Nature Is My Jam

<p>If you’re like me, you love the sounds of nature—the dawn chorus, the rustle of wind through trees, the call of coyotes in the dark. These sounds spark curiosity, calm, and a deeper connection to the world around us.</p><p><br></p><p>Welcome to <em>Nature Is My Jam</em>, a podcast that shares immersive soundscapes recorded in the quiet corners of Northern Michigan and beyond. I’m Darrin, a field recordist capturing the subtle and wild voices of nature by taking my gear to remote places. Each episode features a natural soundscape, along with a few thoughts on how and where it was recorded. It’s a brief pause from the noise of everyday life—and a reminder to listen more closely.</p><p><br></p><p>Subscribe and join me in exploring the world, one sound at a time.</p>

Fading Light on Otter Creek

Send us a text It feels good to be back. This is my first field recording in nearly two years, captured just after sunset along the banks of Otter Creek in Sleeping Bear Dunes. I used my Zoom F3 recorder paired with the Audio-Technica BP4025 microphone, placed as a drop rig for an overnight session. As the light faded, I returned to one of my favorite spots—a quiet place where beavers often swim and birds gather in abundance. I watched two Trumpeter Swans descend and glide in beside a gatheri...

04-18
56:08

Moody Morning on the Beach

Send us a text I would like to thank everyone that has donated or otherwise supported Nature is my Jam by liking, following, sharing and/or subscribing to the podcast. Your support goes directly to creating future episodes and allows this podcast to be ad-free and 100% listener supported. Your kindness means the world to me and I hope you might feel inspired to explore the natural areas where you live. Subtlety and solitude were the theme of the early dawn as I drove towards the Sleeping Bear...

06-14
50:00

Spring Peepers in Concert: Return to Boekeloo Lodge

Send us a text I would like to thank everyone that has donated or otherwise supported Nature is my Jam by liking, following, sharing and/or subscribing to the podcast. Your support goes directly to creating future episodes and allows this podcast to be ad-free and 100% listener supported. Your kindness means the world to me and I hope you might feel inspired to explore the natural areas where you live. Returning to the idyllic Boekeloo Lodge at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore for the s...

05-24
47:00

Sounds of Sleeping Bear Dunes: High Noon at the Boekeloo Lodge

Send us a text I would like to thank everyone that has donated or otherwise supported Nature is my Jam by liking, following, sharing and/or subscribing to the podcast. Your support goes directly to creating future episodes and allows this podcast to be ad-free and 100% listener supported. Your kindness means the world to me and I hope you might feel inspired to explore the natural areas where you live. Today, we’re exploring the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and uncovering the story ...

05-16
26:00

Dawn Chorus at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

Send us a text Quick Note: You will hear some artificial noises in this recording, but they are few and I don’t feel they detract from the recording. It is becoming increasingly difficult to record pristine audio without driving hundreds of miles and spending countless hours in its pursuit. I realize it is perhaps better to include the artificial sounds and recognize that we live in a society where noise pollution exists. I am a perfectionist for my work and I struggle on where to draw the li...

05-08
38:53

Lake Michigan Waves: A Meditative Experience

Send us a text I would like to thank everyone that has donated or otherwise supported Nature is my Jam by liking, following, sharing and/or subscribing to the podcast. Your support goes directly to creating future episodes and allows this podcast to be ad-free and 100% listener supported. Your kindness means the world to me and I hope you might feel inspired to explore the natural areas where you live. Welcome to the latest episode of the Nature is my Jam Podcast! I am a firm believer ...

04-06
02:12:29

Barred Owl Mating Season in Northern Michigan

Send us a text QUICK NOTE: This recording has a fair bit of noise pollution in the form of traffic and the occasional aircraft. I was a couple of miles away from where I wanted to record but heard the owls starting their calls so wanted to record them. My apologies but I really think this recording is amazing and I wanted to share it with you. I would like to thank everyone that has donated or otherwise supported Nature is my Jam by liking, following, sharing and/or subscribing to the podca...

03-23
15:52

What Lies Beneath: Hydrophone Recording of the Boardman River

Send us a text Greetings one and all. We have returned from a brief hiatus after the passing of Rhonda’s Dad to venture out to the Boardman River for a hydrophone recording. Hydrowhat? A hydrophone is a specialized microphone used to capture the hidden sounds of aquatic environment that happen beneath the surface of the water. Unlike traditional microphones that are designed to pick up sound waves traveling through the air, hydrophones are engineered to detect sound waves transmitted through ...

03-16
30:00

Finding Solace Amongst the Waves of Lake Michigan

Send us a text Recorded with the Sonorous Objects SO.1 microphones and the Zoom F3 Field Recorder, this episode is all about how I find solace and peace by spending time in, on and around Lake Michigan. What makes this recording special, for me, is the muted tones of the lake when the ice has formed. It sounds completely unique and unlike any other time of the year. It is special, especially with the sporadic ice balls that form along the shore when the conditions are right. These spher...

02-26
30:58

The 2023 Great Backyard Bird Count

Send us a text Disclaimer: I didn’t record this episode deep in the forest or on a deserted stretch of beach. I spent the weekend in my backyard, taking part in the 2023 Great Backyard Bird Count. Temperatures ranged from the mid-20s (F) into the high-40s over the weekend. The wind was BRUTAL, with gusts hitting 30 miles per hour. This is not a clean recording, but it accurately reflects the conditions in which I found myself during this event. As a birding enthusiast and a self-proclaimed ci...

02-20
22:00

A Morning on Otter Creek with a Raft of Ducks

Send us a text I would like to thank everyone that has donated or otherwise supported Nature is my Jam by liking, following, sharing and/or subscribing to the podcast. Your support goes directly to creating future episodes and allows this podcast to be ad-free and 100% listener supported. Your kindness means the world to me and I hope you might feel inspired to explore the natural areas where you live. A fairly short recording this week, but it is time well spent with a raft of Mallard Ducks....

02-02
08:20

Crash, Stomp and Snort: A Night in the Forest

Send us a text I would like to thank everyone that has donated or otherwise supported Nature is my Jam by liking, following, sharing and/or subscribing to the podcast. Your support goes directly to creating future episodes and allows this podcast to be ad-free and 100% listener supported. Your kindness means the world to me and I hope you might feel inspired to explore the natural areas where you live. “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” - Dr. ...

01-27
21:00

Moody Lake Michigan Day at Leelanau State Park

Send us a text I would like to thank everyone that has donated or otherwise supported Nature is my Jam by liking, following, sharing and/or subscribing to the podcast. Your support goes directly to creating future episodes and allows this podcast to be ad-free and 100% listener supported. Your kindness means the world to me and I hope you might feel inspired to explore the natural areas where you live. Captain’s Log, Stardate 100646.84. It has been weeks since the sun has appeared on this pla...

01-19
40:00

Red Fox Activity at Night

Send us a text I would like to thank everyone that has donated or otherwise supported Nature is my Jam by liking, following, sharing and/or subscribing to the podcast. Your support goes directly to creating future episodes and allows this podcast to be ad-free and 100% listener supported. Your kindness means the world to me and I hope you might feel inspired to explore the natural areas where you live. I hesitate to call this week’s recording an episode because it is, shall we say, brief? I h...

01-12
01:22

Ice and Sleet on the Platte River

Send us a text I would like to thank everyone that has donated or otherwise supported Nature is my Jam by liking, following, sharing and/or subscribing to the podcast. Your support goes directly to creating future episodes and allows this podcast to be ad-free and 100% listener supported. Your kindness means the world to me and I hope you might feel inspired to explore the natural areas where you live. Welcome to Season Two of the Nature is my Jam podcast! 2023 is finally here, and the year b...

01-05
32:00

Season One Retrospective: Thank You!

Send us a text I would like to thank everyone that has donated or otherwise supported Nature is my Jam by liking, following, sharing and/or subscribing to the podcast. Your support goes directly to creating future episodes and allows this podcast to be ad-free and 100% listener supported. Your kindness means the world to me and I hope you might feel inspired to explore the natural areas where you live. By most measures, 2022 was not kind. I still can’t bring myself to talk about it, but my si...

12-29
34:21

Sounds of Sleeping Bear Dunes: The Calm Before The Storm

Send us a text May the closeness of friends and the comfort of home renew your spirits this holiday season. I would like to thank everyone that has donated or otherwise supported Nature is my Jam by liking, following, sharing and/or subscribing to the podcast. Your support goes directly to creating future episodes and allows this podcast to be ad-free and 100% listener supported. Your kindness means the world to me and I hope you might feel inspired to explore the natural areas where yo...

12-22
40:00

Sounds of Northern Michigan: A Blustery Day on Empire Bluff

Send us a text I would like to thank everyone that has donated or otherwise supported Nature is my Jam by liking, following, sharing and/or subscribing to the podcast. Your support goes directly to creating future episodes and allows this podcast to be ad-free and 100% listener supported. Your kindness means the world to me and I hope you might feel inspired to explore the natural areas where you live. Summary: Welcome to episode 27 of the Nature is my Jam podcast. Winter in Michigan presents...

12-15
22:00

A Big Wind on Otter Creek

Send us a text I would like to thank everyone that has donated or otherwise supported Nature is my Jam by liking, following, sharing and/or subscribing to the podcast. Your support goes directly to creating future episodes and allows this podcast to be ad-free and 100% listener supported. Your kindness means the world to me and I hope you might feel inspired to explore the natural areas where you live. Summary: Welcome to episode 26 of the Nature is my Jam podcast. As always, I’m happy to wel...

12-01
25:41

Sounds of Sleeping Bear Dunes: Otter Creek Tributary

Send us a text As we enter a long holiday weekend in the United States, I have spent a lot of time thinking about gratitude and growth. 2022 has been an especially “not great” year for my family. We lost three beloved pets, have dealt with health issues and had to navigate an early retirement after losing my job in a career that spanned 25 years. By any measure, that’s a lot to deal with and I’m happy to say that I think we have handled it well. We will forever miss our pets, but it warmed ou...

11-25
30:00

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