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[Nature Recordists] Digest Number 6464

To: "" <>
Subject: [Nature Recordists] Digest Number 6464
From: "" <>
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2015 08:06:37 +0000
There are 5 messages in this issue.

Topics in this digest:

1a. Re: New study shows traffic noise is disruptive to wildlife    
    From:   
1b. Re: New study shows traffic noise is disruptive to wildlife    
    From: Bernie Krause
1c. Re: New study shows traffic noise is disruptive to wildlife    
    From:   

2. September Bird Song of the Month    
    From: Neville Recording

3a. Re: underwater stereo recordings and phase    
    From:  robb_nichols


Messages
________________________________________________________________________
1a. Re: New study shows traffic noise is disruptive to wildlife
    Posted by:   
    Date: Wed Sep 2, 2015 8:17 am ((PDT))


Bernie,
 
It would be interesting to know which species used the Valley, and have since 
moved on (I know that's beyond this conversation). Am I correct in assuming 
that traffic noise was not an issue in this case, but moreso climate change? I 
hope to see your conclusions, sometime in the future.

 I played a very small part in a documentary, "The Messenger", which dealt with 
the various reasons for the decline in songbird numbers. Bridget Stutchbury 
("Silence of the Songbirds"), among many others, is featured, presenting her 
findings and research on the subject. Climate change and traffic noise were 
both dealt with in their presentation. My understanding is that it is to be 
released in the U.S. later this year. Well worth a look.

Ernie Jardine
Pickering Ontario


www.birdsongidentification.com
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Bernie Krause  [naturerecordists] 
<>
To: naturerecordists <>
Sent: Tue, Sep 1, 2015 9:21 pm
Subject: Re: [Nature Recordists] New study shows traffic noise is disruptive to 
wildlife


    
   
    
     
In Sonoma, California’s Valley of the Moon, there was no birdsong this spring 
or summer. None. A combo of global warming (the spring season occurs on average 
14 days earlier than 20 years ago), bird populations have shifted, and altho 
there have been some calls and other vocal interchange, there has been absolute 
silence as far as song is concerned. I am currently drafting a paper to show 
the effects that have caused it and the consequences.
    
     
    
    
Bernie Krause    
    
     
     
      
On Sep 1, 2015, at 6:02 PM,         [naturerecordists] <       
> wrote:      
      
      
       
        
        
                 
Charles,         
         
          
         
Obviously traffic noise interferes with communication among birds, creating 
problems for defense of territory and self, as well as for mating potential. I 
think I remember reading that this has led to birds, exposed to this noise, 
changing or modifying their songs, as a result. Another aspect of noise 
pollution. We know how it affects us as nature recordists.         
         
          
         
All the best,         
         
Ernie Jardine         
         
Pickering Ontario         
         
                   
         
          
         
          www.birdsongidentification.com         
         
          
         
          
        
         -----Original Message-----
From: 'J. Charles Holt'  [naturerecordists] 
<>
To: naturerecordists <>
Sent: Tue, Sep 1, 2015 12:27 pm
Subject: [Nature Recordists] New study shows traffic noise is disruptive to 
wildlife

         
                     
            
             
              
               
                http://m.pnas.org/content/early/2015/08/27/1504710112           
     
                
"Decades of research demonstrate that roads impact wildlife and suggest traffic 
noise as a primary cause of population declines near roads. We created a 
“phantom road” using an array of speakers to apply traffic noise to a roadless 
landscape, directly testing the effect of noise alone on an entire songbird 
community during autumn migration. Thirty-one percent of the bird community 
avoided the phantom road. For individuals that stayed despite the noise, 
overall body condition decreased by a full SD and some species showed a change 
in ability to gain body condition when exposed to traffic noise during 
migratory stopover. We conducted complementary laboratory experiments that 
implicate foraging-vigilance behavior as one mechanism driving this pattern. 
Our results suggest that noise degrades habitat that is otherwise suitable, and 
that the presence of a species does not indicate the absence of an impact."     
           
                
- Charles               
              
              
             
            
           
          
          
          
         
        
       
      
     
     
     
       
       
                 
                     
                         
Wild Sanctuary              
POB 536              
Glen Ellen, CA 95442              
707-996-6677              
              http://www.wildsanctuary.com              
              
SKYPE: biophony              
             
FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/BernieKrauseAuthor             
TED Global talk: 
http://www.ted.com/talks/bernie_krause_the_voice_of_the_natural_world.html      
       
             
              
             

            
           
          
         
        
       
       
      
      
      
      
      
    
    
    
    
 
   





Messages in this topic (6)
________________________________________________________________________
1b. Re: New study shows traffic noise is disruptive to wildlife
    Posted by: "Bernie Krause"  bigchirp1
    Date: Wed Sep 2, 2015 8:29 am ((PDT))

Here is a list of typical suspects that I�ve recorded from year to year, when 
conditions have been more or less within a particular dynamic range of precip 
and other permutations.

Wild turkeys,,  chipping sparrow, dark-eyed junco, acorn woodpecker, pileated 
woodpecker, mourning dove, scrub jay, stellar jay,  black phoebe, oak titmouse, 
wrentit, golden-crowned kinglet, California towhee, American robin, 
red-shoulder hawk, white-crowned sparrow.

Bernie

 
On Sep 2, 2015, at 8:17 AM,  [naturerecordists] 
<> wrote:

> 
> 
> Bernie,
>  
> It would be interesting to know which species used the Valley, and have since 
> moved on (I know that's beyond this conversation). Am I correct in assuming 
> that traffic noise was not an issue in this case, but moreso climate change? 
> I hope to see your conclusions, sometime in the future.
>  
>  I played a very small part in a documentary, "The Messenger", which dealt 
> with the various reasons for the decline in songbird numbers. Bridget 
> Stutchbury ("Silence of the Songbirds"), among many others, is featured, 
> presenting her findings and research on the subject. Climate change and 
> traffic noise were both dealt with in their presentation. My understanding is 
> that it is to be released in the U.S. later this year. Well worth a look.
>  
> Ernie Jardine
> Pickering Ontario
> 
>  
> www.birdsongidentification.com
>  
>  
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bernie Krause  [naturerecordists] 
> <>
> To: naturerecordists <>
> Sent: Tue, Sep 1, 2015 9:21 pm
> Subject: Re: [Nature Recordists] New study shows traffic noise is disruptive 
> to wildlife
> 
> In Sonoma, California�s Valley of the Moon, there was no birdsong this spring 
> or summer. None. A combo of global warming (the spring season occurs on 
> average 14 days earlier than 20 years ago), bird populations have shifted, 
> and altho there have been some calls and other vocal interchange, there has 
> been absolute silence as far as song is concerned. I am currently drafting a 
> paper to show the effects that have caused it and the consequences.
> 
> Bernie Krause
> 
> On Sep 1, 2015, at 6:02 PM,  [naturerecordists] < 
> > wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> Charles,
>  
> Obviously traffic noise interferes with communication among birds, creating 
> problems for defense of territory and self, as well as for mating potential. 
> I think I remember reading that this has led to birds, exposed to this noise, 
> changing or modifying their songs, as a result. Another aspect of noise 
> pollution. We know how it affects us as nature recordists.
>  
> All the best,
> Ernie Jardine
> Pickering Ontario
> 
>  
> www.birdsongidentification.com
>  
>  
> -----Original Message-----
> From: 'J. Charles Holt'  [naturerecordists] 
> <>
> To: naturerecordists <>
> Sent: Tue, Sep 1, 2015 12:27 pm
> Subject: [Nature Recordists] New study shows traffic noise is disruptive to 
> wildlife
> 
> http://m.pnas.org/content/early/2015/08/27/1504710112 
> 
> "Decades of research demonstrate that roads impact wildlife and suggest 
> traffic noise as a primary cause of population declines near roads. We 
> created a �phantom road� using an array of speakers to apply traffic noise to 
> a roadless landscape, directly testing the effect of noise alone on an entire 
> songbird community during autumn migration. Thirty-one percent of the bird 
> community avoided the phantom road. For individuals that stayed despite the 
> noise, overall body condition decreased by a full SD and some species showed 
> a change in ability to gain body condition when exposed to traffic noise 
> during migratory stopover. We conducted complementary laboratory experiments 
> that implicate foraging-vigilance behavior as one mechanism driving this 
> pattern. Our results suggest that noise degrades habitat that is otherwise 
> suitable, and that the presence of a species does not indicate the absence of 
> an impact." 
> 
> - Charles
> 
> 
> 
> Wild Sanctuary 
> POB 536 
> Glen Ellen, CA 95442 
> 707-996-6677 
> http://www.wildsanctuary.com 
>  
> SKYPE: biophony 
> FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/BernieKrauseAuthor
> TED Global talk: 
> http://www.ted.com/talks/bernie_krause_the_voice_of_the_natural_world.html
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 

Wild Sanctuary
POB 536
Glen Ellen, CA 95442
707-996-6677
http://www.wildsanctuary.com

SKYPE: biophony
FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/BernieKrauseAuthor
TED Global talk: 
http://www.ted.com/talks/bernie_krause_the_voice_of_the_natural_world.html













Messages in this topic (6)
________________________________________________________________________
1c. Re: New study shows traffic noise is disruptive to wildlife
    Posted by:   
    Date: Wed Sep 2, 2015 11:07 am ((PDT))


Wow, it is definitely pretty dramatic that a cross-section such as this has 
basically left the area, or at least not used it for nesting. Nothing else 
(birds) has moved in to fill the vacuum? I'd love to hear your final thoughts 
on this. Hopefully, you will find the time to share them.

All the best,
Ernie
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Bernie Krause  [naturerecordists] 
<>
To: naturerecordists <>
Sent: Wed, Sep 2, 2015 11:29 am
Subject: Re: [Nature Recordists] New study shows traffic noise is disruptive to 
wildlife


    
   
    
     
Here is a list of typical suspects that I’ve recorded from year to year, when 
conditions have been more or less within a particular dynamic range of precip 
and other permutations.
    
     
    
    
     
Wild turkeys,,  chipping sparrow, dark-eyed junco, acorn woodpecker, pileated 
woodpecker, mourning dove, scrub jay, stellar jay,  black phoebe, oak titmouse, 
wrentit, golden-crowned kinglet, California towhee, American robin, 
red-shoulder hawk, white-crowned sparrow.     
     
      
     
     
Bernie     
     
      
     
     
      
     
      
On Sep 2, 2015, at 8:17 AM,         [naturerecordists] <       
> wrote:      
      
      
       
        
        
                 
Bernie,         
         
          
         
It would be interesting to know which species used the Valley, and have since 
moved on (I know that's beyond this conversation). Am I correct in assuming 
that traffic noise was not an issue in this case, but moreso climate change? I 
hope to see your conclusions, sometime in the future.         
         
          
         
 I played a very small part in a documentary, "The Messenger", which dealt with 
the various reasons for the decline in songbird numbers. Bridget Stutchbury 
("Silence of the Songbirds"), among many others, is featured, presenting her 
findings and research on the subject. Climate change and traffic noise were 
both dealt with in their presentation. My understanding is that it is to be 
released in the U.S. later this year. Well worth a look.         
         
          
         
Ernie Jardine         
         
Pickering Ontario         
         
                   
         
          
         
          www.birdsongidentification.com         
         
          
         
          
        
         -----Original Message-----
From: Bernie Krause  [naturerecordists] 
<>
To: naturerecordists <>
Sent: Tue, Sep 1, 2015 9:21 pm
Subject: Re: [Nature Recordists] New study shows traffic noise is disruptive to 
wildlife

         
                     
            
             
              
               
In Sonoma, California’s Valley of the Moon, there was no birdsong this spring 
or summer. None. A combo of global warming (the spring season occurs on average 
14 days earlier than 20 years ago), bird populations have shifted, and altho 
there have been some calls and other vocal interchange, there has been absolute 
silence as far as song is concerned. I am currently drafting a paper to show 
the effects that have caused it and the consequences.               
               
                
               
               
Bernie Krause               
               
                
                
                 
On Sep 1, 2015, at 6:02 PM,                                      
                  [naturerecordists] <                                     
> wrote:                 
                 
                 
                  
                   
                   
                                       
Charles,                    
                    
                     
                    
Obviously traffic noise interferes with communication among birds, creating 
problems for defense of territory and self, as well as for mating potential. I 
think I remember reading that this has led to birds, exposed to this noise, 
changing or modifying their songs, as a result. Another aspect of noise 
pollution. We know how it affects us as nature recordists.                    
                    
                     
                    
All the best,                    
                    
Ernie Jardine                    
                    
Pickering Ontario                    
                    
                                         
                    
                     
                    
                     www.birdsongidentification.com                    
                    
                     
                    
                     
                   
                    -----Original Message-----
From: 'J. Charles Holt'  [naturerecordists] 
<>
To: naturerecordists <>
Sent: Tue, Sep 1, 2015 12:27 pm
Subject: [Nature Recordists] New study shows traffic noise is disruptive to 
wildlife

                    
                                           
                       
                        
                         
                          
                           
http://m.pnas.org/content/early/2015/08/27/1504710112                           
                            
                           
"Decades of research demonstrate that roads impact wildlife and suggest traffic 
noise as a primary cause of population declines near roads. We created a 
“phantom road” using an array of speakers to apply traffic noise to a roadless 
landscape, directly testing the effect of noise alone on an entire songbird 
community during autumn migration. Thirty-one percent of the bird community 
avoided the phantom road. For individuals that stayed despite the noise, 
overall body condition decreased by a full SD and some species showed a change 
in ability to gain body condition when exposed to traffic noise during 
migratory stopover. We conducted complementary laboratory experiments that 
implicate foraging-vigilance behavior as one mechanism driving this pattern. 
Our results suggest that noise degrades habitat that is otherwise suitable, and 
that the presence of a species does not indicate the absence of an impact."     
                                                  
                           
- Charles                          
                         
                         
                        
                       
                      
                     
                     
                     
                    
                   
                  
                 
                
                
                
                 
                  
                                       
                                           
                                               
Wild Sanctuary                                                   
POB 536                                                   
Glen Ellen, CA 95442                                                   
707-996-6677                                                   
                         http://www.wildsanctuary.com                           
                        
                                                         
                   
SKYPE: biophony                                                   
                        
FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/BernieKrauseAuthor                        
TED Global talk:                          
http://www.ted.com/talks/bernie_krause_the_voice_of_the_natural_world.html      
                  
                        
                         
                        

                       
                      
                     
                    
                   
                  
                  
                 
                 
                 
                
                
               
               
              
              
             
            
           
          
          
          
         
        
       
      
     
     
     
       
       
                 
                     
                         
Wild Sanctuary              
POB 536              
Glen Ellen, CA 95442              
707-996-6677              
              http://www.wildsanctuary.com              
              
SKYPE: biophony              
             
FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/BernieKrauseAuthor             
TED Global talk: 
http://www.ted.com/talks/bernie_krause_the_voice_of_the_natural_world.html      
       
             
              
             

            
           
          
         
        
       
       
      
      
      
      
      
    
    
    
    
 
   





Messages in this topic (6)
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. September Bird Song of the Month
    Posted by: "Neville Recording"  nevillerecording
    Date: Wed Sep 2, 2015 2:17 pm ((PDT))

September Bird Song of the Month Live!

http://nevillerecording.com/nr00b.php 
<cid:>




Messages in this topic (1)
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3a. Re: underwater stereo recordings and phase
    Posted by:   robb_nichols
    Date: Wed Sep 2, 2015 4:07 pm ((PDT))

David, Thanks for teaching us all some things about sound.  I have to admit 
that I have just learned from your explanations about reflected sound from an 
air boundary being anti-phase.  As a hydrophone manufacturer, I should have 
known this.  The effect of low-frequency losses near the surface are very 
easily observable and this explains it perfectly.



So I'm not going to try and be the expert here, but rather pose a more 
philosophical question that this conversation has brought to mind:  If a whale 
had microphones (and some comprehension of physics), would he would he worry 
about whether he's hearing terrestrial sounds correctly?



Human underwater listening does have technical challenges that are primarily 
related the increased speed of sound and the fact that we are generally 
listening in close proximity to one or more boundaries.  But to address the 
practical difference of listening in air or water, I'd contend that that 
difference is primarily related to our level of experience in either medium.  
Sound is reflecting off of all of the boundaries around us in air as well in 
patterns of constructive and deconstructive interference.  But very few of us 
give much thought to the difference in sound when conversing across a soccer 
pitch versus a city street.  It is just familiar.



So I'm suggesting that the underwater listener just listen.  Observe the 
difference for a while so comments like David's become an ah-ha moment instead 
of a technical concern.



I do just want to touch on a few disparate points though.  So we've discovered 
that reflections from the surface are antiphase and that will cancel low 
frequencies when listening near the surface.  But remember that those 
cancellations are only truly 180d phase-shifted from the direct sound at some 
specific point for a specific frequency.  Sound, like in air, is reflecting off 
of several boundaries near shore and decays in amplitude over distance.  I feel 
like I'm being too wordy here, but my point is that the physical phenomena 
we're discussing here is pretty hard to isolate at environments in which most 
of us will be listening.  Sound can be kind of a mess.



Also, I don't know how JRF hydrophones are built, but it is difficult to make a 
figure-8 response pattern in a hydrophone.  I'm confident that, if one is 
crafty enough and uses at least two sensing elements, it could be done, but I'd 
expect those hydrophones to be simple dynamic pressure 
transducers--omnidirectional at lower frequencies, narrowing to conical as the 
wavelength of sound approaches the dimensions of the sensor.  Another 
contributor commented that there was no correlation between channels until he 
placed the hydrophones very close together.  I don't know how that could be 
explained, but I will say that piezo bending elements, as are typically used in 
these kinds of hydrophones, are often polarized somewhat randomly.  We use 
these in our low-cost hydrophones and have learned to sort all of these with a 
scope into like polarities. It may be possible that the two hydrophones are 
electrically out of phase.  If you want to check, make a stereo recording in 
air with the two very close together and clap your hands over the top of them.  
Then zoom in on your recording in your editing software and check to see if 
that transient looks the same on both channels.



I'll go back to lurking now.  Best wishes for all your recording projects.



Robb



Messages in this topic (13)



"While a picture is worth a thousand words, a 
sound is worth a thousand pictures." R. Murray Schafer via Bernie Krause.



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