A Days Walking in the Hills North of Innerleithen Scottish Borders Summer 2024

A lone Golden Plover vocalises near the southwestern top of Windlestraw Law. 

 7th July 2024. 

EM272 pair + Sony A10

Windlestraw Law

Soundwalkscapes December (short excerpt)

Volume 2 of Soundwalkscapes (July to December) will be released as CD/DL next year on Flaming Pines label! 
The first CD/ DL -January to June- is available at flaming pines.bandcamp.com
My rule was to take a walk on the first Monday of every month in 2023, wherever I happened to be. In December I walked along the Central Park NY bridleway, through tunnels, singing as I went.
voice/walking/field recordingVocal/experimentalViv Corringham/New York/Central Park/ambient/drone


Soundwalkscapes: December (excerpt)

An excerpt from an unattended evening-to-dawn recording: here, Glossy Black Cockatoos are departing a forest at dawn, at the western end of Kangaroo Island.

The Glossy Black Cockatoo of Kangaroo Island is a unique subspecies (Calyptorhynchus lathami halmaturinus), which is listed as endangered in South Australia, and as a species of concern on Kangaroo Island itself. It is one of 16 bird species endemic to the island.

The Glossy Black originally also inhabited the southernmost coastal region of South Australia, but due to invasive and extensive land clearing for sheep and cattle, forests of Sheoak were demolished. The Glossy Black Cockatoo feeds exclusively on the seeds in the cones of Sheoak trees (Casuarina and Allocasuarina). Hence, for refuge and survival, the Glossy Blacks retreated to Kangaroo Island, where large stands of Sheoak still remained intact. The Glossy Blacks disappeared entirely from the mainland.

During the unnaturally intense bushfires of the 'Black Summer' of 2019-2020, vast areas of natural bushland, mainly at the western end of the island, were severely damaged. The stands of Sheoak that the Glossy Blacks depended upon for food and nesting were obliterated. Unlike eucalypts, which can resprout, Sheoaks must grow again from seed, and it may take ten or more years for new seed-bearing Sheoak forests to re-establish themselves. The Glossy Blacks have now retreated to the east end of the island, untouched by the bushfires, where stands of Sheoak remain. However, the eastern end of the island is much more heavily populated by people than the western end, which comprises large areas of national parks, conservation parks, and wilderness protection areas.

While it is currently relatively easy to catch sight of Glossy Blacks at the busy and noisy eastern end of the island, it is not so easy to see them, let alone to record them, at the western end of the island, a mere five years after the bushfire. I had no intention to seek them out in the eastern end, in the midst of human busyness and noise.

Surprisingly, this recording was made in a forest at the western end of the island. Just one quite unexpected Glossy Black arrived in the early evening; and, without knowing exactly where the Glossy Black had gone, I set up my recording gear near to its incoming flight path for an overnight to dawn recording. Several more must have also arrived during the evening. They departed again, at dawn.

Track photograph credit: with much gratitude to Michael Jury, photograph taken on 7th March 2023 at 10:21 am on Kangaroo Island (slightly modified). (https://www.mykelphotography.com.au/latest-trips-and-location-copy-1)

2025.04.10 Dawn with Glossy Black Cockatoos. Kangaroo Island. Autumn.

Common Goldeneye on a noisy Saturday night next to a pond. Didn't see the birds - fascinating species who also make sounds with their wings that sounds like "ripping silk" 

Common Goldeneye

Buy Wind Whistles

AMB89 Wind Whistle, Drones, & Creaks

Buy Polar Footsteps

SD40 Polar Footsteps

I heard this Greater Spotted woodpecker everyday whilst walking to the shop or just generally around and kept meaning to record it. The tree it was drumming on and a really interesting tone to it and hadn't really heard anything before so I sat on a bench under the tree, which was next to a Childs play park and sat and recorded/listen to it for a bit longer. 

Greater Spotted Woodpecker drumming next to a children's playground

2025-05-21 swallows, Nedd, Scotland. 45sec edit

A group of long eared owls, (3 chicks) calling from trees surrounding a children's playground. Recorded with Reynolds ambisonic mic into Zoom F8. 

Long Eared Owls in the City Park

On 18th of February 2012 Kaiku met at the Hailuoto moose hunters hut called koppakota. 11 adults sitting around a fire. We went to listen a quite strong wind outside in total silence and then imitated the heard.

More: http://haiart.net/read.php?id=7117701
Contact: kaiku@poemproducer.com


Wind & Fire (Koppakota, moose hunters hut)

29th Dec 2012 Kaiku gives an attempt to interpret the principles of  'Elemental' by Eliane Radigues (contains earth, water, air, fire, ether)

Kaiku Meeting @ Metsästysseuran maja
December 28 2012 18:00



Kaiku inspired by 'Elemental' by Eliane Radigue

walking listening making sounds
https://immaterialmountain.bandcamp.com
https://simonopit.bandcamp.com

Windlestraw Law

Simon Opit

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