Paul,
The mergansers dropped in to land on the small lake from above the rimming =
hillside with tall tree canopy. A 200 foot near vertical drop carved sharpl=
y for a 200 foot horizontal approach to a water skimming landing - I think =
what you mostly hear is drag on wings and tail, however the whole body must=
be critically involved in such a maneuver.
In your recording, it sounds like the bird is flapping wings to maintain a =
sprint across the lake. The sounds might sound even more pronounced if the =
bird were accelerating to gain altitude at take-off.
John Hartog
--- In "PaulD" <> wrote:
>
>
> John-
>
> Wow! I've heard some flybys, but that one's amazing! Find any feathers on=
your rig? It really makes me re-think how aerodynamically sound some birds=
are. If they generate that much wind noise, they must also be fighting sub=
stantial drag.
>
> Your suggestion of the duck sounds most plausible- after ruling out RF in=
terference, I was thinking a predator flying away with a small distressed m=
eal-to-go in its talons, but having heard it a few hundred more times (well=
, OK- 20 or so), I started remembering hearing similar in-flight vocalizati=
ons from waterfowl.
>
> Loons seem to let their wings do the talking: http://tinyurl.com/2fsyaf5
>
> Thanks for the ID insight and especially for the merganser- incredible!
>
> Paul
>
> --- In "hartogj" <hartogj_1999@> wrote:
> >
> > Paul,
> > A little more sound for thought - if you have been on this list for a w=
hile you might remember my merganser "meteor" recording.
> >
> > http://www.rockscallop.org/ear/jh-050430-meteor.mp3
> >
> > John Hartog
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --- In "hartogj" <hartogj_1999@> wrot=
e:
> > >
> > >
> > > Hi Paul,
> > > Nice sounds!
> > > It is the wings of a bird flying by - a duck I'd guess.
> > >
> > > John Hartog
> > >
> > > --- In "PaulD" <pauld@> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > While recording in the Big Island Lake Wilderness area of the Upper=
Peninsula of Michigan, this very unusual sound popped up. At first, I thou=
ght it was RF interference, but the nearest broadcast facilities were 18 mi=
les away in Munising, plus the sound has an airy quality, and comb filters =
as it travels from left to right. It sounds airborne.
> > > >
> > > > http://tinyurl.com/2fcuhlb
> > > >
> > > > Time: approx 11:00 PM, 6/20/10. Location: thicket on the shore of a=
small glacial lake surrounded by middle-aged maple/birch/poplar/evergreen =
forest.
> > > >
> > > > Any thoughts as to its source would be most appreciated.
> > > >
> > > > Thanks!
> > > >
> > > > Paul Dickinson
> > > >
> > >
> >
>
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