Dawn Chorus at Perch Lake

Nature Is My Jam

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Date & Time: | 6/10/2022 | 5:00 AM
Location: | Traverse City, Michigan USA
Landscape/Feature: | Perch Lake
Conditions: | Clear, Light Wind, Cool
Recording Device: | Zoom H5 Handy Recorder
Microphone: | DIY SASS Microphone using EM272’s
Digital Audio Workstation: | Adobe Audition
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Show Notes

I recorded this soundscape during a location scouting trip around my local forest. There is a small lake near our house that, for lack of a better term, punches above its weight as it relates to wildlife diversity. It is one of my favorite spots for birding. While it is a named lake (Perch Lake) on a named road (Perch Lake Road), it is still off the beaten path, so there is a very good chance that you will be the only one there.

The lake is essentially in a bowl and surrounded by rolling hills on all sides, which appear to be a great conduit for wildlife. It is not uncommon to hear turkeys in the distance, deer crashing through the brush and the calls of at least 7-10 birds. For a fairly isolated location, the birds come in close, which you will hear in this recording. The geography of the lake, paired with the surrounding hills, makes for interesting reverberations of sound and booming echoes.

I recorded this session using the Zoom H5. This is actually the first serious recording device I ever purchased and while many consider it to be entry level and lacking a lot of features, it has always treated me well. The H5 doesn’t get used as much as it used to, but it is great for scouting locations. I can use a drop rig and come back the next day to see if the location is conducive to more in-depth recordings. I’m hesitant to call this recording a success because it is ripe with road noise (subtle but present) but the sheer number of different birds featured makes it a worthwhile listen, IMHO.

Partial Bird Listing

• Tufted Titmouse
• Turkey
• Black-capped Chickadee
• American Robin
• Red-winged Blackbird (quite vocal too)
• Northern Cardinal
• Mourning Dove
• Eastern Kingbird
• Northern Flicker
• Red-eyed Vireo
• Ovenbird
• Whip-poor-will

There is a lot going on in this recording, so I’m certain I missed a few bird calls, so please let me know what you heard! You will also hear wings flapping and a strange splash twice in the recording. Any guesses what that could have been??

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