Australia: Cloud Forest Creek

I set the microphones and recorder by a stream at about 4am, the forest was nearly silent. Within a few minutes, Northern Barred Frogs started calling occasionally from the leaf litter, and a Lesser Sooty Owl screeched in the distance. As the sky begins to lighten, gargling chuckles from Orange-footed Scrubfowl ring through the forest. Golden Whistlers begin to sing, and the rattling call of a Golden Bowerbird sounds strangely beautiful as the sun begins to rise.

From around 14:00, more birds start calling and the forest comes alive with the dawn chorus. The sounds of Grey-headed Robin, Spotted Catbird, Victoria’s Riflebird, Bower’s Shrike Thrush, Eastern Whipbird, Brown Cuckoo Dove, Yellow-breasted Boatbill, Brown Gerygone, White-throated Treecreeper & Pied Currawong can all be heard on this track.

From 24:00, the remaining part of the album was recorded a little further along the stream, and closer to the water’s edge. Bower’s Shrike Thrush continue to call, and close to the microphone a Tooth-billed Bowerbird sings his scratchy melody hoping to attract a mate. Towards the end of this track you can hear him imitate a flying cicada! Other bird calls on this track include Spangled Drongo, Grey Goshawk, Wompoo Fruit Dove, Emerald Ground Dove Black-faced & Spectacled Monarchs.