Name: International Dawn Chorus Day 2020 - Blackbird by Tom Williams
Duration: 5 min 30 s
Description: Recorded in my garden on the edge of Dartmoor National Park, at dawn on the 3rd of May 2020. A Blackbird (Turdus merula) flies in, spends several minutes singing just a few feet from the microphones, and then departs.

Recorded at Seagull Lake, Boundary Waters Canoe Area, 9:30AM July 8, 2013.
Audio-Technica AT3032 mics in Variable (medium) Boundary Array. Tascam DR-680, 16bit/48khz, low cut/limiter- off.

Conditions (Grand Marais Airport, ~50 mi. SE) 57 deg. F, wind 0 kts. It felt more like 65.

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=48.144818,-90.930742&hl=enll=48.144814,-90.930748&spn=0.008476,0.01929&sll=48.144818,-90.930742&sspn=0.004238,0.009645&t=h&z=16&iwloc=near

Song Sparrow and Ravens

Couldn't resist to whip out the recording gear when a few Coal Tits decided to sing whilst the sun was out, despite the fact that it was -4c high up in the mountains. This trip was more for research than recording so didn't get to record much or spend time chasing those silent moments so had to get a quick recording before I got back into the car. Shame about the overhead plane yet again and the distant traffic but it was nice to hear some bird song in the winter from something other than a Robin :) 

Gear: Sound Devices Mixpre 6 ii / Schoep  CCM 4 inside Telinga Dish + Schoeps CCM 2 Stereo Pair

Gavin Vella

Coal Tit - MixPre - 6091

Whilst I would take away any bird from the dawn chorus, it especially wouldn't be the same in the Uk without that low warmth from the Blackbird. It's so comforting to hear the first Blackbirds of the year singing, and then followed soon after by that classic alarm call at dawn and dusk, giving you a reminder that there is now nests involved and they're getting extra protective over predators.

Gear: Sound Devices MixPre 6 ii - Schoeps CCM 4 / Telinga Dish / Schoeps Stereo Mk 2's

Blackbird Song March 23 - MixPre - 6228

There's something about this special time of year that brings the geek out of me. Hearing woodpeckers hammering away different woody tones, to me just paints way more than a picture every could. 

Gear: Sound Devices MixPre 6 ii / Telinga Dish / Schoeps CCM 4 + Stereo Mk 2's

Great Spotted Woodpeckers At Dawn - MixPre - 6237

There's something absolutely special about this little birds song that I never want to lose in our countryside. We need more habitat for this species in my area! Farmers stop cutting gorse down! work around this iconic shrub as it's vitally important for so many specialist birds, reptiles and insects. 

Gear: Sound Devices MixPre 6 ii / Telinga Dish / Schoeps CCM 4 + Stereo Mk 2's

Yellowhammer Song March 23 - MixPre - 62471

Another species that just seems to have another level of high frequencies to cut thru the thick scrub in which it spends most of its time. They do however like to sing from the top every now and again, which is a perfect opportunity to get pics and a recording. They do however do a little flight song display between each phrase but I had this setup on a mono pod so couldn't really keep following the action very well.

Sedge Warbler - MixPre - 6628

This starts off low so don't turn it up!
On my way to Wellington I stopped in overnight at Pureora and recorded the sounds of the forest from the 12m high tower. I'm not very good with heights so found it a bit of a mission to climb.. Once again, the calmness of the forest made recording  a challenge as the loudest Kaka calls were only around 35dBSPL and that is very quiet!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_pressure
http://tinyurl.com/pureora-forest-info

more

Pureora Forest Tower June 2014

29 June, 2016, ~17:45 CDT
N48 04.511 W90 17.411

16 bit, 48 kHz
Lightweight Modular Partially Baffled Boundary Array
Audio-Technica AT3032 Omni Condenser Mics
Sound Devices MP-2 preamp w/limiter
Olympus LS-11 recorder
Post-processing: iZotope RX5 De-Clip, gain adjustment


160629 Caribou Lake Thunderstorm Approach

As well as the classic trill song of a nuthatch, which shows quite wide variation in its tempo, they also have whistle songs. In this recording there's an example of a Northumberland bird giving the more usual type (rising pitch), followed by a Wyre Forest bird with a more uncommon type (descending pitch). Classic sounds of late-winter and early-spring woodland (southern UK and Europe).

Nuthatch Whistle - Songs

Morning at the north end of Red Rock Lake in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. An everyday, yet dramatic moment in the BW: Eagle scores breakfast, everybody gets a little uptight for a few minutes.
On top of a 25-ft bluff, overlooking an L-shaped inlet. The eagle was perched on the opposite shore of the bay.
2 foam-nosed partially-baffled boundary arrays spaced 40 feet apart, w/ Audio-Technica AT3032 &  AT4022 microphones, recorded to Tascam DR-680, 48/16.
Ravens, Common Loon, Bald Eagle, Blue Jay, Red Squirrel, Red-breasted Nuthatch, more species IDs to follow.

Morning, Red Rock Lake 100803

Recorded in my garden on the edge of Dartmoor National Park, at dawn on the 3rd of May 2020. A Blackbird (Turdus merula) flies in, spends several minutes singing just a few feet from the microphones, and then departs.

International Dawn Chorus Day 2020 - Blackbird

Tom Williams

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