Calm autumn forest NL 201106_0204.flac

November morning in autumnal windless Dutch forest.

As several people know, the nature reserve "De Loonse en drunense Duinen" in the south of the Netherlands is a favourite environment for me to make beautiful sound recordings. This morning it is quiet here. A gentle breeze comes from the east.
My microphones are listening in a northerly direction, where behind the forest, the fields and the dike along the drainage canal, the town of Drunen is 1 kilometre away. From that direction comes a humming sound of human activity. Unrecognizable, only hum.
Because it is autumn there are of course few birds. A nuthatch and a woodpecker searching and also a magpie quarrel. Every now and then, when the wind gets a bit stronger than nothing, you can hear leaves falling from the trees to the ground.
As it gets later, more people pass on the forest path that is 50 meters from me. People don't see me. I am somewhat hidden to avoid disturbing questions. Again, there is little air traffic. You probably know the reason.

You actually only hear a humming forest.

More tracks in this reserve: https://freesound.org/search/?q=Drunense+Duinen

Search GPS: https://freesound.org/browse/geotags/?c_lat=51.64808881105526&c_lon=5.126268968696195&z=13.196494362831267
About the area, national park Loonse en Drunense Duinen

(Text by Irma de Potter,Ranger of this area) Dutch website: https://www.natuurmonumenten.nl/natuurgebieden/nationaal-park-loonse-en-drunense-duinen

In the Loonse en Drunense Duinen you will find forest, heathland and especially a lot of sand. It is one of the largest shifting sand areas in Western Europe. The wind can blow undisturbed in many places, resulting in an ever-changing landscape. By purchasing it in 1921, it has been protected for 100 years and we can still enjoy this Brabant Sahara today.

You can roam freely on the sand plain. So there is plenty of room to explore extensively. Marvel at the submerged trees, enjoy the chirping field crickets and quench your thirst at one of the many cafes or restaurants on the edge of this nature reserve. Walking, cycling or on horseback: it's all possible here. With the wind in your hair and the sand in your shoes. You may even come across the sheep herd. The sheep keep the heath short and eat away saplings. This is how they keep the area open.

The Loonse en Drunense Duinen still has 270 hectares of shifting sand. That sand creates rather extreme conditions: the soil is dry and nutrient-poor. The difference in temperature between day and night can be as much as 50 degrees Celsius. This ensures a unique flora and fauna. The animals and plants have adapted or feel at home in drought, aridity and temperature fluctuations. Sand sedge and various lichens, for example. And the viviparous lizard, sandpit beetles and sand bees. All species that love sand.

In the last Ice Age, the polar winds blew sand from the north to Brabant, where it remained in thick packages. For a long time this sandy plain was covered with primeval forests. Until the fourteenth century the trees were felled by people. They used the wood as fuel. The bare plain was filled with heather, where the farmers grazed their cattle. This intensive grazing and the sod cutting of the soil depleted the soil. This gave the sand free play. For a long time, the sand was a major problem for the residents. Villages and fields threatened to disappear under it. Trees were planted to stop the advancing sand. You can still see the traces of this today: find the submerged trees that only peak above the sand hills with their crowns.

Date/time: November 11th 2020, start 9:34 am

Weather: 6-8c, sun, wind E2 bft with gusts to 9-14.8 km/h, 1035 hPa, humidity 95-80%.

Location; Loonse en Drunense Duinen North, near Drunen, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands (Holland), Europe. GPS 51.66627 5.12390

Gear chain: Sennheiser mkh30/50 MS, in Rycote cyclone small > Sound Devices 302 >Tascam dr-100 Mk2. Decoded Mid-side to STEREO. LMR 0,+7, 0 dB

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