Wonderful recordings, Curt! I only listened casually, but heard a Wilson's=
Snipe winnowing in the background of the first one, and also the grouse dr=
umming mentioned by Chris. I think you might also have some VERY distant W=
hip-poor-wills toward the end of the loon recording.
The best photographers know when to go do their work (soft evening light, e=
tc.) and obviously the same is true for recording. You obviously picked a =
great time to be on the lake. From someone who grew up in north-central Mi=
nnesota (Bemidji), your recordings were truly delightful.
Bob Howe
From: =
.com] On Behalf Of Curt Olson
Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2008 9:45 PM
To:
Subject: [Nature Recordists] Not to change the subject, but...
Below are links to four MP3 clips edited from two recent nature
recording junkets in extreme north central Minnesota. All these
recordings were made during the evening and nighttime hours. I'm
posting them on this side of the new great divide in the event that
some poor soul might accidentally forget himself/herself and wish to
inquire about... ummm... errr... you know... that subject that's mostly
off limits "over there."
1) A Trumpeter Swan takes flight. Unfortunately, there's a small
outboard fishing boat running on a nearby lake, to the right of the mic
rig. And darn if a car didn't drive into the soundscape just as the big
bird launches. But I still like this one. Note the sweet natural reverb
off the trunks of millions of budding trees. (2:27)
http://www.trackseventeen.com/soundscapes/x080514ab-eel_lake_swan.mp3
http://tinyurl.com/3uyvt6
2) At approximately the same time, on a small pond about a mile away,
two Trumpeter Swans come in on a long approach to a landing. (2:14)
http://www.trackseventeen.com/soundscapes/x080514ba-frog_pond_swans.mp3
http://tinyurl.com/4uq9p6
3) The next night, just before sunset, I stopped on a very remote trail
at the edge of a state waterfowl refuge. This short soundscape features
Spring Peeper frogs, a Crow and at least one distant Trumpeter Swan,
among other critters. (1:52)
http://www.trackseventeen.com/soundscapes/x080515xb-peepers_swans.mp3
http://tinyurl.com/5oxybr
4) Call me a complete sap, but as a lifelong Minnesotan, I've had loons
on my mind and my recording hit list for a long time. Last week I
finally managed to get some. This is nowhere close to the pristine
quality I'm really after, but I'll accept it as a reasonable start.
This clip is a layered combination of recordings from two consecutive
nights at the same lake. (5:40)
http://www.trackseventeen.com/soundscapes/x080521_23-wagner_loons.mp3
http://tinyurl.com/6ohwky
Curt Olson
PS: Hopefully the brain trust here won't mind of I ask for help with a
few critter IDs in the next few weeks.
|