Songscapes

It's early May at Vinemount Meadows Sanctuary at about 5am. The chorus frogs are singing, and the American Woodcock is "peenting", and as the day emerges, many birds add to an impressive dawn chorus. Features: Chorus Frog, American Woodcock, Field Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Mallard, Wilson's Snipe, Great Horned Owl, Killdeer, and more. Audio engineering by Rob Porter. For more information, see http://hamiltonnature.org/songscapes

Late May at McMaster Forest at about 5am. The American Woodcock are "peenting" while all the rest of the songbirds awake... Features: American Woodcock, Field Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Blue-winged Warbler, Tree Swallow, and more. Audio engineering by Rob Porter. For more information, see http://hamiltonnature.org/songscapes

A continuous soundscape of nocturnal field recordings from the Vinemount Meadows Nature Sanctuary in Vinemount, Ontario, Canada in the very early hours of April 7, 2019. Mildly edited to remove louder anthrogenic sounds. You will continually hear Chorus Frogs. You will occasionally hear: Mallard or American Black Duck , Canada Goose, and Great Horned Owl (very, very quietly). You might also very briefly hear: Killdeer, Wilson's Snipe, and American Tree Sparrow. From the Hamilton Bioacoustics Research Project & Hamilton Naturalists' Club. Audio editing: Rob Porter Original raw field recordings are available under Creative Commons license at archive.org. For more information, see http://hamiltonnature.org/songscapes

A continuous soundscape of morning field recordings from the Vinemount Meadows Nature Sanctuary in Vinemount, Ontario, Canada on April 7, 2019. Mildly edited to remove louder anthrogenic sounds. You will continually hear: Song Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, and American Robin Also present from time to time: Mallard (or American Black Duck) , Canada Goose, Ring-billed Gull, Herring Gull, White-throated Sparrow, European Starling, Northern Cardinal, Savannah Sparrow, Common Grackle, Blue Jay, American Crow, Downy Woodpecker , Eastern Meadowlark, Brown-headed Cowbird , Red Squirrel, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Dark-eyed Junco, and Winter Wren. Audio sourced from the Hamilton Bioacoustics Research Project & Hamilton Naturalists' Club Audio editing: Rob Porter The original raw field recordings are available under Creative Commons license at archive.org. For more information, see http://hamiltonnature.org/songscapes

A duet of Great Horned Owls in courtship. One continuous recording of a single interaction between a likely mated pair. Note that as it begins the second owl is quite far away and quiet, and as the interaction progresses, the second owl gets much closer. By the end they are "singing" together. Taken from field recordings of the Short Hills Nature Sanctuary in Pelham, Ontario, Canada on March 1, 2019 at dusk. This is a continuous recording with no clipping, though some adjustments to sound frequencies were made for better clarity. Audio provided by the Hamilton Bioacoustics Research Project & Hamilton Naturalists' Club Original raw recordings are available under Creative Commons license at archive.org. For more information, see http://hamiltonnature.org/songscapes

Throughout the winter, we have recorded many Eastern Coyotes, also known as the "song dogs". This is a collection of coyote choruses in multiple locations near Hamilton, Ontario throughout the winter of 2019.Audio editing: Rob PorterAudio sourced from the Hamilton Bioacoustics Research Project of the Hamilton Naturalists' Club.Original raw recordings are available under Creative Commons license at archive.org.For more information, see http://hamiltonnature.org/songscapes

The Red-eyed Vireo is known for its repetitive song, which can sound like a loop of questions and answers. They sing throughout the summer in forests across Eastern North America, even in the hot afternoons. You may also hear a warbler or two as well... Recorded on July 19, 2018 at Otter Lake, on the Saugeen (Bruce) Peninsula, Ontario, Canada.Audio editing: Rob PorterAudio sourced from the Hamilton Bioacoustics Research Project of the Hamilton Naturalists' Club.For more information, see http://hamiltonnature.org/songscapes

Birds can be most abundant along "edge" habitats--between one discrete habitat and another. Here you will hear a mix of urban birds--Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, Mourning Dove--along with the boreal species Yellow-rumped Warbler and a lakeside Song Sparrow. This soundscape was recorded close to a small road that divides ancient cedar forest from lake in a cottage setting.Recorded at Isthmus Bay, Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada in July 2018.Audio editing: Rob PorterAudio sourced from the Hamilton Bioacoustics Research Project of the Hamilton Naturalists' Club.For more information, see http://hamiltonnature.org/songscapes

This urban recording begins at dawn with the wind-down of the outlandish nocturnal mating calls ("peents") and display of the American Woodcock. Next comes the Song Sparrow and Northern Cardinal as the light grows. Finally, the Field Sparrows and Eastern Towhee begin their songs. Of the songbirds of the Hamilton area, these represent a mix of early migrants and year-round resident species.This soundscape was edited from recordings of the morning of April 10, 2019 at McMaster Forest in Ancaster, Ontario. This was the very first day the Eastern Towhee was heard singing at McMaster Forest on recording, which presumably means this species arrived overnight as a nocturnal migrant from more southern climes.Note that this location is urban, located between the communities of Dundas, Ancaster, and West Hamilton. The most prominent anthropogenic background noise is the 403 Highway and nearby train line. This soundscape has been lightly edited to reduce this noise.Heard singing, calling, or both in this episode: American Woodcock, Song Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Field Sparrow, Eastern Towhee, Carolina Wren, American Crow, Canada Goose, American Goldfinch, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Common Grackle, Ring-billed Gull, Red-winged Blackbird.Audio editing by Rob PorterAudio sourced from the Hamilton Bioacoustics Research Project of the Hamilton Naturalists' Club. More specifically, this recording comes from one continuous recording started early March going through mid-May to capture the arrival dates of breeding songbirds.For more information, visit http://hamiltonnature.org/songscapes

A short recording that includes the song of the Eastern Whip-poor-will. This species is now only heard and seen in the Hamilton area during migration, as the local breeding populations have all collapsed. To hear one sing, you need to be up at night or at dawn during the brief migration window as they are a nocturnal bird.This song was a pleasant surprise discovery in our recordings. This recording begins at 5:41 a.m., April 24, 2019 at McMaster Forest in Ancaster, Ontario.Heard singing, calling, or both in this recording: Eastern Whip-poor-will, American Woodcock, Song Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Field Sparrow, Eastern Towhee, Black-capped Chickadee.Editing by Doug Welch and Rob Porter.Audio sourced from the Hamilton Bioacoustics Research Project of the Hamilton Naturalists' Club.For more information, visit http://hamiltonnature.org/songscapes

In 2019, the Hamilton Naturalists' Club acquired a new property in the Upper Hayesland Swamp, known now as the Hayesland Swamp Nature Sanctuary. It is a flooded forest in the spring, providing habitat to many wetland wildlife species.This soundscape opens with harsh song of the wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus), and as the morning progresses the soft and airy songs of the Winter Wren and Brown Creeper are heard. A lone Wood Duck makes a "splash" part way through.You will hear: Wood frog, chorus frog (background), Winter Wren, Brown Creeper, Song Sparrow, Wood Duck.Taken from recordings of the morning of April 9, 2019.Audio editing: Rob PorterAudio sourced from the Hamilton Bioacoustics Research Project of the Hamilton Naturalists' Club.For more information, visit http://hamiltonnature.org/songscapes

The Northern Waterthrush arrives late April in the Hamilton area, preferring swampy forested habitat. Its song is described as a loud and ringing warble, that accelerates into a jumble of quick notes. For the trained ear, it is similar to the related Yellow Warbler.This soundscape is derived from recordings made in the morning of April 25, 2019 at Hayesland Swamp Nature Sanctuary, Flamborough, Ontario.You will hear: American Robin, Northern Waterthrush, Wild Turkey, Song Sparrow, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, American Crow, White-breasted Nuthatch, Black-capped Chickadee, Brown Creeper, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Rusty Blackbird (very briefly), Northern Flicker, Canada Goose.Audio editing: Rob PorterAudio sourced from the Hamilton Bioacoustics Research Project of the Hamilton Naturalists' Club.For more information, see http://hamiltonnature.org/songscapes

The Winter Wren can have one of the most lengthy continuous songs of all of Ontario's breeding birds, and is amongst one of the loudest in spite of its tiny size. This soundscape was recorded at Petrel Point Nature Preserve in Red Bay, Ontario in July of 2018. Heard in this recording: Winter Wren, Great-crested Flycatcher, Black-throated Green Warbler, American Redstart, Black-capped Chickadee, Northern Cardinal, White-breasted Nuthatch, American Robin, Common Grackle, Brown Creeper, Yellow Warbler, and more. Audio editing & recording: Rob Porter Audio sourced from the Hamilton Bioacoustics Research Project of the Hamilton Naturalists' Club. For more information, see http://hamiltonnature.org/songscapes

Together the Blue-winged Warbler and Golden-winged Warbler form a species complex that isn't fully understood. Each species can breed with the other, and produce offspring hybrids that themselves can produce further offspring, leading to all kinds of variations in plumage. This unfortunately has lead to a competition that the Blue-winged Warbler is winning: it is "breeding out" the Golden-winged Warbler throughout much of its traditional range.In this part we hear the Blue-winged Warbler's respiratory-sounding "Bee-buzzzzz" song, which sounds more like buzzing than warbling.This soundscape was recorded at McMaster Forest in Hamilton, Ontario on May 11, 2019.Heard in this recording are: Blue-winged Warbler, Gray Catbird, Yellow Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Field Sparrow, American Goldfinch, Ovenbird, Song Sparrow, and more.Audio editing: Doug Welch, Rob PorterAudio sourced from the Hamilton Bioacoustics Research Project of the Hamilton Naturalists' Club.For more information, see http://hamiltonnature.org/songscapes

Together the Blue-winged Warbler and Golden-winged Warbler form a species complex that isn't fully understood. Each species can breed with the other, and produce offspring hybrids that themselves can produce further offspring, leading to all kinds of variations in plumage. This unfortunately has lead to a competition that the Blue-winged Warbler is winning: it is "breeding out" the Golden-winged Warbler throughout much of its traditional range. In this part we hear the Golden-winged Warbler's "Bee-buzz-buzz-(buzz)" song, which sounds more like buzzing than warbling. This soundscape was recorded at MacGregor Point Provincial Park on May 19, 2019 using an iPhone with an Edutige EIM-001 omnidirectional microphone. Heard in this recording are: Golden-winged Warbler, White-throated Sparrow, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow Warbler, Least Flycatcher, Song Sparrow, Red-breasted Nuthatch, American Crow, American Robin, and more. Audio editing & recording: Rob Porter For more information, see http://hamiltonnature.org/songscapes

The American Redstart is an abundant and friendly warbler that can be found in deciduous forests and forest edges. It has a fairly simple and short warble, with a fairly wide range of variability in the song. In this soundscape, they are singing nearly constantly. This soundscape was recorded at MacGregor Point Provincial Park along the Old Shore Road Trail on May 19, 2019 using an iPhone with an Edutige EIM-001 omnidirectional microphone. This recording was done one week before the start of the annual Huron Fringe Birding Festival. Heard in this recording are: American Redstart, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Ovenbird, Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Red-eyed Vireo, American Robin, American Goldfinch, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, American Crow, and more. Audio editing & recording: Rob Porter For more information, see http://hamiltonnature.org/songscapes

At 5:13 a.m. on May 31 of this year, a male Gray Catbird perched right in front of our field recorder and gave us a nine-minute "interview". The very next morning at nearly the exact same time, he give us another six minutes. Gray Catbirds are mimics -- males sing to impress potential mates with their diverse repertoire. Studies have found that catbirds with the highest number of different songs and calls are preferred for mating over less well-versed singers. While there are a wide variety of background singers in this recording, the catbird was so incredibly close to the recorder that they are merely a distant-sounding backdrop. This specific catbird's mimicry is limited to a mixture of harsh calls with short segments from other bird species songs and calls. There is a brief fade out & fade in between the two separate recordings. Recorded at McMaster Forest, in Hamilton, Ontario. Audio editing by Rob Porter. For more information, see http://hamiltonnature.org/songscapes

The song of the White-throated Sparrow, known by the mnemonic "Oh Sweet Canada, Canada, Canada!", is considered to be one of the most musically pleasing songs... when there is just one bird singing.What happens when several White-throated Sparrows sing together in dawn chorus? The effect is likely to be described differently by each listener. For many it might be described as a soundscape of eerie other-worldly birds. To the musically-trained ear it may induce cringing.And, while the sparrows in this recording are mostly singing in the background, their songs dominate the mood of this early morning chorus.Recorded around dawn at McMaster Forest, Hamilton, Ontario on May 4, 2019.Audio editing by Rob Porter.For more information, see http://hamiltonnature.org/songscapes

The Eastern Meadowlark is typically found at agricultural sites throughout southern Ontario, but can sometimes be found at large open parkland in urban areas.In this soundscape you'll hear both the song and "rattle" call of the Eastern Meadowlark. In the background you'll hear various species such as Red-winged Blackbird, Savannah Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Cedar Waxwing, Common Grackle, Northern Flicker, Chipping Sparrow, American Goldfinch, Yellow Warbler, an unknown woodpecker species pecking away at a tree, and a brief cameo by the elusive Orchard Oriole.Recorded on June 23, 2019 at the Elam Martin Farmstead in RIM Park, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada with an iPhone 6S and Edutige EIM-001 microphone.Audio recording and editing by Rob Porter.For more information, see http://hamiltonnature.org/songscapes

Known for the distinctive "puh-wee" call, the Eastern Wood-Pewee is a very common breeding bird in forests throughout eastern North America.They are also very persistent, seeming to sing constantly throughout the day and sometimes continuing long after sunset until it's truly dark out.This soundscape features a nearby flowing creek within a ravine of a small patch of old growth forest. It captures a more lively early morning pewee song transitioning into the simpler and more relaxed song heard throughout the day.Recorded on June 16, 2019 at McMaster Forest in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.Audio editing by Rob Porter.For more information, see http://hamiltonnature.org/songscapes