Sound Recording Trip to Sweden

by | Jul 4, 2022 | Sweden

In late May/early June 2022 I spent a couple of weeks recording the sounds of wetlands and forests in Sweden. The trip began in the forests and lakes of Dalarna County, after that I headed north to the barren plains of Flatruet and mountain forests of Ljungdalen and then finally spent a couple of nights in the Black River Valley. I’ll publish some recordings from the opther locations in the future, but here are some of the audio highlights from the Black River Valley region. Stefan Taylor from https://listentonature.org/ was my guide and I highly recommend his services! He is a naturalist and ecologist who organizes trips in the area and his knowledge of the local birds and other wildlife enabled me to connect with a number of target species.  Listen to a few samples from this area below:
Fulufjället National Park

Old growth forest in Fulufjället National Park

Hällsjön at Night – Summer night on Hällsjön lake at around 1:00am. Eurasian Bittern, Common Snipe, Eurasian Woodcock, Sedge Warbler and many more species were actively calling through the (short!) night.

Hällsjön Dawn – Common Cranes (Grus grus) calling along with Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus) a booming Eurasian Bittern (Botaurus stellaris) & Sedge Warblers (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus).

z

Eurasian Pygmy Owl

 EPO1a The song of Eurasian Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium passerinum) is a monotonous series of high-pitched fluty notes.
z

European Nightjar

 EN1a The unique churring song of the Eurasian Nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus) . Toward the end of this sample there are a few wing claps as well as some ‘co-ic’ contact calls.
z

Thrush Nightingale (Luscinia luscinia)

 TN1a The song of the Thrush Nightingale (Luscinia luscinia) is powerful, rich & melodic. Song phrases are varied and complex and usually slightly longer in duration and slower in tempo than its close relative the Common Nightingale (Luscinia mega­rhynchos).
Dry dipterocarp forest with grassy understorey, Thung Yai Wildlife Sanctuary
Canoeing along the Black River.

Eden's Garden Cottages

If you’re looking for accommodation in the Black River Valley region then Edens’ Garden Cottages is ideal. Located on a farm near lake Hallsjön it is an excellent base for bird & wildlife watching in the area. The owner of the accommodation, John de Jong also runs canoeing safaris along with river to see beavers. We saw a beaver not far from the accommodation late one evening and sightings are quite reliable.