Winter Nature Sounds Recordings

Winter does have its challenges when recording, however the audio conditions that are present in winter are unique. When fresh powder covers everything, the effective sound absorbent of soft snow creates a wonderful intimate audio environment. The audio quality that one can achieve in this environment is worth the extra work and precautions required when working in the cold and snow.

A woodsman once commented to me in autumn that he guessed that my recording activities would stop now. “No more sounds now until spring” were his words. I mentioned that there are always sounds to record. Breezes continue to blow, water continues to run. And although winter time sees reduced overall animal activity, it provides excellent unparalled opportunity to record certain animals, many weather and water sounds. When he heard that, he smiled. We were both thinking of the same things. The winter sounds of silence.

Winter here is ideal for recording wind sounds. When there is snow cover, the lack of rustling and blowing leaves yields a clean sound of wind through sparce bare deciduous branches which is contrasted with the sounds of denser evergreen boughs with little birdsong to distract. The sound of wind through a stand of pine is really unique and enchanting. Early one winter before the deep snows fell, I recorded breezes through a stand. The thick deep lush covering of mosses on the forest floor substitute for powder snow in this recording: Link to Wind in Pines Sounds.

The audio environment after a deep snowfall if there is little wind is incomparable to any other. Deep snow sits on every branch. Sounds are clear, but travel far. There is a feeling of everything being immediate and close. These conditions are excellent for recording winter birds. As winter progresses birds tend to flock in small groups in the search for new food sources. In some winters they will flock into areas they do not usually visit, thus new recording opportunities can arise unexpectedly in the middle of winter. Link to the Sounds of Boreal Winter Birds.

And then there are some sounds that are only heard in winter. The sounds of ice and the sounds of freezing rain are two that come to mind. Also, wolves seem to howl more in the winter. I suppose we hear them more because they are moving over a larger territory for food in the winter. In winter, it is the periods of silence between the sounds of activity that are peaceful, healing, and meditative. Link to the sounds of Late Winter Wilderness at dawn.

Karl Hamilton BFA
Nature Sounds.ca
www.naturesounds.ca
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