Sounds Natural (England)! by Natural England's Bob Ashington
Open Your Ears to the Wild Sound of Dorset! Natural England tells us about their fantastic SoundCloud project.
Back in April, Bob Ashington – a National Nature Reserve Manager working for Natural England (NE) – had the idea of launching a SoundCloud account that would promote the natural sounds of Dorset and its wildlife on a social media platform. This idea transformed into a national NE account which went live in May at https://soundcloud.com/naturalengland
Photo 1: Bob Ashington, Reserve Manager and parabolic reflector by James Ashington.
Since then Bob has been out and about at all hours of the day and night recording the soundscapes, the species, and therefore, the seasons of this varied and beautiful corner of the UK. A soundscape is the entire audible backdrop of an area (the ‘bigger picture’ if you will!) – so not just the blackbird singing at dawn in woodland, but all the other species around it, the gentle breeze rustling leaves and the light patter of early rain – a glorious cacophony of sound. In his pursuits he has captured both common, everyday species; rarer ones found in specialised habitats; and species other than birds too. Many people do not realise that many mammals and insects can also often be heard although you usually have to be especially quiet or cunning to find them! Several of these recordings are also evocatively seasonal, acting as an ‘audible calendar’ to reinforce our sense of the changing year.
Photo 2: Bullfinch from Natural England
Dorset and its surrounding counties host large areas of diverse landscapes and wildlife. Within these are many protected areas sympathetically managed by conservation organisations and these provide rich pickings for lovers of natural sounds. Many of the recordings have been made in such places; and in particular on reserves managed by the RSPB, National Trust; Dorset Wildlife Trust and Natural England.
One of the main goals of this project is to capture another dimension of the natural world and to present it to people in the hope that it will encourage them to explore and experience other wildlife sounds. The widespread use of digital cameras has opened people’s eyes to the beauty of the world around them; and digital sound recordings have the potential to open their ears too. Being aware of the sounds around you, and listening – really listening – allows you to discover things you may have overlooked and vastly enriches any outdoor visit. At a time when close contact with nature doesn’t appear to be as common as it once was, it also offers another way to discover the source of all those strange sounds out there; and to encourage people to get out and hear them for themselves.
Photo 3: Roesels bush cricket by Bob Ashington
Already these recordings have been enjoyed by people across the country, with some being passed around other wildlife sound enthusiasts – the aural equivalent of ‘re-tweeting’! As time goes on it is hoped a ‘sound bank’ of the species and landscapes of England and Wales will be built up – for each landscape and habitat is as varied in its’ sounds as it is in its’ sights.
Wildlife sound recording is becoming an increasingly popular pastime too – and one that can be successfully undertaken with limited resources. Whilst it is possible to invest large sums of money in professional grade recording equipment, it is also possible to obtain excellent results with much cheaper kit. All of Bob’s recordings are made on a modest digital recorder and microphone. And you don’t have to confine yourself to ‘traditional’ sound recording either – it is now possible to easily obtain microphones that will record through wood, water and even the ground!
Photo 4: Whitethroat by Natural England
Overall though, regardless of whether you actively seek out our natural soundscape to record, or just to experience, the real trick – as so often with nature – is to get out there, listen and enjoy!
Listen to Natural England’s Soundcloud recordings, here
Find out more about Natural England in Dorset, at:
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