city-river soundscape rowing children birds - river Dommel Sint Janssingel s-Hertogenbosch Netherlands 1038 251010_0048

Do you hear the short, high-pitched call of the dunnock the first seconds? The children from the primary school across the city river Dommel are enjoying their recess. An instructor is guiding the rowers from rowing club De Hertog, pointing out what they should pay attention to while rowing. “Two, three and four and five and six and seven,” he encourages rhythmically.

The microphones are hanging today, two meters above the city river Dommel, on the medieval city wall of Bastion Maria — the remnants of an old bastion, once the city boundary of ’s-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands.

Birds detected by Merlin Bird ID app (ver. 3.7.1 (220 – 2024)
#0:50 #1:03 #1:12 #1:23 Long-tailed Tit
#1:15 Eurasian Jackdaw
#0:55 #1:08 Eurasian Blue Tit
#0:38 Eurasian Tree Sparrow
#0:00 #0:05 Dunnock

Photo Description of the Dommel in ’s-Hertogenbosch
On this atmospheric autumn day, the photo captures a picturesque scene along the city river Dommel. A rowing team glides gracefully through the calm water, surrounded by lush green trees and a clear blue sky reflected on the smooth surface of the river. On both sides, the trees form a natural corridor, with a weeping willow gently draping its branches over the water.
To the right of the image runs a sturdy brick wall along the riverbank—not just any wall, but part of the centuries-old city fortifications of ’s-Hertogenbosch. This historic structure is a silent witness to the city's rich past and adds a striking contrast to the vibrant activity on the water.
In the background, a bridge spans the river, adding depth to the image and emphasizing the connection between old and new.

The track today / More at inner-city river Dommel
History of Bastion Maria
Bastion Maria, also known as "the bastion with the little trees," was part of the old fortifications of the city.
At the beginning of the 17th century, the condition of the city walls was very poor, and the fortress no longer met the demands of contemporary warfare. After all, cannons were increasingly replacing bows and arrows. In 1614, several bastions were constructed, including Bastion Maria.
Bastion Maria had a notably unusual shape compared to standard bastions. It consisted of two flanks and a face that ran parallel to the city wall.
With the normalization (canalization) of the Dommel River around 1890, Bastion Maria was demolished, and the foundations of its flanks disappeared beneath the embankment of the Stadsdommel.
Between 2003 and 2006, as part of the restoration of the fortifications of ’s-Hertogenbosch, extensive archaeological research was conducted on the eastern side of the Stadsdommel. This included investigations into the remains of Bastion Maria and the still-existing city wall on the city side of the bastion.
A beautiful partial reconstruction has since taken place, allowing us today to enjoy the city river Dommel and the restored fortifications beneath the trees.

Date/time: October 10, 2025, 10:38 am

Weather: 15 ºc, clouds 99 %, wind W 7-19 km/h, 1033 hPa, humidity 86%, visibility 18 km, dew poin 13 ºc, cloud ceiling 12.2 km,

Location; Dommel, Sint Janssingel, ‘s-Hertogenbosch (Den Bosch), Noord-Brabant, Netherlands (Holland), Europe. GPS 51.68744 5.29744

Gear chain: Sennheiser mkh30/50 MS with pointed NNE 15 degree, in Rycote cyclone small, windjammer > Tascam FR-AV2. Post editing: Decoded Mid-side to STEREO. EQ correction for the blimp and limiter on -3 dB when necessary.

Original 90 minute MS-track 48/32 bit-float available for motivated pro's and artists.

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