Bird Songs in Your Garden

Arthur A. Allen and Peter Paul Kellogg - Bird Songs in Your Garden

book and accompanying 10" record released in 1961

Produced by Peter Paul Kellogg and Arthur A. Allen from recordings made for the Cornell Library of Natural Sounds.

List of species included in book and record:

Wood Pewee, Cardinal, Robin, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Catbird, Scarlet Tanager, Song Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Red-eyed Vireo, Wood Thrush, Veery, Cedar Waxwing, Brown-headed Cowbird, Blue Jay, Rufous-sided Towhee, Baltimore Oriole, Orchard Oriole, Purple Finch, Yellow-shafted Flicker, White-breasted Nuthatch, Kingbird, Phoebe, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Black-billed Cuckoo, Screech Owl

Tracklisting:

Side 1

1.  Bird Songs in Your Garden side 1  {12:48}

commentary by Arthur A. Allen

Side 2

1.  Bird Songs in Your Garden side 2  {13:11}

The songs of 25 birds unannounced but identified on side 1

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Frog Talk

NorthSound - Frog Talk

CD released in 1990

I figured it was time for an actual new post. As usual, my time lately has been occupied by real life. But, hopefully, I can find time to post a little more often as well as re-up more material. I do promise that there will be another new post within the next few days. BTW, check the "Updates about Old Posts" page. I re-upped several posts earlier today.

It's been a long while and long overdue since frogs have last made an appearance. It's as a good time as any since winter is almost over (here in the northern half of the planet).

Since the beginning of time, a nightly chorus of frogs has heralded warm-weathered evenings in the wilderness. The chirps, peeps, and deep-bellied croaks create an auditory enchantment with the power to soothe. The orchestration of a gathering of frogs is not only a delight to the ear, but an indication of the natural evolution of the day. As Thoreau commented: "They would begin to sing almost with as much precision as a clock ... every evening."

Immerse yourself in a serene northwoods chorus of wood frogs, leopard frogs, and spring peepers! These are the same sounds that lulled you to sleep on camping, canoeing, or hiking forays into the wild. These are sounds that have been with humankind since the beginning of time. If you long for tranquility, let the ancient sounds of a spring evening soothe your soul.  (from the liner notes)

Tracklisting:

1.  [track 1]  {29:18}

2.  [track 2]  {29:12}

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Steel Rails Under Thundering Skys

Brad Miller - Steel Rails Under Thundering Skys

released on cassette in 1972

Recordings of steam engine trains with thunderstorms in the background (or were the storms mixed in?). Brad Miller first started out recording trains. Those recordings were on several albums including this one. He later founded The Mystic Moods Orchestra and Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs, both of which he is most remembered for.

There are supposed to be separate tracks, but they were mixed together. Separating them would have been disruptive so I made the decision to rip each side as one track. It sounds coherent which I'm sure was the intention. The trains recorded are mentioned below in the tracklisting.

Tracklisting:

Side 1

1.  Steel Rails Under Thundering Skys side 1  {20:08}
No. 1702 2-8-0 Reader Railroad, Reader, Arkansas ; No. 11 2-6-2 Reader Railroad, Reader, Arkansas ; No. 8444 4-8-4 Union Pacific Railroad, Denver, Colorado ; No. 34 2-8-2 Sierra Railroad, Jamestown, California

Side 2

1.  Steel Rails Under Thundering Skys side 2  {21:01}
No. 759 2-8-4 Steamtown Foundation, Bellows Falls, Vermont (ex-Nickle Plate) ; No. 28 2-8-0 Sierra Railroad, Jamestown, California ; No. 2102 4-8-4 Steam Tours inc. (ex-Reading Railroad), Roncevert, West Virginia ; No. 1246 4-6-2 Steamtown Foundation, Bellows Falls, Vermont (ex-Canadian Pacific) ; No. 1278 4-6-2 Steamtown Foundation, Bellows Falls, Vermont (ex-Canadian Pacific) ; No. 4449 4-8-4 Amerian Freedom Train Foundation (ex-Southern Pacific GS4) ; No. 36 2-8-2 White Mountain Scenic Railway, McNary, Arizona (ex-Sierra Railroad)

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Solitudes Volume Three

Dan Gibson - Solitudes Volume Three

released on cassette in 1981

Here it is, the first post of the year. As someone helpfully wrote "thunder" on the cover of my copy, there are some sounds of thunder on side 1.

From the liner notes:

Side 1: "Among the Giant Trees of the Wild Pacific Coast" is a haven for natural sounds. Streams twist through this forest of Red Cedar, Western Hemlock, and Douglas Fir. Thunderstorms build and coat the moss laden ground. Along the river a Fox Sparrow and MacGillivray's Warbler sing, and as the delta appears, expanding into coastal waters, the peeps of the Black Oyster Catcher welcomes any explorer.

WILDLIFE SPECIES FEATURED

Fox Sparrow, Pacific Tree Frogs, Varied Thrush, White-crowned Sparrow, MacGillivray's Warbler, Winter Wren, Red-shafted Flicker, Glaucous-winged Gulls, Bald Eagle (adult and young), Black Oystercatcher

Side 2: "Spring Morning on the Prairies" contrasts the peaceful image of swaying grain in the easy breeze to the cacophony of migrating and resident wildlife that frequent the scattered sloughs. The natural energy of the Vesper Sparrow, Killdeer, American Coot, and the Marbled Godwit characterize these active sloughs.

WILDLIFE SPECIES FEATURED

Western Meadowlark, Vesper Sparrow, Canada Geese, Killdeer, Yellow-headed Blackbird, American Coot, Long-billed Marsh Wren, Red-winged Blackbird, Savannah Sparrow, Marbled Godwit, Mallard Ducks

Tracklisting:

Side 1

1.  Among the Giant Trees of the Wild Pacific Coast  {29:07}

Side 2

1.  Spring Morning on the Prairies  {28:54}

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P.S. All of the Solitudes posts should be available. I am still missing volumes nine, eleven and twelve.

Environments Disc 7

 

Syntonic Research Inc - Environments Disc 7

released on LP in 1976

Posted here by request.

From the liner notes:

Sound plays a very important role in our everyday existence. Unlike our eyes, our ears are always exposed to our surroundings. Recent research in psychoacoustics has proven that certain sounds can have an incredible influence on our mental and emotional processes.

This particular ENVIRONMENTS release has been designed to aid the meditative process through the use of highly refined, carefully researched recorded sounds which improve the results of meditation with no additional effort or training on the part of the meditator.

INTONATION

Carefully chosen male and female voices blend over an extraordinary range to create harmonics and undertones which have been compared to sustained chords on the middle register of an enormous pipe organ, although the recording utilizes nothing but the rich and varied sounds of the human voice.

INTONATION is the sound of hundreds of voices, combined in such a complex, subtle structure that it defies anticipation and, indeed, sounds different each time you play it. Since the sound is experienced on many levels, the basic flow carries you along with the voices, and it is often both easy and pleasant to join in with your own voice if it aids your contemplation. On the other hand, many people simply leave the recording on continuously whenever they have a need for a relaxing, mind-filling sound.

...

INTONATION has gone through many incarnations in over four years of testing. The final recording actually utilizes only ten voices. The effect heard has been created by the use of complex multi-track tape techniques, requiring 24 channels of information and dedicated mixing skill.

The voices belong to members of The Natural Sound Workshop, a group devoted to exploring the myriad sounds of the human voice and body, without the aid of external instruments or amplification.

Organized by Kirk Nurock, a young Julliard graduate thoroughly gifted with imagination, energy, charisma, and musical talent, the group has given many performances in the New York City area since it was founded in 1971. Mr. Nurock occasionally composes specific structures wherein he invites the audience to participate. Invariably, they do so with great enthusiasm and pleasure.

This recording, a substantial departure for the group, originated as an experimental session done for SR, incorporating much of the theoretical and pragmatic research which had accumulated as the meditation project grew. The basic idea had been to carefully sustain intervals of a perfect fifth on an extended one-syllable sound, gradually introducing other pitches and freely choosing from the overtones created by the accumulated intensity of the original fundamental.

SUMMER CORNFIELD

Think back to the last time you sat on the edge of a summer cornfield, listening to the incredible tapestry of natural sounds. A simple sound to recall yet one of the most complex in nature's repertoire and perfect to fill the mind with pleasant detail.

A sea of summer insects, whirring with extraordinary intricacy and subtle beauty, which instantly transforms a sterile room into a friendly sun-drenched vista. Then there is the single Bluebottle fly that occasionally comes to visit, with friendly, astonishingly realistic acrobatics. There are sounds at all distances, from the complex hiss of nearby katydids to the chirp of meadow grasshoppers and the drone of cicadas.

Such a recording is difficult to make and even more difficult to reproduce properly. SR engineers used special microphones and recording equipment to capture the full fidelity of the sounds and an examination of the grooves of this pressing with a microscope will reveal just how minute this complex sound actually is. For this reason, we do not recommend playback of this particular side with a badly worn stylus or an excessive arm weight of much over four grams, as proper reproduction will only be obtained with quality equipment operating at specified tolerances. No cactus needles please!

Since the sounds are virtually continuous, it becomes easy to sit down, close your eyes, and imagine that they are real. Of all the sounds SR has experimented with in the last decade, none has proven so adaptable to sustained contemplative purposes. In addition to use as a private meditational sound, summer cornfield is also quite useful as a quiet background for most activities, as well as a pleasant "fool-the-mind" sound for social functions.

...

The cornfield recording presented many technical problems which were solved with unique editing techniques and unusual cutting procedures. The basic tracks were recorded in 1971, in a cornfield in Northern Vermont, utilizing a four-channel Stellavox SP-7 and Schoeps condenser microphones. Due to the special nature of the sounds, normal editing techniques could not be used; a splice would easily be audible. As a result, an EML synthesizer was used to recreate certain insect sounds where flaws existed and the fly, added four years later, completes the illusion.

Tracklisting:

Side One

1.  Intonation  {29:51}

Side Two

1.  Summer Cornfield  {37:16}

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Environments Disc 9

  

Syntonic Research Inc. - Environments Disc 9

released on LP in 1979

I found the ninth Environments disc some time ago which was the first copy I've ever seen. It has been elusive to me in the field. I often see copies of the first one and disc 4 (the one with the thunderstorm and rain). I believe those two particular discs sold the most of all the Environments LPs. I came across most of the others one to three other times. The only copy of disc 3 I've ever seen is the copy I bought at some flea market about a decade ago. The artwork on the cover of disc 9 is a little different from the previous discs in that it does not have a photo inside a rectangular frame. I imagine the cover would appeal to some while not appealing to others. (I'm still not sure if I like or dislike the cover.) The cover also has quotes, but instead of quotes from ordinary folks as always has been included on back covers of Environments records, the quotes come from a diverse range of publications from the mainstream Newsweek and Life magazines to High Times. I wonder what High Times thought of Life Magazine's opinion.

The photo on the human figure has a child standing on a shore with a clear blue sky above. The water gives a clue to the contents on the record which would be recordings of water. From the titles, one recording is from the Caribbean Sea and the other is from the Pacific Ocean. "Caribbean Lagoon" has gentle lapping water and crooning insects occurring during the night. "Pacific Ocean" has slow powerful waves with some seagulls in the background. There's beautiful sounds throughout both sides though my preference is for "Caribbean Lagoon".

Tracklisting:

Side One

1.  Caribbean Lagoon  {29:41}

Side Two

1.  Pacific Ocean  {29:14}

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A Week in Hawaii: Island Jungle

[uncredited artist] - A Week in Hawaii: Island Jungle

CD released in 1987

On the east coast of the island of Hawaii, about five miles north of Hilo on Route 19, there is a small, unassuming sign which reads "Scenic Drive -- 4 Miles." It was very early on a Sunday morning (exactly 24 hours after I had landed at Kona airport) that I traveled past this modest landmark and decided it might be worth investigating.

Scenic Drive is a narrow road which winds through a beautiful, lush jungle. Occasional small streams gurgle beneath rustic wooden bridges and everywhere there is the pleasant background of the ocean below the cliffs and the noisy din of rustling leaves and native birds delighting in their leafy green kingdom. At the top of a crest where the ocean once again emerges into view, I pulled over and began recording. The result is a cacophony of sound; the jungle came to life as the sun rose over the Pacific.  (Toby Mountain)

Technical Notes

The following equipment was used: 2 Schoeps microphones (a pair of cardioids), 1 custom mic pre-amp built by Scott Kent of BKM Associates, 1 Sony PCM-F1 digital processor with Sony SL-2000 Beta video deck. Equalization was occasionally used to "roll off" the low end (80 Hz). This low end ambience is a strange phenomenon which the microphones "hear" but that our psychoacoustic system appears to filter out.

This is a part of the series of the "A Week in Hawaii" releases. I hope to find the rest sometime soon.

Tracklisting:

1.  A Week in Hawaii: Island Jungle  {59:58}

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Echoes of Nature: Morning Songbirds

Echoes of Nature: Morning Songbirds

CD released in 1993

For this Sunday's (infrequent) nature sounds post, the cardinal, dove, morning dove, and other morning songbirds are featured along with accompaniments of rain and streams. An obvious and wonderful selection of sounds to listen to especially during the morning on a day that is free of any schedules.

Tracklisting:

1. Pacific Surf & Songbirds {4:56}

2. Predawn {16:35}

3. Rain with Pygmy Owl {3:21}

4. Marsh {3:04}

5. Sparkling Water {3:03}

6. Brookside Birds {6:55}

7. Bobwhite, Doves & Cardinals {8:59}

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A Walk in the Forest

The Sounds of Nature: A Walk in the Forest

released on CD in 1993

It's been a bit long between nature sounds posts. I hope to do this weekly again sometime soon. Enjoy a nice stroll in the forest.

From the liner notes:

Our walk begins serenely, with the soothing melodies of Sparrows and Mourning Doves, Robins and Blackbirds. Listen carefully, and soon you'll hear the lonely cry of a Hawk circling overhead, the "caw caw" of a Crow, and the repetitive, whistle-like song of a Whippoorwill.

Around the bend, we come upon a cool, bubbling country stream, where we are greeted by a throaty Bullfrog and a Clark's Nutcracker.

Minutes later we resume our journey, as we walk into an open field abuzz with Day Crickets and other insects. Better watch out for that Bee! There's the playful chatter of Red Squirrels and Chipmunks, and from above, the songs of Robins, Rufous-sided Towhees, and the Macgillivray's Warbler.

Back among the trees, we come to another babbling brook, the cool water dancing over pebbles and rocks. A Hawk glides overhead and chipmunks scout for food. A Woodpecker offers a song, while another drums against a tree. We follow the brook to a nearby waterfall, which empties into a gently lapping lake - the safe haven of ducks, geese and other water fowl.

As evening descends, a wind blows through the leaves and the lake is enveloped by a soft mist and a haunting cacophony of bullfrogs, loons and herons. Soon it is night - and we are serenaded by Tree Frogs and a Woodthrush; Cicadas and Crickets; the nocturnal Great Horned Owl and Barred Owl.

In the distance, we hear the baying and bark of a Wolf and, further away, a pack of Wolves howling in chorus with Screech Owls and a Red-Winged Blackbird. Listen closely, and be treated to Blackbirds, cooing Doves, Bobolinks and the repetitious phrases of a Song Thrush. And, as we soon hear, this is also Bear country.

Finally, we cross a small rivulet, where a Cardinal, then an Orange-Crowned Warbler, serenade us. Soon we are home and ready to begin our walk through the forest again.

Tracklisting:

1. A Walk in the Forest {59:05}

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Timberwolf in the Tall Pines

Timberwolf in the Tall Pines

released in 1990

To hear a Timberwolf howling in its native environment is an event. What in their terms is a simple social gathering among pack members or an expression of territorial boundaries is most often perceived by us as a chilling signature of a desolate wilderness. As we become more familiar and understanding of our wildlife, the cry of the Timberwolf will no longer strike fear within us, but fill us with a sense of community.

This recording was conceived to both entertain and educate. Therefore, in an effort to create a realistic experience of the Timberwolf in its natural setting, the howling on this disc is sporadic. As I found during the extensive period of gathering the sounds of nature on this disc, these voicings do not always happen when we want them to. And so when you hear the voicings of the Timberwolf and other native wildlife on this disc, it will hopefully occur with a sense of surprise, much like it would in nature.

For those of you who wish to experience firsthand the cry of the Timberwolf, you will increase your chances greatly by closely studying the howling on this release, and by mimicking a howl in an area of nature that is known to be inhabited by Timberwolves. With patience, persistence, and reasonable "howling" skills, you are sure to eventually experience communication with these fascinating creatures. I assure you that it will be an experience that you will not soon forget. (Brian Wright)

Tracklisting:

1. The Timberwolf Environment {50:05}

2. Large Wolf Pack #1 {0:58}

3. Lone Wolf #1 {0:23}

4. Large Wolf Pack #2 {1:50}

5. Lone Wolf #2 {0:19}

6. Large Wolf Pack #3 {1:23}

7. Lone Wolf #3 {0:40}

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The Singing Humpbacks

Marine Mammal Fund - The Singing Humpbacks

released on cassette tape (yes, Oxford Dictionary, this is still a valid term)

This one is another thrift store discovery. It's been a while since beautiful humpback whale singing has been posted. The cover and the cassette itself says that this was part of the Voices of Nature Series. Due to lack of time, I could not attempt to find more info about this series as nothing was showing up in the first few pages of my favorite search engine.

The liner notes does provide a brief explanation of this series:

The VOICES OF NATURE SERIES is a production of the Marine Mammal Fund, a non-profit organization devoted to public education of ocean and marinelife issues. This series is designed to acquaint the listener with the diversity of life on our planet through the sounds that these life forms produce.
The meaning of animal sounds is little understood. No doubt some of the sounds they generate are used in communicating with others of their kind, while other sounds are used to warn of danger. Through all of the possible meanings, one thing is crystal clear: animal sounds as perceived by the human ear are fascinating and can be listened to for hours.



Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. Hawaiian Singers {7:43}
recorded by Kenneth C. Balcomb and Lon Brockelhurst off Lahaina, Maui, in March of 1979

2. Mexican Singers {6:47}
recorded by Kenneth C. Balcomb and Jorge Urban off Gordo Bank, Baja Mexico in March of 1988

Side 2

1. Humpbacks of Glacier Bay {4:49}
recorded by Dr. Lee Tepley at Glacier Bay, Alaska, no date provided

2. Caribbean Singers {9:40}
recorded by Dr. Thomas Poulter sometime during the 1960s

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Guide to Bird Sounds

National Geographic Society - Guide to Bird Sounds

released in 1983 on 4 10" flexidisc records (Eva-Tone Soundsheets)

Just as we delight to hear the familiar voice of a friend, our pleasure in hearing an unseen bird increases when we recognize its song. We listen and learn that a Mockingbird is establishing its territory nearby, that Tundra Swans are passing overhead, that the Summer Tanagers have returned from their southern winter. Songs and calls betray the location of shy or nocturnal species that we might otherwise miss, and confirm the identity of a bird seen only fleetingly. And for a few look-alikes, voice is our only means for positive identification in the field.
These recordings include the sounds of 179 species - not always the most beautiful sounds, nor those most often heard, but the sounds that are most helpful in finding and identifying elusive or confusing species.
Birds sing primarily to announce that a territory is claimed and a mate sought. That is why we hear more singing in the nesting season than at other times of the year. In most cases, only the male sings.
But the pleasant, melodious sounds we call "songs" are only one form of bird language. At any season we can hear the brief, simple calls used by both males and females to maintain contact and to convey alarm, distress, and feeding information. Often it is a call, rather than a song, that identifies a species. The adult American Crow and Fish Crow are virtually identical in appearance. Observers distinguish them in the field by their different calls. You will hear these and other distinctive sounds on these records.
You will also hear some very unmusical "songs" - the hooting of owls, the grating cries of terns, the clapping and clicking of rails. And you will hear some signals that are not made by voice at all, like the dramatic wing drumming of the Ruffed Grouse.
Time spent at home in becoming familiar with the bird sounds on these records will be well rewarded in the field. Expert birders find that they depend on voice as much as plumage in identifying birds. The variety of bird sounds is impressive - and perhaps daunting. Learn a few at a time, beginning with species you often see and hear.
You may find it easier to remember a song in words that imitate its sounds and cadence. Most listeners agree, for example, that the American Robin's varied phrases sound like cheerily cheerio cheerup. You will find many such verbalizations in the National Geographic Society's Field Guide to the Birds of North America. (from the liner notes)

Tracklisting:

Record 1

Side A

1. Western Grebe, Tundra Swan, Trumpeter Swan, Canada Goose {2:40}

2. King Rail, Clapper Rail, Virginia Rail, Sora, Yellow Rail, Black Rail {2:32}

3. Semipalmated Plover, Common Ringed Plover, Black-bellied Plover, Lesser Golden-Plover, Greater Golden-Plover, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs {2:52}

4. Wilson's Phalarope, Red-necked Phalarope, Short-billed Dowitcher, Long-billed Dowitcher, Ruddy Turnstone, Black Turnstone {2:33}

Side B

1. Sanderling, Dunlin, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Temminck's Stint, Baird's Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper {2:15}

2. Arctic Tern, Common Tern, Forster's Tern, Roseate Tern, Royal Tern, Caspian Tern {2:28}

3. Red-shouldered Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk, Red-winged Hawk {1:22}

4. Ruffed Grouse, Spruce Grouse, Blue Grouse, Montezuma Quail, Scaled Quail, Gambel's Quail, California Quail, Mountain Quail {4:08}

Record 2

Side A

1. Black-billed Cuckoo, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Mangrove Cuckoo {1:27}

2. Long-eared Owl, Great Horned Owl, Barred Owl, Great Gray Owl, Spotted Owl, Eastern Screech-Owl, Western Screech-Owl, Whiskered Screech-Owl, Flammulated Owl {4:15}

3. Elf Owl, Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, Northern Pygmy-Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Boreal Owl {1:52}

4. Chuck-will's-widow, Whip-poor-will, Buff-collared Nightjar, Common Poorwill, Common Pauraque, Common Nighthawk, Antillean Nighthawk, Lesser Nighthawk {3:01}

Side B

1. Broad-billed Hummingbird, White-eared Hummingbird, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Anna's Hummingbird, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Allen's Hummingbird {2:26}

2. Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Nuttail's Woodpecker {1:58}

3. Cassin's Kingbird, Couch's Kingbird, Tropical Kingbird {1:31}

4. Great Crested flycatcher, Brown-crested Flycatcher, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Western Wood-Pewee, Gray Flycatcher, Dusky Flycatcher, Hammond's Flycatcher {4:46}

Record 3

Side A

1. Least Flycatcher, Acadian Flycatcher, Willow Flycatcher, Alder Flycatcher, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Western Flycatcher, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet {3:56}

2. Scrub Jay, Gray-breasted Jay, American Crow, Fish Crow, Mexican Crow, Chihuahuan Raven, Common Raven {2:49}

3. Black-capped Chickadee, Carolina Chickadee, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Boreal Chickadee, Siberian Tit, White-breasted Nuthatch, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Pygmy Nuthatch, Brown-headed Nuthatch {4:13}

Side B

1. Carolina Wren, Marsh Wren, Sedge Wren, Canyon Wren {1:35}

2. Arctic Warbler, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher {1:36}

3. Wood Thrush, Veery, Gray-cheeked Thrush, Swainson's Thrush, Hermit Thrush, American Robin {3:12}

4. Northern Mockingbird, Brown Thrasher, Curve-billed Thrasher, Bendire's Thrasher, California Thrasher, Crissal Thrasher, Water Pipit, Sprague's Pipit {4:13}

Record 4

Side A

1. Black-capped Vireo, White-eyed Vireo, Bell's Vireo, Hutton's Vireo, Gray Vireo, Solitary Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Philadelphia Vireo, Warbling Vireo {4:59}

2. Bachman's Warbler, Mourning Warbler, Connecticut Warbler, Kentucky Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, Northern Waterthrush {3:17}

3. Brown Towhee, Abert's Towhee, Grasshopper Sparrow, Baird's Sparrow {2:35}

Side B

1. Bachman's Sparrow, Botteri's Sparrow, Cassin's Sparrow, Chestnut-collared Longspur, McCown's Longspur, Smith's Longspur, Lapland Longspur {3:36}

2. Eastern Meadowlark, Western Meadowlark, Red-winged Blackbird, Tricolored Blackbird {2:04}

3. Scott's Oriole, Orchard Oriole, Hooded Oriole, Scarlet Tanager, Summer Tanager, Hepatic Tanager {2:56}

4. Red Crossbill, Common Redpoll, Purple Finch, Cassin's Finch, House Finch {2:03}

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Sounds of the Jungle

Sounds of Nature - Sounds of the Jungle

cassette released in 1991

This tape is a recording of "the concert of the jungle" featuring lions, monkeys, elephants, leopards, frogs, birds, etc. Hardly any information was included on this release which seems to be the case of a lot of these older nature sounds cassettes and CDs I've been finding for the past few years so I can't tell exactly what species is being heard. Also, as is the case with most of the nature sounds releases, this one is intended to be played as a background for relaxation or to provide background ambiance. Thanks to tapes like this, I can listen to the beautiful sounds of the jungle from the comfort of my home as opposed to actually being in a real jungle environment where it is likely far from being a safe place to relax.

Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. Sounds of the Jungle side 1 {28:54}

Side 2

1. Sounds of the Jungle side 2 {28:09}

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Loon Talk

NorthSound - Loon Talk

released on cassette in 1992

Contains recordings of the loon's haunting and beautiful calls including wails, yodels, tremolos, and hoots. All of the loons' calls on the album were recorded in their natural environment somewhere in the Canadian wilderness.

From the liner notes:

THE TREMOLO
This is the loons' all-purpose call which can signal annoyance, worry, or greeting. Mated pairs use a tremolo duet when disturbance threatens their young. This duet is also used in early spring to reinforce pair bonding and advertise territorial rights.

Trivia: The tremolo is the only call loons can give while in flight.

THE WAIL
Often termed the "night call," the wail is considered the most primitive of loon sounds. It is also the first call attempted by loon chicks. Oliver Austin described the loon wail as "one of the loveliest sounds in nature," and it's the favorite among most loon listeners. The wail is frequently used in night chorusing and in answering the tremolo of loons flying overhead.

Trivia: This loon call is known to elicit the howls of wolves and coyotes.

THE YODEL
Sigurd Olson described the yodel as "the weirdest and wildest of calls ... beautiful and thrilling." Issued only by the male, the message of the yodel is territorial. When an intruding loon approaches another loon's territory, yodels are used as verbal attack. During confrontations, male loons may engage in "counter-singing" while the territorial female supports her mate with wails and tremolos.

Trivia: Even after the battle for turf is over, a resident male will often yodel for an hour or more.

THE HOOT
This one-note call sounds just like it reads if you go softly on the "t". A location call that lets the mate or chicks know the sender's whereabouts, the hoot is used mainly between family members. It may serve an "I'm OK, are you OK?" function. Trivia: While it is frequently used, the hoot is not often heard, because it is a quiet, intimate call.

Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. Loon Talk side 1 {26:02}

Side 2

1. Loon Talk side 2 {28:40}

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Melawat Malaysia

Georgia Hesse and Russell Johnson - Melawat Malaysia

cassette released in 1985

This cassette is narrated by notable travel writer Georgia Hesse and producer and radio and TV host Russell Johnson. Melawat (Malay word for "visit") Malaysia is the second in a series of electronic travel guides produced by Travelmedia. All of the sounds and music were recorded in Malaysia. I am still trying to find out how many of these electronic travel guides were produced and released.

This tape gives a glimpse of the cultural background of Malaysia including the music, cuisine, traditions, marriage ceremonies, harvest celebrations along with the demographics (at time of recording), the fauna that inhabit the country and travel tips.

Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. Beasts, Brits and Bumiputras: From Jungle Cries to Semiconductors {17:24}

Side 2

1. Temples, Traditions and Travel Tips: From Cat Kites to Cuisines {17:17}

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Animals of Africa: Sounds of the Jungle, Plain & Bush

[uncredited artist] - Animals of Africa: Sounds of the Jungle, Plain & Bush

released on LP in 1973

Current research among naturalists tends to break down any remaining class-distinction between animals and man; the more we know about the other creatures on our common planet, the sillier it seems to judge homo sapiens either as superior to all others, as the ancients dreamed, or as the lowest conceivable form of beast, as some of us might suspect today. It turns out that nearly everything we thought unique to our species - city-building, war-making, tool-using, the ability to employ logic - can be already found in some other animal's daily behavior. Even a cursory listening to this record will dispel the notion that we are the sole possessors of the concept of language: I am sure that at least some of these animals' speech is as articulate as ours - all we lack is an effective interpreter, a Rosetta stone that would let us in on their secrets.
But for me, as a composer and musician, the most fascinating aspect of these animal sounds is their musicality, their phrasing. There is never any unclarity or tentativeness in their statement, and that is enviable from any artist's standpoint. Children have this directness, but when we grow up we cloud our speech, befog our meaning, lose our animal voice. Half the struggle of any good singer, actor, instrumentalist, or composer is to find that voice again, to recreate with great care what seemingly comes naturally to the hippo or the leopard. Some of us almost succeed in this, and that is why we respond so strongly to a Bille Holiday, to a Mozart, to a Varese.
It should be unnecessary to say what follows, but I think I must. Listening to this recording in the relative safety and confinement of one's living room could lead all too easily to the waggish parlor-game of finding amusing parallels between, say, the cry of the hyena and the opening of Varese's Integrales, the trumpeting of the elephant and a fanfare in a Mahler symphony, the chattering of the vervet monkey and that of the strings in a Beethoven scherzo. There exist, already, recordings in which bird and animal "noises" have been electronically reprocessed to make little tunes; I need hardly mention the craze, a few years ago, for jungle sounds accompanied by filtered-in sentimental music. All this shows a lack of respect for the animals themselves, for the dangerous and blazing beauty they possess and we have so often lost in our circumscribed lives. The African recording engineers have done so well to give us the voices of their wildlife as they are, where they are, in the forest, bush, hillside, and savannah of an enormous continent few of us have visited, and we are privileged for the gift. Listen carefully, and even some of the language-barrier between man and beast disappears; I find, for example, the passionate love-call of the "unbeautiful" rhinoceros as moving as anything in human music. (William Bolcom)

Tracklisting:

Side One

1. Leopard {1:08}

2. Vervet Monkey {3:05}

3. Hyrax {2:42}

4. Rhinoceros {2:24}

5. Zebra {1:49}

6. Wildebeeste {2:09}

Side Two

1. Lion {2:51}

2. Hyena {2:07}

3. Wild Dog {2:11}

4. Silver-Backed Jackal {1:21}

5. Elephant {2:55}

6. Hippopotamus {2:59}

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Environments Disc 3 [REPOST]

Syntonic Research, Inc. - Environments Disc 3

LP released in 1971

Be-In (A Psychoacoustic Experience)

Sheep Meadow, Central Park, New York City (April 6, 1969)The 1969 Easter Be-In in New York's Central Park has come to be regarded as a sort of high-water mark for the now almost vanished Love Generation. The tremendously diverse crowd kept growing and gathering momentum until almost everyone marveled at this spontaneous "thing' that had taken place in the park. This Be-In was certainly not the biggest gathering of young people to take place in 1969. However, there are many things that happened during this recording that make it a rare, almost magical moment. The recording captures with honesty and total realism this particular instant in time which in retrospect seems more than a bit unreal. Be-In is the real experience of running barefoot in the grass on a beautiful spring day, surrounded by thousands of half-innocents exhibiting little, if any, trace of paranoia or guilt. If you were ever at a massive, totally spontaneous gathering in 1969, we think you know the feeling we mean. This particular disc is unlike anything you've ever heard before; we call it a "psychoacoustic experience". It recreates an event with such realism that it actually seems to be happening again. We think that once you experience the total immersion of this encounter, you'll agree with us that Be-In is something special.

Additional notes: The Be-In recorded during 1969 (on this record) was the third annual Be-In. Notable anti-establishment rock musician David Peel appears on this recording and performs one of his songs "Legalize Marijuana" which another version would be placed on his 1970 album The American Revolution. Later in the day after the recording was finished, there was a confrontation with police that involved rock throwing. Apparently, the Be-In ended on a not-so-happy moment.

Dusk at New Hope, Pennsylvania

(Night Environment) (August 1970)Imagine a warm summer night deep in the verdant backwoods of Eastern Pennsylvania. An infinity of sound stretching out before you. The steady, yet constantly changing drone of countless tiny insects, reminding you of the serenity and timelessness of nature. Far in the distance, a hound occasionally barks. You feel as if you are a thousand miles from the annoyances of city life. If you can imagine such a night, you pretty much know what our recording of Dusk at New Hope is like. This highly realistic stereo sound took almost a year of location work and patient testing to perfect. In its present form, it is a perfect compliment to the other natural sound recordings in the series. In an urban setting, we think you'll be amazed by the profound changes that take place when you play the disc as a background sound. Many people find that the sounds of night in the country are second to none in creating a setting for increased interpersonal relationships. Dusk at New Hope can be left on for very long periods of time without inducing fatigue or boredom. Once you become familiar with the sound, we are certain that you will find many new uses for the effect.

Note: This repost has been re-ripped to 320 kbps and includes scans of the liner notes. The original post was ripped to 192 kbps. This LP was originally posted almost four years ago. If you already got this, you may want to grab the upgraded rip. This was among the first recordings posted at the beginning of this blog on the old blogspot site.

Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. Be-In (A Psychoacoustic Experience) {33:28}

Side 2

1. Dusk at New Hope, Pennsylvania {36:31}

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Solitudes Volume Eight

Dan Gibson - Solitudes Volume Eight

cassette released in 1983

Sailing to a Hidden Cove

The tug of the waves at the helm, the boat heeling until the lee rail slashes the surface, the workaday world far behind. And then, the sound of the winch, as the genoa is trimmed to a new course heading between land and a few small reefs, where gulls scream at our passing. Up ahead is a small island. When we sail close, we can hear the waves crashing on the rocks. An explosion of wings and cries tells us we are intruding on pristine territory. When we change course again, a following wind drives us through the narrow mouth of a long fjord-like bay. The boat slows as we move into protected waters, and we see the cove, hidden now by sheer cliffs and a rocky point. Driftwood rises in tortured shapes from the small sand beach. On a low hill above the cove, a beaver dam and the sounds of wildlife everywhere. We drop anchor and row ashore, towards the sounds - sounds from the trees, from the pond, from the sky. Superb digital recording, as true to life, will help you recognize each creature of the hidden cove.

WILDLIFE SPECIES FEATURED:

Herring and Ring-billed Gulls, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Common Loon, White-throated Sparrow, Yellowthroat, Swamp Sparrow, Common Glicker, Osprey, Pileated Woodpecker, Tree Swallows, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Bullfrogs, Gray Tree Frogs, Whip-poor-will

Hiking Over the Highlands

Sailing forever is the dream, but we are awakened from that dream by a sound so mysterious that we hardly realize that we are awake; the sound seems to be an extension of the dream - the eerie cry of the loon. But there is another sound too. Something more prosaic - the slap of the waves against the side of the boat. Breakfast aboard attracts voracious gulls from the rocky point - they circle and scream demanding their share. The gulls won't follow us after breakfast; because we're leaving the boat at anchor, rowing ashore and hiking over the hills to listen to many sounds we seldom hear at home and to try our luck fishing a small mountain stream. If you have fished such a stream you will relive the experience. And if you've cooked your catch over a wood fire, you will just about taste again the tender fish when you hear its magic sizzle hitting the hot buttered pan. After lunch we follow the stream down to the lake. The gulls hover over the reef expectantly and in the distance we can see our boat waiting.

WILDLIFE SPECIES FEATURED:

Common Loons, White-throated Sparrow, Yellowthroat, Herring and Ring-billed Gulls, Swamp Sparrow, Spring Peeper Frogs, Catbird, Swainson's Thrush, Winter Wren, Wood Thrush

Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. Sailing to a Hidden Cove {29:54}

Side 2

1. Hiking Over the Highlands {29:59}

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Echoes of Nature Sampler

Echoes of Nature Sampler: The Natural Sounds of the Wilderness

CD released in 1993

As the title says, this is a sampler of the environmental/nature recordings in the Echoes of Nature series which consist of familiar yet well recorded sounds from the natural world. This post is different from the others in that instead of field recordings focusing on one type of area, just about all of the areas are covered. Listening to this all the way through is like going on a trip through several types of environments in just over an hour. Each track which is approximately seven to eight minutes long is an excerpt from different Echoes of Nature releases. If there are any particular ones that you would wish would last longer, you could use the "repeat" feature on your player of choice or find the release the track came from.

*special thanks to my friend KL from NYC for sharing this

Tracklisting:

1. Ocean Waves {7:29}

2. Morning Songbirds {7:04}

3. Bayou {7:54}

4. Tropical Rainforest {7:27}

5. Jungle Talk {7:25}

6. Wilderness Rivers {7:00}

7. Thunderstorm {6:55}

8. Frog Chorus {8:37}

9. American Wilds {7:43}

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Solitudes Volume Seven

Dan Gibson - Solitudes Volume Seven

cassette released in 1983

*Special thanks to a friend for sharing this with me.

NIGHT IN A SOUTHERN SWAMP

Can a 14 foot alligator surface under a canoe and overturn it? What creature belongs to that eerie scream that comes from somewhere above the water, surrounded by the jungle of giant cypresses.
Why are we paddling through this southern swamp at night anyway? A search for danger? Excitement? Adventure at any price?
In fact , it's an experiment in time - a search for antiquity - a return to the primeval. For here, amid the cries of the night, under a dome of stars and walled by the ancient and towering trees, we move ever deeper into the strangness of the great swamp. The paddle dips and plays a gentle, watery obligato to the calls from the treetops, from the jungle shores, from the sky and from the hidden retreats among the swamp grasses. We have left routine behind - primeval night surrounds us. Slowly we relax into this old world, our only contact with the outside world is the feel of the paddle prodding the dark, moving us ever further into the unknown waters of the swamp - ever further away from reality.

WILDLIFE SPECIES FEATURED

Chuck-will's widow, Red-tailed Hawk, Barred Owls, wood Ducks, Great Horned Owl, Common Gallinule, Snowy Egret, Pine Woods Tree Frogs, Southern Swamp Chorus Frogs, Barking Frogs, Cricket Frogs, Gopher Frogs, Screech Owls

DON'T FEED THE ALLIGATORS

You remember those walks along a sandy, shell-strewn shore? With the surf rolling in? And the seabirds crying in a sunny sky? Most of us long to do it again at the very first opportunity. It will all come flooding back to you, now, in three dimensions. And perhaps it will add something new as well. After you stroll along the beach, you turn inland, following a trail through the heavily forested wetlands that contrast dramatically with the beach scene. Here, among ancient cypress trees four or five hundred years old, strange and distant cries float towards you through the moss-hung air. Intimate sounds surprise you - wing sounds, water sounds, unexpected splashes. From what? A waterbird? The flail of an alligator's tail? It's all part of the lush and private world of the southern swamp. The three dimensional effect is stunning - your room, or your mind will transform, your environment will change. You will be there. And just when you yearn again for the beach, you will hear the surf and the gulls in the distance. You are moving towards them. Soon you break out into the sun, sea and sky. Once again the sea wind is on your face, cooling your skin. And you are strolling back along the sand.

WILDLIFE SPECIES FEATURED

Mockingbird, White-eyed Vireo, Great Crested Flycatcher, House Wren, Great Egret*, American Wigeon*, Laughing Gulls*, Ring-billed Gulls*, Snowy Egret*, Common Gallinule*, Fish Crow*, Tufted Titmouse, Red-headed Woodpecker, Rufous-sided Towhee.

*Numerous water and shore birds in the background.

Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. Night in a Southern Swamp {29:38}

Side 2

1. Don't Feed the Alligators {29:27}

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