published on
Australian Magpies (the local sub-subspecies is Gymnorhina tibicen telonocua) are extremely intriguing. They are beautiful and sensitive musicians; yet they can also be vicious and violent group-thugs, both to their own and other species. They seem to be as fundamentally contrary, and as fundamentally fascinating, as human beings. Which makes one wonder what goes on in their minds.
This recording was made close to the coast in Deep Creek Conservation Park, South Australia. Hence the roar of the ocean and crashing of large waves in the distance, as perpetual undercurrent throughout (somewhat rolled off, in this version, so as not to compete too much with the vocalisations of the birds). I'd just recorded my second 'Night Listening' episode (https://soundcloud.com/hearingbeings/20200706-night-listenings-winter-location-2-part-1 and https://soundcloud.com/hearingbeings/20200706-night-listenings-winter-location-2-part-2). That was followed by a 'First Light' episode, made at the blurred boundary between the Conservation Park and adjacent pastoral properties (https://soundcloud.com/hearingbeings/20200706-deep-creek-winter-first-light-part-1 and https://soundcloud.com/hearingbeings/20200706-deep-creek-winter-first-light-part-2).
An hour after sunrise, I'd planted my main rig at a third location, within the Conservation Park, some distance farther inland, in what I felt would be a potentially auspicious location, and was wandering towards the ocean, with the D100, through the fringes of the eucalypt forest, seeking out interesting sound events.
This was one of the scenes that I was grateful to have been able to capture. When I later listened to what my main rig had captured, I was intrigued to find that one of the scenes it had recorded was an almost identical kind of exchange between Magpies, nearly a kilometre away (forthcoming).
Aside from Magpies and Ravens, other species occasionally audible in the background of this recording include, among others, Crescent Honeyeaters, Fairy Wrens, Galahs, Grey Currawongs, Grey Fantails, Grey Shrikethrushes, Lorikeets, Rosellas, Scrubwrens, Willy Wagtails.
Recorded at around 08:30 with a Sony D100. Alternation of calm and slight breezes. Overcast, 9° C, high humidity. Original recording at 192/24, resampled to 48/24 for upload here. (Best listened to with good quality headphones with a flat frequency response.)
Recorded on land of the Kaurna people, that is now designated as Conservation Park, although the descendants of the Kaurna people have apparently not been engaged by Government in the management and operation of this Conservation Park, as, under all historical, cultural and ethical considerations, they absolutely should have been.
- Genre
- Field Recording