Starting the Day with a Song, well Almost

Yesterday I was up at four in the morning, as I wanted to venture out and play with my new toys. While it is the spring and summer when the birds form an orchestra to greet the dawn, there are still birds that start the day with a song.

I wanted to choose a day where the weather was not so wet that I risked ruining the recorder, so I delayed my sojourn while one shower passed over. Therefore, instead of getting out when it was real dark it was just about the point when the first predawn light was begging to lighten the shadows. I did struggle seeing the settings on the recorder but I got it working and pointed the microphone towards the flock of blackbirds that were preparing to greet the dawn. As with trying to take photographs, it seemed that the moment I pointed the microphone their way, they disappeared or at least went silent. Not easily deterred I ventured into the wood, as I went deeper in I saw the ghostly white shape of an barn owl cross my path just fifty feet ahead of me.

I stopped and tried to record the call, but as it was away in the distance, I knew that I was unlikely to record the sounds, but as this was an experiment it was all worth trying. My destination was a particular spot in the wood where I know that the wildlife is least disturbed and where the birds do roost. Hence they have been most vocal in the past. While I was not expecting any amazing symphony I was surprised to have very bird song.

There was an isolated outburst of singing, but nothing like the dawn chorus I was hoping to find. While it was disappointing in some ways, it was a wonderfully peaceful morning.

When I got home I was able to listen back to what I had recorded and while I could hear other sounds from the environment, almost none of the birds had recorded. I did wonder if it was a problem with my equipment or something I had done. Going back carefully back through what I had done I realise I had set up the recorder incorrectly. So while I didn’t achieve what I planed to do, I learned a lot from the experience.

Well I hope for better luck next time.