds accompany them. Padakõrve, Estonia. 20. April 2019.
Pair of MKH8020 in DIY SASS box, Zoom F8.

Loodushelid

Spring frog chorus. 20. April 2019

_-__ (Work in progress)

Full Story + Photos: https://acousticnature.com/journal/field-recording-trip-vermont-ice-storm 

I recorded this soundscape at my friend's cabin in Vermont near the Green Mountain National Forest. The forest was covered in a thick layer of ice from a recent freezing rain storm. 

While I was chopping wood, I noticed the sound of ice crystals falling to the forest floor and shattering. The sound was constant and gusts of wind caused larger crystals to fall. 

As soon as I became aware of this subtle sound, I knew I had to record it. Because I didn't know how much battery life I would get in the frigid temps (15°F), I waited until 11pm to setup my recording gear. I did this to maximize my chance at a noise-pollution-free recording hoping that most people would be asleep.

To setup the recording I wanted to bungee cord my binaural microphone to a tree, but it was too difficult and too cold to have the patience necessary to get it right. Instead, I simply put the microphone on top of a snow bank facing the forest and the D100 in a dry bag next to it.

I was shocked to find the D100 still recording when I returned at 7:26am.

In total, I recorded for 8hr 22min and ended up with 23min of usable audio (≈4.6%). In post-production, I added a lo-cut filter at 180Hz, 12dB/octave to remove some low-frequency wind rumbling, and increased the loudness slightly to -30LKFS. 

Recorder: D100
Mics: DIY Binaural Housing
Sensitivity: 4
Lo-cut: OFF
Time: 11:04pm
Wind Protection: 2 Winter Hats

To learn more about me, my gear, or field recording in general, please visit my website at www.acousticnature.com

Thank you for reading and listening. ♫
-Jared

_-__ (Work in progress)

Nikhil Narendra