New post: Listening for the return of spring, in which I talk about worrying that I might never hear birdsong again.
@bsag Thanks, lovely post. I've just bought “The Lost Words" following your link. I've used the book in my class and it is great to work with with kids. I hope to use the music too. Also the linked lark post is wonderful.
@bsag Thank you for a very thoughtful piece of writing. I have a friend who says ‘Solan Goose’ sings to his soul. I have thought about picking up a portable audio recorder for country walks in the past year.
@BestofTimes Thank you 😊 I know what your friend means. I think making some recordings as you walk sounds like a fabulous idea.
@bsag that’s a lovely post. I think we can’t underestimate the value of natural soundscapes. To me, sound can evoke a sense of place in a way that vision can’t. I love the variety of soundscapes that are out there, and the way they change throughout the year.
At the moment I am enjoying the calls of redwings and fieldfares around us - a very wintery sound.
@bsag I think many people realize they feel the same way, and more would realize this if the bridsongs were gone.
@johnjohnston @bsag It was a wonderful post, pinned to explore the recommendations when I get home. I just finished The Old Ways last week and some of the passages about birds are truly wonderful, even the slaughter of the skuas.
@BestofTimes Be warned; trying to get good field recordings is addictive and expensive. And the worst of it is how to file them so you can find what you’re looking for. You can’t just flick through audio files, alas.
@jeremycherfas @Bestoftimes FWIW not being anywhere like a perfectionist I’ve had a occasional fun over the years just pulling out my phone and recording. Listening back is interesting as it seems to trigger memories in a different way that photos or notes.
@bsag I am missing the volume and variety of spring and summer chirps right now, so you have once again swooped in with a timely post.
(Also, I know you talked about ”A Pocket of Wind Resistance” on your Micro Monday episode…)
@johnjohnston Very true. My iPhone alarm sound is bird song I recorded on an earlier phone in the back yard (can’t really justify calling it a garden) one morning. It’s a lovely sound to wake up bro.
@strandlines Soundscapes are really magical aren’t they? I still remember the sounds of the Pantanal in Brazil where we used to go for work some years back. You could tell what time of day it was by the composition of the bird calls. The hottest time was always a purring of several dove and pigeon species, and makes me feel sleepy just remembering it.
@smokey Ah of course! I don’t know how I forgot about that 🙃. I’m so used to writing about things that I forgot I had spoken about it.
@bsag I can see that the sounds of doves could be soporific! Thinking about the absence of birdsong, we have family in Australia who have just experienced the bushfires, and they sent us a video of the forest around them afterwards. What really struck me was the silence - it was eerie, given that in the background of any videos they send there is usually the sound of kookaburras or such.
@strandlines I can only imagine how awful that must be. What is happening in Australia right now is horrific. I hope your family are safe?