Sounds in the Woods: Recent Episodes
Saturday Action Studio
Ambient sound recordings in natural areas for relaxation with a brief introduction of the location.
New episode every other Monday.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3440-bittersweet License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Red maple stand near a wetland, spring peepers start at 20:42Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeod (License)
Windy day in a freshly burned oak stand (still smelled like fire). Mixed audio mono due to the right microphone peaking due to the wind. Constant distant traffic due to proximity to Interstate 80/90.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeod (License)
Under eastern red cedar surrounded by oaks on a windy day. Constant distant traffic due to proximity to Interstate 80/90. Crows, bluejays, and rustling oak leaves throughout.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeod (License)
White noise from the spillway of a historic grist mill.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeod (License)
Return to Arrowhead Preserves (Ep. 4). Planted wetland forest adjacent to open prairie and emergent wetlands on a warm, windy December day. Rain started at about 15:30 and an active bluejay in the last 2 minutes.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeod (License)
Return to Glacial Esker Nature Preserve (Ep. 103), but a different area. Oak, maple, and hackberry forest adjacent to Bowen Lake with wet snow.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeod (License)
Oak-hickory stand on a breezy day with a few squirrels after an unplanned 3 month hiatus.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeod (License)
Marsh and upland refuge on the site of a former Navy seaplane base and former NIKE missile base. Adjacent to a municipal airport, which resulted in a fair bit of airplane take-off noise.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeod (License)
Unedited version of Ep. 135. Warning: wind clipping audio throughout (especially in the left ear). Return to Pigeon River Fish and Wildlife Area (Ep. 66). Windy day in an oak and hickory stand adjacent to a mill pond.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeod (License)
Return to Pigeon River Fish and Wildlife Area (Ep. 66). Windy day in an oak and hickory stand adjacent to a mill pond. Short episode due to trimming out clipping from the wind.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeod (License)
Return to Acres Along the Wabash (Ep. 34). Breezy day in an oak, hickory, and maple stand one the ridge above the Wabash River. A fly buzzes by at 7:09.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeod (License)
Lots of birds active in a sparse and open black walnut stand along Loon Lake. Chipmunk scurrying at 9:50.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeod (License)
Return to Spring Lake Woods & Bog (original Ep. 35). Soft oak-hickory forest with April showers.Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeod (License)
Spring birds, squirrels, and rain active in a disturbed hardwood forest.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeod (License)
Low hardwood forest along Sandstone Creek. Traffic noise as the property is bisected by a road.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeod (License)
Return to Fogwell Forest Nature Preserve (original Ep. 23). Oak and maple stand in a classic flatwoods. I would normally remove more traffic noise, but the spring birds were active.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3440-bittersweetLicense: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Calm water and early spring birds by the lake. Sand hill cranes at 50:28.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3440-bittersweetLicense: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Mixed hardwood forest with snow and ice falling from the trees.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3440-bittersweetLicense: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
A still winter day in a yellow-poplar forest.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3440-bittersweetLicense: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Snow melting off of shrubs in a mixed oak forest with highway noise.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3440-bittersweetLicense: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
A snowy mixed hardwood forest with plenty of highway noise.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3440-bittersweetLicense: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Still and quiet day in a hardwood forest.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3440-bittersweetLicense: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Oak forest with falling acorns and vocal crows.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3440-bittersweetLicense: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Old growth forest with large tulip-poplar and white pine within the Hoosier National Forest.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3440-bittersweet License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Another windy fall day in an oak-hickory forest.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3440-bittersweet License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Windy fall day in a oak forest.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3440-bittersweet License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Early fall day in a sugar maple forested neighborhood park.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3440-bittersweet License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Small protected wetland surrounded by ironweed and American senna.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3440-bittersweet License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
A small oak-hickory forest. Short episode due to local construction noise.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3440-bittersweet License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
A small oak-hickory forest. Short episode due to local construction noise.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3440-bittersweet License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Oak-hickory forest. The same location as Episode 5.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3440-bittersweet License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Cicadas and katydids in a young oak plantation.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3440-bittersweet License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Pine plantation with owls, cicadas, and wind.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3440-bittersweet License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Hardwood forest with several waterfalls. Cicadas were not loud enough to mask DNR lawn mower.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3440-bittersweet License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Mixed hardwood forest with lots of birds.
Intro: Bittersweet by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3440-bittersweet License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Busy episode with leopard frogs, blue jays, active chipmunks chirping and running around the microphone, creaky trees, and birds i don't know in an elm-maple flatwoods.
Windy day in a hickory stand adjacent to Snakey Point Marsh with occasional Canada geese.
Winter wind through a constructed butterfly habitat field on the forest edge. Sandhill cranes starting at 18:23.
Winter oak-hickory forest on a ridge. I left in more traffic noise than normal because the red-bellied woodpeckers were vocal.
Very windy willow and cottonwood stand on the edge of a waterfowl habitat restoration area.
The loudest episode. The Lower Fossil Beds with the constant roar of the Upper Tainter Gates.
Rich beech-maple stand in a mixed hardwood forest (with oaks and hickories) and a thick midstory of paw paw. I left in some traffic noise because that's when the critters were active.
DECEMBER - Active birds as it was a warm, sunny day. An acorn falls from high and lands near the recorder (24:13). For 2021, I recorded at the same location monthly. It is in an oak-maple forest at the base of an ancient sand dune. This is the same park from Episode 1.
NOVEMBER - Leaves are falling and the highway noise is louder. Active chipmunks and squirrels preparing for winter. For 2021, I'm going to record at the same location monthly. It is in an oak-maple forest at the base of an ancient sand dune. This is the same park from Episode 1.
Constant katydid or cricket. Sandhill cranes, blue jays, crows, and chipmunks were active in a low box elder forest.
OCTOBER - I setup the recorder about 5 minutes before the rain starts -- at 4:17 in the episode -- and it continues throughout. For 2021, I'm going to record at the same location monthly. It is in an oak-maple forest at the base of an ancient sand dune. This is the same park from Episode 1.
Oak, hickory, and basswood forest along the banks of the Huron River. Constant trill of crickets and occasional mosquitoes. I did trim out the bulk of fly-overs, but since DTW is so close, jet after jet passed by.
SEPTEMBER - Distant birds and chipmunk chirps muffled by the wind and highway noise. For 2021, I'm going to record at the same location monthly. It is in an oak-maple forest at the base of an ancient sand dune. This is the same park from Episode 1.
Sugar maple and yellow-poplar forest with lots of pawpaw in the midstory - annual cicadas, birds, and distant road noise
AUGUST - Constant annual cicadas and highway noise. For 2021, I'm going to record at the same location monthly. It is in an oak-maple forest at the base of an ancient sand dune. This is the same park from Episode 1.
Bur oak, white oak, and northern red oak plantation with wind, annual cicadas, and crickets
JULY - Birds, cicadas, and a mosquito. For 2021, I'm going to record at the same location monthly. It is in an oak-maple forest at the base of an ancient sand dune. This is the same park from Episode 1.
JUNE - Vocal birds and a bit of rain. At about 21:00 minutes the wind picks up and then it rains for about a minute. For 2021, I'm going to record at the same location monthly. It is in an oak-maple forest at the base of an ancient sand dune. This is the same park from Episode 1.
Upland forest and emergent wetland ecotone (with a couple of trains) named after Henry Chandler Cowles.
MAY - So many more birds compared to April! Great weather, so busy park. Normally I edit out people as much as possible, however, I had to leave some in around 15 minutes. This was when a particularly vocal bird was near my recorder, fluttered around, and kept calling. Also, wood pecker hammering in the distance. For 2021, I'm going to record at the same location monthly. It is in an oak-maple forest at the base of an ancient sand dune. This is the same park from Episode 1.
APRIL - More highway noise than birds, but occasional squirrel. For 2021, I'm going to record at the same location monthly. It is in an oak-maple forest at the base of an ancient sand dune. This is the same park from Episode 1.
MARCH - Birds are getting more active, but still highway noise due to lack of leaves. For 2021, I'm going to record at the same location monthly. It is in an oak-maple forest at the base of an ancient sand dune. This is the same park from Episode 1.
FEBRUARY - Snow amplified highway noise, some birds. For 2021, I'm going to record at the same location monthly. It is in an oak-maple forest at the base of an ancient sand dune. This is the same park from Episode 1.
JANUARY - Active squirrels throughout. For 2021, I'm going to record at the same location monthly. It is in an oak-maple forest at the base of an ancient sand dune. This is the same park from Episode 1.
Scrub-shrub field surrounded by white oak forest (neighboring roosters at 17:00 and construction throughout; needed to change batteries at 10:00 and changed location slightly)
Upland sugar maple-basswood forest near campus (white-tail deer snorts right after intro).
Open grassland with scattered oaks (sandhill cranes in the distance at 38:22, 38:28, and 50:18)
A northern spruce-fir forest near Lake Superior (a critter scurries past the recorder at 7:46)
I've been taking my state's stay-at-home order seriously - trying not to travel far from home for non-essential reasons. All of the local nature preserves are in Season One.
This is my front yard at night with urban sounds (trains at 20:00-35:00).
I've been taking my state's stay-at-home order seriously - trying not to travel far from home for non-essential reasons. All of the local nature preserves are in Season One. Because of these two issues, here is my back yard surrounded by red buds.
This is the one year mark (special 60 minute episode). Season One was released weekly. Season Two will be delayed due to pandemic and distance to natural areas. Also, Season Two will be released biweekly.
I've been taking my state's stay-at-home order seriously - trying not to travel far from home for non-essential reasons. All of the local nature preserves are in Season One. Because of these two issues, here is my front yard with mature Scots pine and honey locust (woodpecker at 10:30).
Very calm climax beech-maple forest (something falls from the trees at minute 1:15 and active squirrels near the end)
Beech-maple flat woods adjacent to an old field recovering with little blue stem and goldenrod
Old beach ridge-swale complex with northern red oak, big tooth aspen, and a scurry of chipmunks.