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Northern Sweden is a field recorders dream and a place I return to at every given opportunity. Each summer, I return in order to relax and spend time in nature, allowing the sounds of the natural world to seep into my very being. It is an incredibly relaxing place and one I wish to share with other's. Places like this are increasingly rare in the modern world...   In this episode I present the audio I collected over the course of July 2025 from the tiny island of Hällögern. Most of the month was spent recording various breeding species, often watching them for long periods in order to figure out where best to deploy my recording rigs. Having an abundance of time on my hands was a rare gift and the result was some rather special audio. This will be the first of a number of episodes where I share audio from that particular period on the island and I hope that listeners will enjoy every strophe of it... Leave a comment here.... Support the show Subscibe to Wild Bird Acoustics here; https://wildbirdacoustics.buzzsprout.com Lots more audio related material here at my long running website; https://blogbirder.blogspot.com/

In this episode I present a feature length sound magazine, put together with audio from a field recording project  carried out at Sandemar Reserve in Sweden. In May 2025, I decided to concentrate heavily on this incredible site, using both active and passive methods of recording. A great deal of time was spent at the site at a time when the reserve is at it's busiest. Sandemar Reserve is an area that I have become extremely familiar with over the years and I have now birded regularly at the site for over twenty years. Over that entire period, the site has continually thrown up  surprises. From my experiences here, I knew that a focused field recording project though the month of May would result in a large amount of remarkable audio.  Over the course of a month I visited the reserve many times, greatly enjoying the sounds of this incredible area, which is blessed with a multitude of different habitats. As migrants began to stream through the area and breeding species began to take up territories, the soundscape became more and more varied. Some rather special local species were among them, along with a few surprises. The more I drilled down, the more I uncovered... Leave a comment here.... Support the show Subscibe to Wild Bird Acoustics here; https://wildbirdacoustics.buzzsprout.com Lots more audio related material here at my long running website; https://blogbirder.blogspot.com/

In this episode, Wild Bird Acoustics presents a brace of sound magazines for your enjoyment. The first of these, The Vocalizations of Eurasian Jay, is an intimate look at a wonderful woodland species. This characterful corvid has a fascinating range of calls and a quite remarkable proclivity for mimicry. This charming species has fascinated me for some time. Spending a large amount of time in woodland habitat over the course of spring 2025 has finally allowed me to collect enough quality audio of Eurasian Jay to put together a dedicated sound magazine, detailing the voice and habits of this endearing, intelligent corvid. Regarding the second half of this episode, we will travel northward to the coastal Västerbotten once again and sample the sounds of Autumn. At this remarkable location each year, migrant birds move southwards, directly  past my listening station on the island of Hällögern. Join me as I share some of the passive recording highlights from the island of Hällögern... Leave a comment here.... Support the show Subscibe to Wild Bird Acoustics here; https://wildbirdacoustics.buzzsprout.com Lots more audio related material here at my long running website; https://blogbirder.blogspot.com/

In this episode I present two sound magazines for listeners. The first of these concerns a single day at Ågesta Reserve, just south of Stockholm City. I visited the reserve on 10th May 2025 and spent a wonderful morning actively recording a large amount of species at the site, moving from one bird to the next, simply enjoying the rich and varied birdlife at the site. On the day, the place was alive with birds, all of which were extremely vocal and I secured a large amount of wonderful audio in this single visit. On days such as this, it is simply incredible to be in the field, here in Sweden.  The second sound magazine should appeal to all those who regularly tune in to Wild Bird Acoustics and are interested in nocturnal migration. Here I discuss some of  the better audio recordings I managed over the course of spring 2025 at my main listening station at Landsort, Sweden. 2025 was an extremely productive season of spring migration and I have plenty of interesting audio to share. Join me as I lift the veil on nocturnal bird migration over the Stockholm Archipelago. Leave a comment here.... Support the show Subscibe to Wild Bird Acoustics here; https://wildbirdacoustics.buzzsprout.com Lots more audio related material here at my long running website; https://blogbirder.blogspot.com/

Woodland habitat is something I have wanted to drill down into for many years now and Sweden is blessed with some truly wonderful forest habitat. After a great deal of careful thought and deliberation over the course of the winter, I eventually decided to drill down into the sounds of woodland over the course of early spring. A major field recording project was planned and executed as a result and it proved a truly magical experience. Tyresta National Park boasts one of the largest coniferous old-growth forests in southern Sweden and extends over a vast area of over 5,000 hectares. Stands of ancient Scots Pine dominate the high interior, some of the trees being aged at over 400 years old. Norwegian Spruce dominates the lower ground in the park, whilst deciduous tree species like Aspen, Birch, Beech and Alder also contribute to the diverse woodland. The ancient old growth woodland is an incredibly diverse habitat for all kinds of flora and fauna and it is filled with birds. In the spring of 2024 I simply lost myself along moss and lichen strewn trails in this wonderful forest, field recording all I came across. It was a truly a magical experience. The park is wonderfully quiet as a general rule and a sound recorders dream to work within. The first few weeks inside the park proved an unforgettable experience as it slowly revealed its secrets to me. By means of active and passive recording, I built up an wonderful library of recordings. In this episode, I share the beginnings of my experiences, during the early spring period  at the park, in 2025. Leave a comment here.... Support the show Subscibe to Wild Bird Acoustics here; https://wildbirdacoustics.buzzsprout.com Lots more audio related material here at my long running website; https://blogbirder.blogspot.com/

In this, the finale of the second season, we take an initial trip to Västerbotten, for a relaxing selection of recordings from the coastline in July. I wanted to share some particularly nice audio with listeners in this finale. Along the coastline of Northern Sweden is where I enjoy field recording the most and I thought this would be an apt way to begin the final episode of this second season.. The main sound magazine documents an incredible overnight trip to Sandemar Reserve. I knew when I was putting this sound magaizine together, that it contained some rather special audio. The night in question was quite magical and has remained fresh in my memory, ever since. This was simply a case of saving the best until last and I hope you enjoy this audio experience... The Grand Finale; See you all in 2026 for Season 3! Leave a comment here.... Support the show Subscibe to Wild Bird Acoustics here; https://wildbirdacoustics.buzzsprout.com Lots more audio related material here at my long running website; https://blogbirder.blogspot.com/

In this episode, the first sound magazine concerns a selection of recordings if diurnal calls at Hällögern, Sweden. Join me as I share audio recordings of some wonderful species in the far north of Sweden. This audio appetizer serves as a starter, in order to warm your ears for the main course... The main feature describes my journey uncovering the hidden migration of a rather special species along the Baltic coastline of Northern Sweden. Tengmalm's Owl is a species I dreamed about as a young birder. Over the course of the last few years, sound recording at night, along the coast of Västerbotten in Sweden, has allowed me a precious glimpse into the wonderful world of one of Northern Europe's most iconic species. The journey I have enjoyed with regard to this particular species has been a wonderful personal experience for me. Join me as I talk you through a voyage of birding discovery, from the first spark of personal joy, when a single call rang out through the darkness, to the resulting unravelling of the hidden world of a very special species... Leave a comment here.... Support the show Subscibe to Wild Bird Acoustics here; https://wildbirdacoustics.buzzsprout.com Lots more audio related material here at my long running website; https://blogbirder.blogspot.com/

In this episode, I converse with an exceptionally talented and dedicated field recorder, Mr. Bo Soderström. As a field recorder, Bo spends a considerable amount of time in the wonderful wild habitats around Uppsala, Sweden. Here, in mature forest, expansive wetlands and various other locations, he has honed his craft to secure intimate recordings of the birdlife in these very special locations. Here in this this interview, Bo selflessly talks in depth about his own processes and shares some wonderful intimate recordings of the very highest quality. A true journey into sound and a wonderful glimpse into the quiet places he chooses to spend his time within. His immersive recordings will take you into the wilds of Sweden and lift the veil on some of the wonderful birdlife found here... Leave a comment here.... Support the show Subscibe to Wild Bird Acoustics here; https://wildbirdacoustics.buzzsprout.com Lots more audio related material here at my long running website; https://blogbirder.blogspot.com/

Autumn is almost upon us, which means one thing for many active birders, fall migration. For all birders, Autumn is perhaps the most highly anticipated time of year. Migration takes place on an epic scale over the fall months and there is much to enjoy in the field. For many, it is the spectacle of migration itself, that fires the senses. For others, it is the hopes or rarities, vagrant bird that have been swept far from where they ought to be, only to be found on a far flung headland by a lucker observer. For me, it is the rich soundscape overhead, the calls that fill our skies, as passage migrants flood southwards. In this episode, I wanted to delve into some of the wonderful sounds of the Swedish Autumn. I begin with a small audio magazine on the vocalizations of two supremely evolved specialists of Swedish coniferous woodland, Red Crossbill and Parrot Crossbill. These highly adapted, far wandering finches move widely over large areas. Furthermore, they are resilient birds, hardy late Winter breeders and are exceptionally interesting from a sound recording standpoint..  The main course, so to speak, will be an extensive sound magazine, with all audio recorded over the course of September 2024.  I spent ten days on this tiny island of Hällögern, along the Baltic coastline of Västerbotten, in Northern Sweden. During this time, I was free to spend all of my time field recording the sounds of Autumn migration at the site, in a wonderfully noise free and pristine environment. For me, it simply doesn't get any better than this.  Using the audio I recorded during the trip, I will share the wonderful sounds and ambience of this little island, which lies just a hundred metres offshore. This represents an audio snapshot of a wonderful location... Leave a comment here.... Support the show Subscibe to Wild Bird Acoustics here; https://wildbirdacoustics.buzzsprout.com Lots more audio related material here at my long running website; https://blogbirder.blogspot.com/

 With autumn approaching, a wonderful time to be out in the field, Wild Bird Acoustics concentrates on an autumnal episode of sounds from the far north of Sweden, along the coast of Västerbotten. Here, in an environment of solitude, I have been collecting audio of the sounds of both resident and passage bird species over the past number of years. In this episode, I share audio from the autumn of 2024.  The first sound magazine concerns nocturnal migration at Hällögern, a simple round up of my higher quality recordings, all made at night at this location over the course of early autumn in 2024. This should appeal greatly to those listeners with a keen interest in nocturnal migration. The main sound magazine concerns recordings made over a nine day period in late September 2024 at the site. Despite windy conditions over most of the period, which resulted in a poor period of active diurnal migration, I still managed to record some wonderful audio. I fervently hope this will be enjoyed by listeners. Leave a comment here.... Support the show Subscibe to Wild Bird Acoustics here; https://wildbirdacoustics.buzzsprout.com Lots more audio related material here at my long running website; https://blogbirder.blogspot.com/

 Another audio packed episode at Wild Bird Acoustics! I begin with a magazine entitled 'The Fruits of 2024', a random collection of field recordings, all of which were taken over the course of Spring 2024. I had a wonderful time visiting different locations at that time, simply recording the wonderful soundscapes I came across whilst out in the field. As I often do, I simply wandered around various locations, letting the sounds of singing birds define what I recorded next, at times, simply moving from one songster to the next...  Following this rather random sound magazine, a more planned and researched piece which I have put together carefully over the past year. This extensive sound magazine concerns the sound identification of migrating Buntings. Buntings are widespread Autumnal migrants and they remain one of my favourite species groups. As you will know by now, I am extremely drawn to migrating passerines and there is nothing I enjoy more than being out at dawn, monitoring fall migrants as they move southwards. Visible migration can be challenging and there is much to learn. Often, as large numbers of migrants can be high overhead  on mornings such as this, an extensive knowledge of vocalizations and calls is the key to unlocking the secrets of migration. This sound guide to Buntings has been formulating in the recesses of my mind for a few years now. It has taken me many years to collect enough audio to finally tackle this project, featuring one of my favourite groups of passerine species. The audio here has been gleaned from many early morning sessions. Establishing two listening stations here in Sweden has proved the key to unlocking this particular box, allowing me to accumulate a large amount of reference material to work with and share. I really hope this can help encourage others to get out into the field and enjoy the incredible spectacle that is bird migration. Buntings are a fascinating group of species and several species are recorded on passage here in Sweden. Here, I take a deep dive into the calls of a number of species that occur here and discuss each in turn.... Leave a comment here.... Support the show Subscibe to Wild Bird Acoustics here; https://wildbirdacoustics.buzzsprout.com Lots more audio related material here at my long running website; https://blogbirder.blogspot.com/

 Over the course of 2024, I spent several weeks at coastal Västerbotten, field recording birds on the tiny island of Hällögern. During the summer months, this was often a rather relaxed affair and I frequently left microphones in the field for long periods. often in areas where I knew certain species frequented. As the island is wonderfully quiet in the summer at night, long soundscapes were often my focus, but within these long recordings there were many wonderful moments. I wanted to share some of that audio in this episode.    At this same location, as summer moves into autumn, many migrant bird species begin to funnel southwards along the Swedish coastline. This stream of migration is something that I am always drawn towards and there is nothing better for me than standing out at  a coastal site in fall as the sun rises. Birds begin to move overhead from first light and soon after dawn, on a good morning, the skies are filled with the contact calls of many migratory species as they move overhead. There are many locations to witness this spectacle, but the far north holds a special place in my heart to witness this. Along the coast of Västerbotten, the silence is only broken by the sounds of migrant birds, making it the perfect site for the field recorder to monitor and record migrant birds. In this main sound magazine, I share some wonderful audio highlights from 2024 from my favourite part of Sweden. Think of it as an audio diary of sorts... I will wind down with a relaxing soundscape from the same part of the world, recorded earlier in the year, at a time when the sun barely drops below the horizon. Recording under the midnight sun is the best time to record the incredibly peaceful sounds of Arctic Terns, as they forage in still conditions. Leave a comment here.... Support the show Subscibe to Wild Bird Acoustics here; https://wildbirdacoustics.buzzsprout.com Lots more audio related material here at my long running website; https://blogbirder.blogspot.com/

Firstly, a short sound magazine dealing with the calls of Eurasian Skylark and Woodlark on spring passage here in Sweden. One is a species that is widespread over much of Europe, the other a local breeding species, which is highly sought after by birders. Both species are magnificent songsters, both are migratory and both are species recorded overhead at migration watchpoints. I this section, we will look into their typical calls, whilst on active migration. As always, this is followed my the main course, a michelin star journey into the auditory soundscapes field recorded in late May 2024. Join me as I talk you through my experiences in May 2024, whilst out enjoying the sounds here in Sweden and listen into the soundscapes I recorded in late spring of 2024. These are the sounds of wild Sweden in late May, many of the field recordings are a few minutes long and will allow for an immersive and relaxing listening experience. Leave a comment here.... Support the show Subscibe to Wild Bird Acoustics here; https://wildbirdacoustics.buzzsprout.com Lots more audio related material here at my long running website; https://blogbirder.blogspot.com/

 I open this episode with another edition of the VisMig Files. Here I run through some of the Spring migration highlights from my main listening station at Landsort. As usual, I have tried to include only the better quality audio files, recorded during the months of March and April of various migrant species, all recorded early in the morning as they made their way north over the island.  The main feature relates to a midsummer trip to Hällögern, a small island located on the coast of Västerbotten, Northern Sweden. Here is where I unwind each summer, relaxing in the solitude and silence that this wonderful location offers. The island is full of breeding bird species and their calls and songs fill the air, here in the land of midnight sun. In this sound magazine I have put together a particularly relaxing collection of audio, in order for listeners to experience the wonderful sounds of Hällögern for themselves... Leave a comment here.... Support the show Subscibe to Wild Bird Acoustics here; https://wildbirdacoustics.buzzsprout.com Lots more audio related material here at my long running website; https://blogbirder.blogspot.com/

In the initial sound magazine in this episode, I discuss winter recording close to home, in Stockholm City. Winter in Sweden is generally quite harsh, but a milder season than is usual over the course of 2024/25 saw me venture out into the field around Stockholm City, where I managed to get some lovely recordings, despite the urban setting. In this sound magazine, I hope to highlight the possibilities of field recording close to home, even in an urban setting. The second sound magazine will take listener's further north, to the coastline of Västerbotten, during the autumn period. Over the course of late autumn 2024, I deployed a passive recorder along the coastline of Northern Sweden, primarily to document the migration of a wide range of species in the area, by day and night.  The autumnal sounds at this location are quite remarkable, as a host of migrant species funnel southwards along the coast at this time of year. A wide range of interesting resident species add further interest at this location and some of the recordings captured can often be quite wonderful. Join me as I share some of the audio bycatch at this wonderfully quiet and remote location... Leave a comment here.... Support the show Subscibe to Wild Bird Acoustics here; https://wildbirdacoustics.buzzsprout.com Lots more audio related material here at my long running website; https://blogbirder.blogspot.com/