Forever And Always

The last week blackbirds have moved from our gardens into the forest and little by little they have started to sing again. This one was interrupted by some refreshing spring rain.

Nåsten, Uppsala. March 9, 2025
Zoom F3 + Clippy EM272 as tree ears

The first Blackbird singing in spring rain

Waders in their thousands punctuated by Egyptian geese honking, on the lagoons behind Snettisham Beach.

Species: Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus), Red knot (Calidris canutus), Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria), Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca), Pink-footed goose (Anser brachyrhynchus)...
Location: RSPB Snettisham, Norfolk, UK.
Date and time: 19 October 2024 at 21:17
Habitat: Brackish lagoon

Gear
Zoom F3
Sennheiser MKH 8060 and MKH 30 in Mid-Side

Dusk Spectacular Egyptian Lagoons

Wind over Titchwell marshes as Storm Ashley reached the UK. It was too windy to record anything but.

Location: RSPB Titchwell, Norfolk, UK.
Date and time: 20 October 2024 at 07:07
Habitat: Marshland, coastal

Gear
Zoom F3
Sennheiser MKH 8060 and MKH 30 in Mid-Side

Wind Titchwell Storm Ashley

Fallow deer rut at Holkham Hall estate in Norfolk. It was a very windy day as Storm Ahsley made landfall in the UK. The rushing of leaves made for difficult recording conditions but the experience was made all the more dramatic for it. in this recording you can hear more the does making their characteristic bleating sound.

Species: Common Fallow Deer (Dama dama)
Location: RSPB Titchwell, Norfolk, UK.
Date and time: 20 October 2024 at 18:30
Habitat: Managed estate Forest and grassland.

Gear
Zoom F3
Parabolic dish with Sennheiser MKH 8040 and MKH 30 in Mid-Side

Fallow Deer Bark and Bleating

Fallow deer rut at Holkham Hall estate in Norfolk. It was a very windy day as Storm Ahsley made landfall in the UK. The rushing of leaves made for difficult recording conditions but the experience was made all the more dramatic for it.

Species: Common Fallow Deer (Dama dama)
Location: Holkham Hall estate, Norfolk, UK.
Date and time: 20 October 2024 at 18:47
Habitat: Managed estate woodland and grassland.

Gear
Zoom F3
Parabolic dish with Sennheiser MKH 8040 and MKH 30 in Mid-Side

Fallow Deer Rut Storm Ahsley

Goddard Park Beach, East Greenwich, RI

Wolf Howling 06/03/2025

Another dawn along the wonderful Dalälven. This time at Båtfors, -10 degrees C and no wind (but the rapids of Dalälven can be heard in the distance). Although there was no drumming from the two most common woodpeckers (Black Woodpecker and Great Spotted Woodpecker) I was lucky enough to record drumming of the three rare species: first of two drummings of White-backed Woodpecker, followed by Grey-headed Woodpecker and to finish off a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.

Båtfors, Uppland. March 14, 2025
Wildtronics stereo parabolic dish + Mixpre 3ii

Rare drum orchestra

The two greenish woodpeckers are not that keen at drumming, at least not as much as their black-white-red cousins. I have only heard Green Woodpecker drum twice during 40 years of birding but the Grey-headed Woodpecker a few more times. But this was a rare instance when the Grey-headed Woodpecker was drumming for 15 minutes only 15 m away. An unexpected bonus was that a White-backed Woodpecker also can be heard after the first two drums. 

Båtfors, Uppland. March 14, 2025.
Wildtronics stereoparabolic dish + Mixpre 3ii

Drumming Grey-headed Woodpecker

Quatre prises de sons dans un bois de chênes, entre le bourg de Séméac et l'autoroute A64, le bois de la Barthe - Four sound recordings in an oak wood, between the village of Séméac and the A64 motorway, the Barthe's wood.

Bois de la Barthe, un 13 mars 2025, quatre ambiances

I make field recordings focusing on nature in my home county Uppland, Sweden, and especially within biking distance from home.

Here are some interviews on national public radio about my recordings (sorry, only in Swedish :) )
https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/nasten-bjod-pa-smaktande-gryningskor-under-fagelsangsnatten
https://sverigesradio.se/avsnitt/nu-kommer-ugglornas-tid
https://sverigesradio.se/avsnitt/att-lyssna-med-tradoron-utter-baver-och-tjader-som-du-aldrig-hort-dem-forut
https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/staren-som-sjunger-med-trettio-arters-roster

The first Blackbird singing in spring rain

Bo Söderström

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