Small underwater critter (unseen) recorded with hydrophone to Olympus LS10, in about one foot of water in a running stream, stony bottom, Capertee Valley, NSW, 14th August 2010. This sound was heard all along the stream when using the hydrophone, but this was the closest recording I got. Can anyone suggest what sort of critter this might be?


UNDERWATER CRITTER 140810

Golden Twanger, Diemeniana euronotiana, recorded above 1000 metres altitude in grass tussocks above the old mine at Sunny Corner, NSW, 3rd December 2014, on a hot sunny day.  Olympus LS10 recorder, electret mics.

GOLDEN TWANGER CICADA, SUNNY CORNER, NSW, 3 DEC 2014

Might be Cicadetta sp?  This small cicada was about 2 cm in length, lots of them in grass tussocks above the old mine at Sunny Corner, NSW, above 1000 metres ASL.  Calling at midday on a hot day, 3rd December 2014.  They were very wary and hard to approach.

SMALL GREY CICADA SC 031214

A male Superb Lyrebird giving mimicry and territorial song, recorded by me at Mt. Airly in NSW, Australia, 30th May, 1995.  This is a 3 minute extract from a sequence that lasted for over half an hour.  Equipment used, Sony TCD D10 DAT recorder, Sennheiser ME67 gun mic.


Superb Lyrebird

Comparison: SASS-Lite with 2 EM172 mics per channel, vs. Foam Binaural Head (pictured) with single EM172 capsule set in each ear canal (silicone ears, closed cell foam head).  The ears gave a much stronger signal than the boundary effect of the SASS-Lite.  FLAC file, download about 7 MB, 1 minute length.  SASS-Lite is first.

SASSLITE vs FOAM BINAURAL HEAD

quiet ambience with small birds and wing beats, recorded with SD702 and 2 x Sennheiser 8020 mics in foam 'Olson Wing', 1st September 2011.  Volume was set at 57 on SD.  No EQ or filtering.

190.AMBIENCE.010911

pair of Noisy Friarbirds calling and chasing one another in big old angophera trees, recorded with SD702 and Sennheiser 8020 mics x 2 in foam 'Olson Wing', recording level set at 57.  No EQ or filtering.

197.NOISY FRIARBIRDS.010911

intermittent static occurred whilst using the Sennheiser 8020s, here is a short sample in FLAC format, the noise in this case is on left hand side, but I had problems with intermittent static in both mics.  Recorded 1 September 2011, to SD702 recorder, volume set at 57.  Conditions cool to mild, about 15 degrees C, dry.

204.LHS STATIC SAMPLE 010911

Sample of loud fizzing noise from a pair of Sennheiser MKH 8020s, recorded outdoors 16 September, 2011, around 7 a.m, cool to mild about 10-15 C, no wind, low humidity.  I had similar problems with an earlier set of 8020s which were replaced, but as you can hear the problem persists!  (There is a one second gap between the two samples.)
Recorded on Sound Devices 702.



T285.T287.FIZZING.8020s

In 2008 I had a problem with a new Sennheiser MKH20 mic, I sent it back for repair under warranty and they 'replaced a capacitor'.  This is what the faulty capacitor problem sounded like.  (I've not had any problems since the repair job).  Mics were running from Sound Devices 702 recorder.

MKH20.NOISE.2008.NEEDED CAPACITOR

Comparison of 3 different rigs, pre-dawn, 17th October 2011, using MKH20 mics.  The sounds are NOT simultaneous, but they are consecutive.  Each sequence runs for about 30 seconds.  Can you pick which is which?  I've used the MKH20s open and angled outwards 75 degrees, also in a Powys temporary angled wing rig, and also in an Olson Wing with parallel sides.  The last sequence is the 20s open, but can you pick which is which for the first 2 clips? 

1-2-3

Chirruping and chattering of a flock and individual Budgerigars that were nesting in tree hollows near Gosse's Bluff in Central Australia.  Recorded with Sony TCD D10 DAT recorder and Sony ECM-MS5 one point stereo mic.  8th September, 1993, middle of the day.  Slight breeze and lots of bird activity after recent rain.


BUDGIES NR. GOSSES BLUFF.NT

Chattering calls and wing beats from a flock of about 50 Budgerigars that had come to drink at the edge of the river.They were nervous and flighty.Also heard are Peaceful Doves (coo-li-coo calls), and Grey Shrike-thrush (melodious whistles).Recorded at the Gregory River, Gregory Downs Station, Queensland, Australia, 21 July 1993, 8 a.m.This is a beautiful freshwater river lined with pandanus and paperbark trees.  Sony TCDD10 DAT recorder, Sony ECM-MS5 one point stereo mic.



BUDGIES.GREGORY RIVER.Q

Chirruping calls from a small flock of Cockatiels drinking at the water's edge.  Location: Bullita Camp, East Baines River, Gregory National Park, Northern Territory, Australia.  There was a sandy riverbed with freshwater pools surrounded by tropical vegetation.  Sony TCD D10 DAT recorder, Sony ECM-MS5 one point stereo microphone.  27 August 1993, 9 a.m., hot and humid.

COCKATIELS.E.BAINES RIVER.NT

This track was recorded in Borneo by Marc Anderson, and tweaked by me. Marc had asked for input on how he might do some basic editing to lessen the insect noise and bring up some of the birds e.g. doves.
Here is my attempt Marc. Using apEQ (now known as apQualizer) by apulSoft, used via Peak on a Mac.
I am no expert but this sample using simple EQ might give you some ideas.
See Marc's page on Soundcloud for his original recording.

Kubah Sample 1 copy 1

Distress call of a Green Tree Frog, calling from the cavity of a brick wall while it was being attacked by a house mouse, Capertee Valley, NSW. 3rd March 2011, 8.04 pm.  During last summer I often heard this call around my house and it was a long time before I worked out what it was, and that the mice (during a mouse plague) were eating the frogs alive.  After the first sequence are three more calls that Tom Tarrant of Birding-aus recorded as 'mystery calls' and thought they could be an owl.  I think Tom's mystery calls are the distress calls of a Green Tree Frog.

GTFROG.LS4903.030311.8.04PM +++

Here I am trying to show that a mystery call from Tom Tarrants really is the distress call of a Green Tree Frog.  Peter Shute suggested that the harmonic structure of the mystery call was all above 4 kHz, but I found that a close inspection of a sonogram shows the harmonics extend to lower frequencies also.  The number of pulses per second is similar.  Given that my example call was recorded close up, and that Tom's call was recorded in the distance and has a lot of reverb, and given that the distress call can be variable in length, pitch and speed of delivery, I feel certain that Tom's recording is of a Green Tree Frog.
In this recording, the calls are played first at half speed, then at normal speed.
I used Izotope RX broad band noise reduction on Tom's recording. 



VP682 GTFROG DISTRESS V. MYSTERY CALL TT98

I compared a stereo pair of MKH 8020s in DIY SASS rig with four inexpensive electret capsules Primo EM172, mounted in another DIY SASS. These simultaneous recordings made pre dawn on 18th December, 2011, show that the 8020s have less noise and that the EM172s are brighter.  Birds heard are Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Noisy Friarbird, White-throated Nightjar, Yellow Thornbills, Bronzewing Pigeon, Kookaburra, and a wallaby hopping past.



MKH 8020s v EM172s

This recording compares two SASS rigs, using two different pairs of mics, Sennheiser MKH 8020s and Sennheiser MKH20 mics.  There are two consecutive recordings where crickets are trilling constantly.  The mics were running to a Sound Devices recorder.  The 8020s had less noise.

MKH 8020s v MKH 20s

I compared a stereo pair of MKH 8020s mounted in a DIY foam SASS, with a pair of Audio Technica AT 4022s mounted in a Crown SASS.  These are consecutive recordings (rather than simultaneous), it was early dawn on Xmas morning, rigs were set up on my front verandah.  By ear I cannot pick the difference between the two rigs, but a sound spectrograph shows that the 8020s are a little noisier.  Both rigs alternately ran to a Sound Devices 702 recorder, I added 3 db to the 4022s in post, to match the levels.

SASS RIGS COMPARED: MKH 8020s v AT 4022s

MKH 8020s in DIY foam SASS running to Sound Devices 702, versus Audio Technica 4022s mounted in a foam Olson Wing, running to a Denecke phantom power unit and an Olympus LS10 recorder.  Even running to the LS10, the 4022s are a bit quieter, but they do lack some of the lower frequencies, and the stereo image is not quite as precise.

MKH 8020s SASS v AT 4022s Olson Wing

Gentle sounds heard pre-dawn on a summer's morning in dry woodland habitat of NSW Australia.  Yellow-faced Honeyeaters predominate, also heard are Superb Fairywrens, Noisy Friarbirds, Laughing Kookaburras, Eastern Yellow Robin, Rufous Whistlers, distant Barking Owl, a wallaby hopping past, plus some crickets chirping.  Recorded with two Audio Technica 4022 mics mounted in a home-built closed-cell foam SASS for binaural-like effect.  Sound Devices 702, no filtering or EQ.

YELLOW-FACED HONEYEATER DAWN 080112

A small group of tiny Yellow Thornbills came to a birdbath, they are giving typical 'chid-id' and 'chippy-chid' calls.  Recorded with Audio Technica 4022 mics in a home-built closed-cell foam SASS, and and Sound Devices 702 recorder.  
date: 8 January 2012
time: 8.50 am daylight saving time
place: Capertee Valley, NSW
weather: mild-warm, sunny
other species: flies, cicadas, Australian Raven, Rufous Whistler 

782 YELLOW THORNBILLS

Three species of frogs were all calling together, then all stopping together, on a moonlit night after rain, at a puddle of water in dry woodland habitat, Capertee Valley, NSW, Australia.  First you hear Eastern Brown Froglet Crinia signifera with its persistent 'crik-crik-crik', then some Ornate Burrowing Frogs Limnodynastes ornatus join in with intermittent 'unk' calls.  Then Green Tree Frogs Litoria caerulea, with 'crawk-crawk-crawk'.   23 degrees C, 60% humidity, 4 Feb 2012, 3/4 moon, part overcast, 10:45 pm DST. SD702 recorder, 2 x MKH 8020 mics in DIY SASS rig.

798. ORNATE BURROWING FROG

A roll of thunder growls directly overhead, recorded with two Audio Technica 4022s mounted in a DIY closed-cell foam SASS to a Sound Devices 702 recorder, 20 January 2012 in Capertee Valley, NSW, Australia.  The storm veered away to the east fortunately, as it was soon to dump lots of hail.  Small cicadas are buzzing, a few birds are chirping, it was warm and humid and a wet summer generally.

787 THUNDER.4022s.SASS.200112

Distant thunder rolls in the background while cicadas make a racket in the summer sunshine.  Redeyes (Psaltoda moerens) give buzzing & yodelling calls and Southern Black Squeakers (Pauropsalta encaustica sp.) give persistent dee-dee-dit calls.  The storms later brought heavy hail to areas 60 km to the south.
Capertee Valley, NSW, Australia, 13 February 2012, 3.54 pm, 27 degrees C, 26% humidity, dry woodland habitat.  MKH8020s in DIY SASS to Sound Devices 702 recorder, volume 57.2.

834 CICADAS & THUNDER 130212

The deafening roar of massed Black Prince cicadas (Psaltoda plaga) in their creekside habitat, Capertee Valley, NSW, Australia. Recorded with Olympus LS10 and Telinga clip-on mics, headworn.  30 degrees C, sunny, humid after rain.  19 February 2012, 11.37 a.m.  Not pleasant to listen to but an interesting record of my local summer soundscape.

BLACK PRINCE CICADAS 190212

More thunder!  Lots of storms here this summer.  Recorded using MKH 8020s in DIY closed-cell foam SASS, to a Sound Devices 702, volume 30, increased in post by 15 dB.  Yellow-rumped Thornbills and Eastern Yellow Robins are calling.  Capertee Valley, NSW, Australia.  22 degrees C.  February 17, 2012, 2.15 pm.

846 THUNDER 8020s SASS 170212

A comparison of SSM and SassLite, both using twin pairs of Primo EM172 capsules per channel.  Both units weigh the same.  One is commercially produced, the other is home-made.  Not much in it really.  The SSM image is more centred than the SASS which has a wider image.  Rigs are set up one metre apart, 6th September 2012, early morning near a dam in NSW, Australia.  Noisy Friarbirds are calling in the distance to the left and a pair if Australasian Little Grebe call occasionally near the centre.  Both rigs are running to Olympus LS10 recorders, levels set at Low 10, no low cut.  No filtering.

TELINGA SOUNDSCAPE MIC (SSM) VS SASSLITE

Recorded at 100 metres with my SASS Lite (using two pairs of EM172 capsules) to an Olympus LS10 recorder, settings of low sensitivity, recording volume 10.  Does anyone know how I can estimate the decibel output (noise level) of this bike, from this recording?

2-STROKE MOTORBIKE 4.19PM 230912

For comparison with the motorbike track, here is my Suzuki 4WD car revving then sounding the horn, recorded at 100 metres (same distance and location as the 2-stroke bike on previous recording), Olympus LS10, low sensitivity volume 10, no low cut, calm conditions.  SASS Lite mic rig is the same as for bikes, has 2 pairs of EM172 capsules.  After the car is a short sequence of 'silence' same location. 

SUZUKI CAR HORN AT 100 METRES 270912

Pobblebonk frogs and Fantailed Cuckoos at creek, recorded with Olympus LS10, low sense, volume 10. with DIY SASS 'Sass-Lite-Narrow' and twin PIP mic capsules.

Vicki Powys

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