Hancocks Bank was one of the quietest woods, I walked as I searched for a place to record and chanced upon a magnificent fallen tree - perhaps 20 meters by 1.5 meters  in size. I climbed on and listened deeply as I recorded - to faint birdsong, the distant bleating of sheep and a bug buzzing by.

Recorded on Zoom H4n Pro. 01.08.22.

Hancocks Bank

Hennersley Bank is situated under a flight path so close to Manchester Airport you can read the belly of the planes as they pass. Planes pass quickly and frequently (every 3-4 minutes during the day). In between these times the soundscape was dominated by insects in the grass and birdsong. Recorded on a hot day (high 20s) in the summer of 2022, the grass I was sat on was dry and crisp.

Recorded on Zoom H4n Pro. 03.08.22.

Hennersley Bank

Ryecroft Covert was accessed via a public footpath leading between two farms, I followed the path until I reached the wood, bordered by the busy M56 motorway. Scrambling down the bank of the brook, I found a place to record the low level stream whilst watching the sun's reflection dance on the overhung river bank. Recorded during a heatwave in the summer of 2022, one of the hottest summers on record.

Recorded on Zoom H4n Pro. 03.08.22.

Ryecroft Covert

I walked through Bollin Bank Wood, eating Blackberries at peak ripeness until I reached the Bollin Bank River, flowing at a good pace despite it being towards the end of the hottest summer on UK record. I walked down a sandy bank and sat on the pebbles by the river, watching its movement whilst recording this note.

Recorded on Zoom H4n Pro. 18.08.22.

Bollin Bank Wood

Annandale Wood is within audio distance of the busy M56, which can heard murmuring away in the background. In the foreground are rustling grasses and some birds tweeting. I observed the abundance of mole hills on the ground and contemplated the effect that construction would have on the wildlife inhabiting this land. A space popular with dog walkers, this recording includes some dog calls towards the end.

Recorded on Zoom H4n Pro. 17.08.22.

Annandale Wood

Recording Davenport Wood was both peaceful and little bit creepy! Being on my own on a weekday afternoon, sitting as still as possible so that the birds went about their business without noticing my presence. The snapping of their activity of branch collecting is clearly audible alongside some tweeting and birdsong.

Recorded on Zoom H4n Pro. 16.08.22.

Davenport Green Wood

This is a small wood situated next to a country road, you can hear traffic meandering past as a backdrop to bird song.

Recorded on Zoom H4n Pro. 19.08.22.

Birkin Bridge Lodge Wood

I climbed down to the bottom of a ravine to make this recording of a babbling brook, swollen after the first rains following a long dry spell. Punctuated by falling seeds from the trees around with little surrounding noise due to being thick within the woodland.


Recorded on Zoom H4n Pro. 22.08.22.

East Arden House Wood

Recorded during a rain shower, this recording features rain drops hitting the leaves and ground where the recorder is situated. This wood is located so close to Manchester airport that you can hear the whirr of plane engines as they gear up for takeoff. The wood smells were punctuated with wafts of petrol fumes and birds reacted to the loudness of the engines, this provoked a desire to research the effects of such pollution on birdlife - both air quality and noise.

Recorded on Zoom H4n Pro. 22.08.22.

Arden House Wood

DOMES FM is an artist-run online radio station broadcasting from the basement of Bidston Observatory (Birkenhead, UK).

This recording is a conversation on 'The Future of Listening' between artist Niki Colclough and radio host Tom Lye broadcast on 12/04/23, followed by a play of 'Movement 1'.

Movement 1 is a soundscape featuring 19 ancient woodlands currently under threat by the proposed phase 2b of the HS2 train line. Recorded in the summer of 2022.

The soundscape is intended as a deep listening track: get comfy, close your eyes and immerse yourself in the true sounds of this space. Recommended to listen through headphones for full immersion.

There are some expected and unexpected sounds on the recording, branches snapping, trees creaking, insects rattling, seeds dropping, bird song, wind rustles, dog calls and bodies of water. Many of the woodlands are situated in Cheshire and Greater Manchester area, next to farmlands, motorways and under the flight path of the Manchester airport.

https://bidstonobservatory.org/domes-fm
www.nikicolclough.com

DOMES FM 12/04/23

Spatialised soundscape composed from field recordings of 19 ancient woodlands under threat of loss. Presented in an exhibition at SHOP Preston, October 2023. 

Please listen using headphones for best sound.

Spatialised Soundscape from SHOP Preston October 2023

Artist working with nature soundscapes, currently creating a digital sound archive of the ancient woodlands threatened by the construction of HS2. See more at www.nikicolclough.com or instagram https://www.instagram.com/nikicolclough/

NIKI COLCLOUGH

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