The bird song is already becoming more quiet as most birds are taking care of their nestlings this time of year. Even the Song Thrushes are quiet but they will start again in a few weeks' time when starting their second breeding period of the year. This droprig recording is from a small pond in the forest, 3 to 4AM. You will hear the forest birds waking up and Common Teal, Mallard and Green Sandpipers taking a morning sip in the pond. Högbyhatt, Uppsala. May 24, 2023.

Stillness at a forest pond

From dusk to dawn with two pairs of cranes and one or two single male contenders. In this recording you will hear almost infrasound (80-200 Hz) growls and heavy panting as the males chase each other in the wetland and of course the trumpeting of cranes through the night. An amazing experience to be this close. Huddunge, Uppsala. April 9, 2024.

Mixpre 3ii + Lewitt 440 Pure in ortf

Cranes like you never heard them before!

Seven males black grouse were present on their lekking ground this morning but since no female was there, they only played for 20 minutes around 5AM and then 10 minutes around 8AM. This recording was "destroyed" by a redwing in the end that sang straight into the microphones! Huddunge, Uppland. April 9, 2024.

Mixpre 3ii + Lewitt 440 pure in ortf

Black grouse lek interrupted

This is quite a rare recording where the infrasound of the lekking male capercaillie is clearly audible. This infrasound is thought to be an indication of male quality and the two bands of 35 Hz and 55 Hz probably travel much longer in the forest than the rest of lek. When males utter their infrasounds just after the "plop" they go temporarily blind so it must be quite exhausting to produce. The males go directly under my microphone and the "crisp" sounds are from dry reindeer moss.

Skogstibble. April 21, 2023.

Mixpre 3ii + AudioTechnica BP4025

Infrasound in lekking capercaillie

I make field recordings focusing on nature in my home county Uppland, Sweden.

Black grouse lek interrupted

Bo Söderström - Swedish soundscapes

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