The Fruits of 2024; The Sound Identification of migrating Buntings
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....