Julie,
It's possible that the recorder you already own would produce
satisfactory results if it were equipped with an external microphone.
Moving the mic away from the recorder should solve the problem of
capturing the sounds of the recorder. With a sufficiently long cable,
you could place the mic or mics outdoors, and sit indoors with the
recorder, watching for the right time to start recording. Perhaps
someone here with more experience can recommend an inexpensive mic for
your application.
If you're interested in purchasing a new recorder, consider the Zoom
H2. The H2 has two built-in microphones that do a good job of casual
recording like you describe. You could put the recorder near the bird
feeders for some up-close recording.
The Zoom H2 has been discussed here in some detail. See these message
threads for people's thoughts:
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/naturerecordists/message/29879
and
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/naturerecordists/message/29884
The Zoom Corporation of Japan has web page that does a good job of
illustrating the H2's features
http://www.zoom.co.jp/english/products/h2/index.php
The Zoom H2 costs about $200, including the built-in mcs and a 512MB
flash card. Some online vendors will allow you to examine the recorder
for a few days without penalty. Audio dealers with a generous return
policy include minidisco.com, sweetwater.com, and jr.com.
--oryoki
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