Humpback Whales recorded off Maha`ulepu, SE Kaua`i in March 2011. At least 3
animals singing and uttering elements of their Hawai`i dialect. 
Technique--Aquarian Audio H2a-XLR hydrophones, each weighted to prevent
surfacing, suspended bow and stern from a two-man kayak. A drogue (or drag, an
empty bucket hanging from stern) keeps the craft aligned with current and wind
to maintain a stereo image. Still got more surface sound than I want, maybe I'll
raise the rudder next time.



Humpbacks off Kaua`i March 2011

The sound of Kawaikoi Stream in the Alakai, after a big rain. The Photo, of course, is of a different time, as this was too rainy to record

Kawaikoi Stream at Flood

Thunder rolling through Waimea Canyon

at the Mauna Kea Adz Quarry high on the mountain, rocks are precariously balanced in situ, requiring the slightest nudge to cause them to oscillate--this is a compilation of several such recordings. Photo is of the cave shelter used by the Ancients

Original Rock Music

On one of many Alaka`i perennial streams, an `Apapane sings.

Alaka`i `Apapane

These sounds are of trees in Koke`e, rubbing together in their upper reaches, in strong, gusty wind. To get closer to the source of these sounds, it was necessary to raise the microphones ~60 feet into the tree.

Touching Trees

`I`iwi shrieks a piercing contact call in Waikamoi Preserve, Maui. The photo depicts this sound in spectrographic view (frequency over time), with overtones beyond human hearing.

Iiwi Shriek Maui.WAV

Dawn Chorus December in remote Hanawi, windward Haleakala. Birds include Kiwikiu, `Akohekohe, `Alauahio, `Amakihi, `I`iwi, `Apapane

Hanawi Dawn

`Apapane, voice of the forest, declaims from a high perch. In an effort to "close-mic" the bird for a stronger signal/noise ratio, the mics were suspended 50 feet up in the tree.

`Apapane sings

Echoes in the Folding Cliffs, Kaua`i

Here are side-by-side recordings of `Akeke`e (phrases 1-3)and`Akikiki (phrases 4-7), two endemic forest birds of Kaua`i.  The spectrographic view shown(frequency over time) further reveals why these birds can be difficult to study in the field. The `Akikiki song is considered "typical", but the `Akeke`e song is not.

david@soundshawaiian.com

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