I agree, it's nice to hear a bit of a blog on Dan's recording
adventures. When we hear stories like this we pick up little tips
that can only be learned by experience, ours or those of someone
else. Please all, send in your stories.
Agreed; that leaving the recorder on is helpful. Bernie taught that
to me and I've captured some great material by recording hours at a
time. My SD722 is set to start a new file every 60 min, so in the
studio at home I can review the recordings in manageable 60 min
blocks. Sometimes, when something great comes out of the night, you
want to have the preceding several minutes to frame the interesting
sound.
And it's nice at night to have the mic at the other end of a long
cord. Bernie's recordings of a bear mouthing the mic and a jaguar
growling at it in pitch darkness are dramatic. Once I was startled
out of a half sleep while monitoring at night by an angry loud
hissing. I jumped because it sounded like something was right in my
face. Lucky for me, the patrolling bobcat was down at the other end
of the 100 foot cable and I was reclined safe and warm in my parked
truck.
Kevin
On Aug 25, 2008, at 6:21 PM, Romilly Hambling wrote:
> --- In Dan Dugan <> wrote:
> >
> > Sharon Perry and I did our second Yosemite sequoia groves expedition
> > August 8-10. ... To be continued.
> > -Dan Dugan
> >
> >
> Nice to resurface on the list and find Dan writing about recording
> adventures out in the wild again -- AND at night. I look forward to
> hearing samples from that 4 channel 3032 setup.
>
> Dan, run the thing all night, turn in and get some proper sleep! Do I
> know what it's like "sleeping" with headphones on and a finger on the
> pause button. Then you get a good day, and back home you go through
> the files knowing you've missed absolutely nothing. Well, yes, it
> takes time, but what a lot there can be -- some of which would never
> wake you up or . . sort of heck, it's 3.37 am and can I really be
> bothered with this 57th possible false alarm.
>
> Most I excerpt, but one or two I keep as they're so magical. All those
> tiny noises, things dropping (as Dan says), and oh so mysterious
> visitors to the mics. Can be quite creepy sometimes.
>
> I was forced into this (leaving equipment running while getting some
> sleep) because the dreadful piece of tinny plastic I'm currently using
> has all of a two-second buffer. All but useless unless you're prepared
> to turn yourself into a nervous wreck with arm cramp! So I just left
> it running. Still haven't been through all the files!!
>
> As to jets, etc, I'm now resigned to Sats and Suns, tho jet traffic
> can start up un Sun in anticipation of Mon I find. Oddly some weekdays
> are passable, but you have to get to know which. I've no idea why they
> should vary. Round us the night to avoid is Monday -- invariably
> awful.
>
> On another note, I'm fairly sure digifish got his 3032s at least
> partly because he heard my samples. I got my 3032s (now 2 pairs)
> entirely because of this list, especially of course Eric Benjamin's
> report. Use'm all the time. Now many are wailing because they're
> unobtainable. tee-hee.
>
> Three cheers for nature recordists, night recordists and 3032s!
>
> romilly
>
>
>
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