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In the final episode of the opening season I begin with a lovely sound magazine of random recordings made here in Sweden, with some wonderful recordings of a wide range of species for the listener's to enjoy...
I talk a little about my thoughts for the upcoming second season, with a few thoughts on the direction of the podcast in the future as well as discussing the journey of the podcast to date.
A second sound magazine deals with nocturnal migration, before a third concrening diurnal migration is presented. Both of these detail vocalizations of migrating birds in the skies over Sweden, a subject that I am deeply interested in. I hope these will be informative and of practical use for enthusiasts of birders with an interest in this area.
Finally, I finish with a wonderful, long recording of a special species, a wonderfully atmospheric recording of very high quality, which I hope listeners will enjoy.Support the show
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In this episode of Wild Bird Acoustics, I focus on the sounds on Autumn. In the initial sound magazine, I will take listener's to the coast of Västerbotten in Northern Sweden. I will share a collection of field recordings of local species, as well as passage migrants, revealing a cross section of the incredible sounds to be expected in this incredible part of the world, during the busiest period for migration of many species of bird.
The second sound magaizine will feature visible migration and the calls of migrant species as they move southwards along the coastline at Landsort, Sweden. This premier site for active migration has provided me with some wonderful audio of migrant species over the past few years and here, in the penultimate episode of my first podcast season, I take a deep dive into the sounds of those species. This is a celebration of the autumn period and I hope it will whet listeners appetite for the coming autumn, wherever your location...Support the show
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In this episode, I take listeners on an acoustic journey through Sweden's autumn landscape with a focus on wild bird acoustics. I will share audio of different bird species ranging from the Firecrest to the European Marsh Harrier, Redwing, Northern Lapwing and more, recorded at different locations like Hällögern and various site around Stockholm. I also provide a glimpse into my recording process and future plans for the podcast, including the potential for bonus episodes and updates. Additionally, I discusses bird behaviors, migratory patterns, and the unique auditory experience of birding in Northern Sweden.00:00 Introduction to Wild Bird Acoustics
01:23 Exploring the Sounds of Late Spring
01:43 The Journey to Season Two of Wild Bird Acoustics
02:11 Diving into the Late Spring Sound Magazine
02:28 The Magic of Birding in Sweden
07:07 The Excitement of Birding Up North
10:48 The Beauty of Autumn Birding
12:02 The Thrill of Birding in Stockholm City
14:32 The Joy of Birding at Dam Torp
15:17 Birding at Norrjärva Fältet
20:40 Blyth's Reed Warbler at Näsby Slot
36:40 The Future of Wild Bird Acoustics
37:18 The Enchantment of Birding in Northern Sweden
38:03 Early morning recording at Hallegern
47:29 The Allure of Birding at Västerbotten
56:05 NocMig in Northern Sweden
01:16:05 Conclusion: Call to Action
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Episode 17 of Wild Bird Acoustics see's me take listeners deep into the world of early Summer soundscapes of Sweden, comprising audio recorded in June 2022. The episode delves into carefully selected audio recorded at various locations, including Stockholm City, Snosätra, Angarn Reserve, Vallentuna, Sandemar Reserve, Landsort, Nacka Reserve, and Hällögern in Northern Sweden. I discuss bird species such as Blyth's Reed Warbler, Collared Flycatcher, Corn Crake, Great Reed Warbler, Icterine Warbler, European Nightjar, and Marsh Warbler. I also share thoughts about the equipment used for field recording, and encourage listeners to venture out at night, in order to field record night singing species. Toward the end, I introduce some fantastic binaural recordings from Halligan in Västerbotten, which I hope will be a fully immersive audio experience for listeners, with some wonderful surround sound recordings shared in the second sound magazine of the episode.
00:00 Introduction to Wild Bird Acoustics
00:38 Summer Recording experiences in 2022
02:23 Exploring the Sounds of Summer in Sweden
02:41 Mimicry; Blyth's Reed Warbler
09:23 Collared Flycatcher
12:34 Corn Crake
16:00 Great Reed Warbler
20:37 A Master Singer; Icterine Warbler
29:08 A nocturnal Nightjar Experience
35:41 Marsh Warbler at Hagby Eco Park
42:45 Binaural Recording at Hallegern
45:12 The immersive sounds of Hallegern in July
01:00:33 Hobby
01:02:18 Little Gull
01:09:39 Spotted Redshank
01:11:43 Tufted Duck
01:14:34 Conclusion and call to action
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In this episode I discuss some of the wonderful species available in Sweden during the month of June. During the midsummer period here in Sweden, some special species appear in Sweden. In 2022, I made a special effort to locate several scarce breeders and the result was some superb audio of a range of incredible songsters...
The latter half on the podcast will bring us to the Baltic coastline of Västerbotten in Northern Sweden. Here in this remote and quiet area, summer breeding species provide the focus for my field recording efforts and here I will introduce you to a wonderful location, the tiny island of Hällögern. This will serve as an introduction to an area I have spent many happy weeks exploring, as I talk you through my efforts sound recording at this picturesque and largely undisturbed part of the world. A place that remains relatively secluded and undisturbed by modern standards, it makes the perfect environment for the field recorder to work in....00:00 Introduction to Wild Bird Acoustics
01:08 The Evolution of the Podcast
01:50 Exploring the Sounds of Midsummer in Sweden
03:08 The Magic of field recording at Night
03:39 Field recordings of summer species...
13:52 An outstanding Nocturnal Mimic
36:34 The Sounds of Northern Sweden
44:17 The Use of Passive Recorders
01:05:25 The Future of Wild Bird Acoustics
01:07:14 Conclusion and Call to Action
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In this episode, I take listeners on an auditory journey through the sounds of the bird world in midsummer Sweden. The podcast depicts the vivid acoustics of several bird species in their respective habitats, specifically during the month of June when many scarce species can be unearthed on breeding territory. Summer birding emphasizes the importance of recognizing bird sounds over visibility due to lush vegetation. Here, I explore habitats like wetlands, woodlands, and even urban spaces. Bird species featuring here include Collared Flycatcher, Great Reed Warbler, Marsh Warbler, Blyth's Reed Warbler, Red-breasted Flycatcher, European Nightjar, Spotted Redshank, and Little Gull, among others. I hope the podcast successfully immerses the audience into the tranquil wilderness of Sweden through the audio presented...
Following a whistle stop tour of the areas around Stockholm, I will bring you north, to the peaceful island of Hällögern. Here, in July, I have spent hundreds of happy hours recording the soundscape in this remote and pristine landscape. It is a pleasure to record here and be able to share the sounds of Northern Sweden with you all here on Wild Bird Acoustics.Support the show
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An episode devoted entirely to the wonderful nocturnal world of bird vocalization. In the feature sound magazine, I start with an unforgettable night spent at Angarn Reserve, a recording session that was carried out completely under the cover of darkness. I visited the area in the hope of recording Spotted Crake, a well known nocturnally displaying species. This was a night that will live long in my memory as everything went according to plan. Spotted Crake were present in breathtaking numbers and their song strophes were ringing out all over the wetland. The darkness further revealed many other night singers. Join me as I talk you through an incredible night out in the field and share some quite incredible audio with you as I do so...
Staying on the nocturnal theme, late summer and early autumn will soom be upon us and this is when my mind turns towards recording migration, once again. My second segment of the episode will detail some rather nice nocturnal audio from a host of nocturnally migrating species. All of the audio here has come from my Landsort listening station, a wonderful venue to record nocturnal migrants.
Join me for this carefully edited soundbite, a wonderful introduction into the world of the night singers...00:01 Introduction to Wild Bird Acoustics
00:44 Exploring the Magic of Night Singing Birds
02:24 The advantages of Field Recording at Night
05:10 An unforgetable night at Angarn Reserve
06:07 Various recordings from the Reserve
07:22 A Nocturnal tour of Angarn Reserve
26:44 Nocmig Corner: Nocturnal Migration
28:00 Exploring the Sounds of Nocturnal Migration at Landsort
50:32 General discussion about Night Recording
52:57 Conclusion and Farewell
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In this episode of Wild Bird Acoustics, I will take listeners on an audio journey into Sweden's birdlife. The initial site for this episode is the Sandemar Reserve, located southeast of Stockholm city which is noted for its diverse range of bird species. Sit back and listen to the sounds of this wonderful venue, as I share captured sounds of various species including the Common Rosefinch, Marsh Warbler, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Common Redshank, Common Snipe, and Northern Lapwing among others. Although road noise poses a minor distraction, it is generally manageable and doesn't diminish the overall field recording experience.
A second sound magazine, comprising more recent audio from 2023, will further immerse the listener in the wonderful late Spring soundscape here in Sweden, a time when the countryside is, quite simply, alive with birds.
The episode concludes with an encouraging note to listeners to engage more with birds in the field and I hope this may encourage a few listeners to consider possibly taking up field recording as a hobby.00:00 Introduction to Wild Bird Acoustics
00:49 Exploring Sandemar Reserve in Sweden
02:36 Recording Techniques and Challenges
03:40 First Sound Magazine: Field Recording at Sandemar Reserve
24:25 Reflections on Podcasting and Sound Recording
25:02 Second Sound Magazine: Late Spring in Sweden
26:04 Future Plans and Challenges for Wild Bird Acoustics
01:02:51 Conclusion and call to action.
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In this simple episode, I have a wonderful sound magazine to share, featuring some of my favourite species. Late May is an incredible time to field record, with most species having returned to breeding territory all over Scandinavia. As a result the natural soundscape is in full flow and the natural environment is flooded with the sounds and songs of a host of wild bird species. Some of these are widespread here in Sweden, whilst others took time and patience to track down and record. At time, one has to get out of your comfort zone and get out in darkness, in order to record those elusive night singing species. The dawn chorus is quite incredible at this time of the year and there is so much to get out and listen to in a period of just a few short weeks!
The episode also features the first of many educational segments concerning diurnal migration. The VisMig Files, as they will be called, will focus on the various calls of diurnally migrating birds. In this episode, I focus on two classic autumnal migrant species and play a number of recordings of both....Support the show
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A further deep dive into the wonderful sounds of Sweden in late Spring. This is a period, during which, the landscape is filled with the sounds of returning summer migrants. It is a time of auditory wonder, as the landscape slowly fills with the sounds of prospective summer breeders.
Looking forward to the second half of the episode I have put together an introduction to VisMigging. After nature has taken it's course and the breeding season has come to an end, the stage is set for the epic Autumn migration of many bird species. Here in Sweden, the early morning skies are filled with the calls and vocalizations of migrant birds, as they make their way southwards. At many sites, the incredible spectacle of migration can be enjoyed by sitting out during the early hours, observing these birds as they pass overhead. In this sound magazine, I will take you through the basics of watching, as well as listening, for visibly migrating birds over the Autumnal period...Support the show
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In this, the tenth episode, you shall experience the diurnal and nocturnal auditory soundscape of the wonderful avian sounds of Sweden.
First up, a sound magazine concerning the incredible diurnal sounds of late Spring, as the landscape is filled with the chimes of birds, the various displays of species intent on breeding and setting up territory, here in Scandinavia. Experience the wonder of a landscape filled with bird song.
Secondly, I will return to early Spring and share the secrets of the hidden world of nocturnal migration. In the magazine you will hear the calls of migrant birds in the dead of night. These sounds are a hidden library of often long travelling species, intent on returning to the breeding grounds in order to meet future mates and reproduce, an instinct which see's our night skies filled with the calls of these avian travellers each year, a testament to the incredible resilience of nature and the inherrent drive to return to the breeding grounds, each calender year. Experience how nocturnal, automative recording opens up such a hiiden world to our often oblivious ears...Support the show
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A Wild Bird Acoustics interview with Dean Mc Donnell, an Irish birder and field recorder based in Co. Louth, Ireland. During the course of the interview, we discuss birding in the areas Dean has been recording at and he shares some wonderful audio of a wide range of species from the past few years...
00:00 Introduction to Wild Bird Acoustics
00:50 Interview with Special Guest: Dean McDonnell
01:29 Dean's Journey into Birding
02:29 Exploring Birding Habits and Techniques
08:29 The challenges of Sound Recording in Louth
09:53 The Fascination of Field Recording
11:04 Dean's Recording Equipment
12:45 Birding Locations and Habitats
39:19 Discussing the Sounds of Spring and Summer
41:04 The Intricacies of Birdsong
41:30 The song of Common Cuckoo's
42:59 Alarming birds and Sparrowhawk
45:14 The Sounds of the flood meadow and Eurasian Teal
54:24 The Unique sound of Hoverfly's!
01:12:02 The Song of the Skylark
01:18:20 Echolocation of the Soprano Pipistrelle
01:22:42 The Melody of the Song Thrush
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In this, the seventh episode of Wild Bird Acoustics, we follow my quest to record an elusive duck species, Common Pochard. My eventual aim was to field record the species remarkable courtship display, you can follow that journey in the first section of this podcast. Apart from discussing the challenges of locating and recording this elusive species, I share several other bird recordings captured during these outings, such as the amazing calls of Northern Goshawk, a displaying Little Grebe, singing Goldcrest, and Eurasian Jay mimicking other species' calls.
Following this initial section, I will take you to the Stockholm Archipelago in late autumn, on a rather special day in November, when all the stars aligned and I managed some wonderful audio of some rather special Swedish bird species....
00:20 Introduction to Wild Bird Acoustics00:35 The Quest for Common Pochard
01:22 The Challenges of locating breeding Common Pochard
03:40 The final piece of the Jigsaw; Common Pochard's Courtship Display
04:55 Another Journey to Norra Djurgarden
05:06 The Encounter with Common Pochard
06:40 Other Encounters: Coot and Little Grebe
08:43 The Successful Recording of Common Pochard
23:04 A Surprise Encounter with Northern Goshawk
31:16 The Final Recordings and Reflections
32:20 Preview of the Next Episode: Autumn in Landsort
33:20 The Field Magazine: A Day in Landsort
33:40 The Search for Spotted Nutcracker
34:24 Encounters with Bohemian Waxwing and Northern Bullfinch
47:26 Success! An audio recording of Spotted Nutcracker...
53:08 Conclusion and Call to Action
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http://blogbirder.blogspot.com/2024/02/an-interview-with-terry-townshend-wild.html?m=1
In this podcast episode, I talk with Beijing-based birder, Terry Townsend. We discuss an incredible nocturnal migration project that Terry has been heavily involved in, which has shed light on Asian bird migration over on of the most populous cities in the world. We also delve into Terry's experiences, birdwatching and recording in various locations such as Beijing, Inner Mongolia, and the Tibetan Plateau. The episode also includes playback of various of various field recordings made by Terry at these remarkable locations. We talk about Snow Leopards on the Tibetan Plateau, the rising interest in birding in China among the people who live there and so much more...00:00 Introduction to Wild Bird Acoustics
00:37 Special Guest Introduction: Terry Townsend
01:57 Interview Begins: Terry's Background and Birding Journey
04:00 Birding in China: A Growing Interest
05:13 Terry's Conservation Efforts in China
07:10 The Valley of the Cats Project: A Sustainable Eco Initiative
15:02 The Impact of the Valley of the Cats Project on Local Communities
20:47 The Nocturnal Migration Project in Beijing
32:05 The Future of Bird Conservation in China
36:42 Bird species recorded in the Nocturnal Migration Project
38:23 Discussion on Bird Calls and Frequencies
39:06 Discussing recorded audio over Beijing
40:34 Some insights into Asian nocturnal flight calls
41:04 Nocturnal Bird Migration over Beijing
41:41 Random Asian Bird Species by Sound
53:49 Diurnal Recordings from China/Mongolia and discussion
01:12:22 The Beauty of Bird Sounds in undisturbed habitat
01:14:04 Conclusion: Thoughts on the future of Bird Sound Recording
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In this episode of Wild Bird Acoustics we move into the Spring season, a time when birds are beginning to flood back into Sweden. The landscape is gradually filled with the sounds of newly returned species, which begin to set up their territories in preparation for the breeding season to come.
This episode is filled with some lovely audio for listeners, so sit back and relax and enjoy the sounds of Spring...Support the show
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In this bonus episode, I take you out to the reedbeds at the southern end of Hjälstaviken Reserve here in Sweden. This incredible site is one of the premier birding reserves in Uppland, Sweden. It offers a wide variety of species, many of which are to be found in the wonderful reedbed habitat that fringes this freshwater lake. Join me, for a day trip to the site in Late May, when many birds are actively displaying on their respective breeding territories. Experience the wonderful sounds of some rather special species at this wonderful location.
Following the early morning spring tour of Hjälstaviken's reedbeds, I answer a question from one of our listeners. During this short section, I will also go into a little detail on how to start field recording birds in the wild, with a brief audio section on what equipment can be sourced and utilized by those with an interest in putting their first steps forward into the world of sound recording...
I will then finish the episode with another section on Nocturnal migration, this time, concentrating on the sounds of Spring migration at Landsort, here in Sweden. I will run through several species recorded at Landsort Sweden over the past few years, complete with a running commentary on each of the recordings featured.00:00 Introduction to Wild Bird Acoustics
00:03 The Joys of Spring and Bird Watching
01:19 The Arrival of Willow Warbler
03:12 The Return of Wood Sandpiper
03:55 The Early Arrival of Northern Lapwing
04:44 The Sounds of Gadwall and Great Crested Grebe
05:58 The Melody of Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Wryneck
08:14 The Courtship Display of Ring Necked Pheasant
08:59 The Song of Lesser Whitethroat
12:35 A Mixed Singer: Common Chiffchaff
14:58 The Distant Call of Female Northern Eider
17:25 The Busy Woodlands and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
23:10 The Displaying Common Redshank at Sandimar Reserve
24:40 The Displaying Common Ring Plover
25:55 The Returning Tree Pipit
28:48 The Call of Male Common Redstart
30:20 Conclusion and Reflections on Field Recording
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In this, the fourth episode in the Wild Bird Acoustics opening season, I have a some wonderful audio to share with the listener's. I first take you through a random selection of my recordings, with species from several locations, over the seasons. In this sound magazine, I decided to draw from a wider range of recordings, some late in the year, in order to give an overview of what will be forthcoming in future episodes.
Following this, you will enjoy audio of one of Europe's most abundant species, Common Blackbird. Everyday species should not be ingnored by the sound recorder and can be extremely interesting to record in the field. Many of our most abundant species are extremely interesting from an auditory perspective and Common Blackbird is a fine example of this. As a species, it has inspired the poetry of leterary great, appeared in the works of popular culture and is a species most people will be familiar with. Many people will have them in their back gardens and see them daily, but how many take the time to tke a second look. Vocally, few would argue, it's song ranks highly in the avian world, as one of the most beautiful and evocative in Europe.
Lastly, I will round off the episode with a trip to Landsort, for a day out field recording on the Stockholm Archipelago in early Spring.Support the show
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The third episode here at wild bird Acoustic's, with three distinct sections for listener's interests. In the first, an older sound magazine of mine, from way back in the mists of time, will take you into the realm of early spring. This sound magazine contains some wonderful audio, taken from several locations, recorded mainly during the month of March. This is a time when resident bird species begin to become more active here in Sweden, beginning to display. The earliest migrants now begin to return and add their voices to the morning soundscape also, heralding the beginnings of a large scale arrival of migrant birds across Scandinavia...
The middle section deals with a single species, the Song Thrush. This may be one of the most underrated singers in Europe and I have made a special effort to get out and record them at quiet locations over the course of the last few years. In doing so, I have managed to obtain some high quality audio of this species in full song and this is something you can sit back and relax to. I have decided to post these longer recordings with that in mind and decided the section would be perfect for this bonus episode.
Finally, another older sound magazine, also dealing with the early spring period here in Sweden. Here you will get to listen to recording of a wide range of species, including some wonderful freshwater wetland species....Support the show
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This episode continues with the theme of winter field recording here in Sweden. Join me to experience the joys of the winter landscape here in Sweden, with two sections to enjoy from the field being published for the first time.
Finally, there will be an introduction to recording nocturnally migrating birds at night. This later introduction to NocMig recording, as it is commonly known, will prelude more content on nocturnal recording in future episodes from my two listening stations here in Sweden. Once again, join me here at Wild Bird Acoustics to listen to the wonderful world of wild bird sounds, recorded in the field here in Sweden.Support the show
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Having decided to launch the podcast on New Year's Day, it seemed only fitting it should be themed on winter field recording. Here in Sweden, the landscape is harsh and cold in the depths of winter, but for the field recorder, this can be a rewarding time to venture out into the cold. Sub zero tempertures mean that crystal clear recordings can be made, with the wonderful sounds of freezing ice, falling snow and meltwater streams adding to the ambience of the Swedish countryside. Here, you can get lost in the woodlands and enjoy the sounds of winter. Silent, natural soundscapes can be enjoyed in serene settings. Immerse yourself in the sounds on Sweden during this wonderful season with Wild Bird Acoustic's....
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