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Re: Mystery Sound Posted

Subject: Re: Mystery Sound Posted
From: "picnet2" picnet2
Date: Sat Aug 1, 2009 5:03 pm ((PDT))
Hi Doug,
               I have extensive knowledge when it comes to identifying mystery 
sounds and jumping to the wrong conclusion. 

#1
As a rough guess it sounds to me like partial cycle from (an unknown) 
reciprocating hydraulic cylinder, the start lasts 137ms, followed by the volume 
being filled , 1100ms, at the end some resonance & ringing as the piston rod 
rubs on the rod gland, or it could be from the body / bucket the piston is 
moving. 

Slowing down the recording considerably and filtering allows you to analyze it 
in detail.
Drift integrating with a beam width of 81ms seems to show a half second pulse 
around 8 Khz, which I suspect is an artifact from the recording device.

#2 I thought initially based on the location description it could be part of a 
grain feeder cycle?, worm drive advancing corn / drying or processing 
machinery? - but playing it backwards slowed down, indicates a cylinder 
filling. 

A longer recording preferably in stereo may allow a more detailed analysis. 

BR,
Mike


 caused most likey by the 
--- In  Doug Von Gausig <> wrote:
>
> I've posted a mystery sound that was sent to me by a man in Michigan. His 
> explanation of the sound is attached, and I have cleaned it up and boosted 
> it a bit for this sample. The sample is at 
> http://www.naturesongs.com/mystery-riffert1.wav . Take a moment and see if 
> you know what this might be.
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> Doug
> 
> Location:  Midland, Michigan-USA
> 
> Habitat:  We live about 6 miles north of Midland in a rural area.  We have 
> about 2 acres, with the back half being wooded.  Our road is a dead end 
> with little traffic and is about half farm fields (corn and field grains 
> grown)...there is a small cluster of about 4 houses at the near end of our 
> road (including ours)...behind all of our houses is a large woods (1/2 mile 
> wide by 2 miles long which is also connected to other woods in a fairly 
> continuous stretch that heads into northern Michigan which is generally a 
> wooded area).  Our local woods are very low lying and are often wet (even 
> sometimes in the middle of summer).  The area is very quiet (you can hear 
> neighbors talking very lowly) and this sound dominates many nights.
> 
> Time of day:  we have only ever heard the sound after dark and usually 
> early in the night (approx 10pm to about 1am)...and only in the summer 
> (June, July, August)
> 
> A recording is attached...it is not of great quality as I recorded it with 
> a digital camera with a tiny microphone (it is actually a video clip, but 
> since it is dark, nothing can be seen)...the clip is about 14 seconds and 
> the sound is at the end at around 12 seconds.  Your volume will need to be 
> turned up.
> 
> The sound is repetitive occurring at about 15-20 second intervals for long 
> periods of time (up to hours at a time).  On the recording I only captured 
> one cycle of the sound being made...sorry).  My wife at first mistook the 
> sound for a neighbor sawing boards on a table saw of sorts b/c of the 
> repetitive nature and the quick ascending noise...reminiscent (to her 
> anyway) of a board being quickly sawed.  I do not remember hearing the 
> noise last year (2008) but definitely heard it in 2007 and this year.  This 
> is not to say that I did not hear it in 2008, but I sure do not remember it.
> 
> There only seems to be one of the creature making the noise...as I am 
> unable to discern another variant.  Occasionally, the area the sound comes 
> from changes (especially after I went in search of it, it moved farther 
> back into the woods).
> ***************************************
> Doug Von Gausig
> Natural Sounds  and Photos at:
> http://naturesongs.com
> More Photos at:
> http://www.criticaleyephoto.com
> Clarkdale, Central Arizona, USA
> ***************************************
>








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