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RE: using playback

Subject: RE: using playback
From: "Barb Beck" <>
Date: Wed, 2 Jul 2003 12:25:13 -0600
Hi Jeremy and Joseph,
I think you are frequently going to be disappointed with the vocalizations
you get using playback to get a bird to vocalize.  I have used it from time
to time particularly with a bird that I do not have a recording of for my
students or one that is nearly impossible for me to get to (Western
Flycatchers who live on steep sides of canyons above rushing water where it
makes recording difficult to say the least - particularly for a gimpy old
lady)  Often the bird gives a very very agitated song - one you do not even
hear as another male encroaches its teritory.  Possibly because we are so
loud and maybe in the middle of his area.  Anyway it produces very unnatural
sounding songs at least to these old ears.

What also disturbs me is the way these very agitated birds react.  They
expose themselves much more than they normally do with obvious consequences
if there is a predator around and it also takes them away from what they
should be doing - eating and raising a family. Just use it with care for the
bird and for your recordings.  One of my early recording trips I played an
oven bird in an area where I knew one had been singing to get a recording.
It was late in the nesting season and the bird was not singing  The bird
shot out of the woods immediately and perched above us on a stick singing
very loudly and fast.  The worst thing is that after recording it we left
and came back by the area about 15 minutes later - the bird was still
exposed and singing.  Really made me stop and think about what we had done.
The recording although loud was not a natural sounding song.

Barb Beck
Edmonton AB Canada
-----Original Message-----
From: jctbirder 
Sent: July 2, 2003 11:47 AM
To: 
Subject: [Nature Recordists] Utterly Newbie Query re: Speaker for MiniDisc

I've just received my Sony MZ-NF810 and am eager to take it into the
field for recording and playback of bird vocalizations.  I would like
to acquire a small speaker that I could somehow attach to my belt for
playback, and would greatly appreciate advice on both speaker
recommendations and how to effectively carry the speaker in the
field...Thanks!
Joseph Thompson
Los Angeles



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