Sounds of Leelanau County: Open Meadow with Owls and Coyotes
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Welcome to the 15th episode of the Nature is my Jam Podcast. When this episode gets published, I will be in the upper peninsula of Michigan to observe and record the fall bird migration. The Crisp Point Lighthouse on Lake Superior is also on my list of places to visit. This will be a solo camping trip and, as usual, I am going to bring too much gear and not have enough time to visit all the sites I have on my list. Of course, that is the beauty of life in northern Michigan. There will always be an adventure to be had, no matter the day or season.
We are still at the Lighthouse West Natural Area in Leelanau County but have moved from the beach to an open meadow. Please note that I covered the area in last week’s episode so won’t repeat that information here. This meadow used to be part of a farm and still have a few apple trees mingling with the fresh growth that is quickly reclaiming the old farmland. This was another overnight recording, with Barred Owls making their presence known and a pack of coyotes making a ruckus several times throughout the night. We can also hear deer running through the brush and even sniffing the recording equipment.
You may wish to use headphones for this episode to get the full experience of being there. A few sounds are subtle and some distance away from the recording gear. Microphone placement can sometimes be a roll of the dice, and that is clear in this recording. I think if I had moved the microphone to the other side of the meadow that we would have those owls all up in our business. However, the owls are very present and I think the deer were happy that the Coyotes were in a different field.
This part of Leelanau County is fairly remote, but still has a lot of activity during the day, so night recordings work best. I sometimes wonder if I should have started a podcast devoted to air travel because I have hours of planes making their presence known at all times of the day.
As always, I welcome your thoughts and hope you enjoy this episode. Thanks again for your continued support!
Recording Summary:
Date and Time: 9/6/2022 | 4:45 AM
Location: Leelanau County, Michigan, USA
Landscape/Feature: Lighthouse West Natural Area | Lake Michigan
Conditions: Night, Light Breeze, Clear Skies, Mild Temps
Recording Device: Zoom F6 Field Recorder
Microphone(s): Audio Technica BP 4025
Digital Audio Workstation: Adobe Audition
