Sounds of Nature

Yesterday I finally got my hands on my new toy. I am planing on creating a podcast, and I really want to record some of the sounds of the wildlife that I hear. As my regular reader will know, after getting the recording equipment I ventured out but the results were a little disappointing. What I needed I finally got yesterday, a parabolic microphone.

I had to order this as they are not available off the shelf, at least not in the UK, or at least locally. So I have been waiting for this. Its by no meaning of the term the best available, but it was what I could afford. However, when I went to collect it the cable that I also needed, to connect to the recorder, was out of stock. Therefore I was pleased and disappointed.

However armed with the device I could use it to listen to wildlife sounds even if I couldn't record them, so I experimented. What was a real revelation was just how much the sounds sounds of the birds jump out. As the dish of the parabola focus the sounds, it enables me to see by sound birds and animals that are hidden from view. At the very least I can see myself using it to search for birds, as using this, enabled me to see birds that I may not have spotted otherwise.

Although it was testing it out at night that really amazed me. When I am out I do try to be light of foot and keep my ears open. Yet using this as an aid was magical. I found that I was able to track a fox for over a mile, she was probably thinking I shake this hippy off soon. I had to give up as I was close to getting lost. Well actually I was lost...

Also I heard an owl and was quickly able to locate the bird, something I would not have been able to do without hearing the soft noises of movement.

But it was today after getting the interconector needed that really had me having some fun. I went out with no specific location in mind but with the aim of trying to record the birds and anything else that may have been around. While I have recorded some of the birds singing, I will need to create a windsock for the microphone, I am thinking of trying a pair of tights, no I will not be asking any female friends, it will be embarrassing enough buying a pair!

One amazing thing that happened was I heard a rustling, a movement in the trees. I looked carefully and saw a couple of Roe Deer, so well camouflaged that I doubt that I would have seen them otherwise. While I did set the recorder while watching them but not a noise or movement did they make. It was to dark to take pictures, but I will go back to the location and see if this is a regular sleeping point for them.

I love my new toy, I just hope that I can capture and share some of what I hear with you folks.

The picture is one that I took in the wood today.