Birds1-1644-FS-Mst1-320Kbps.mp3

Recorded on June 8, 2010 at Bouton Lake (the 'Bou-' sounds like 'brow' without the 'r'). Included a multitude of different winged and finned critters. Used a Marantz PMD661 with modified (quieter) built-in preamp, 2 Rode NT1A mics, and lots of shade. Used a modified Olson stereo technique. Center of mics were 20cm apart, but set stereo angle at 150 degrees. Put mics on an old camp table in the park around Bouton Lake (a huge pond or small lake, depending on your perspective), located about 15 miles out of the tiny town of Zavalla, Texas. Was a hot, overcast day, roughly in the mid-90s with about 85% humidity or higher. Had a lot of critter activity that afternoon and early evening. Not a bit of a breeze the whole time I was there, which is great for the recording (I don't have to use any fur to break up the wind), but it's awfully rough on the recording engineer. Whew! Lots of birds in this recording, even though I'm only sure of the crows, buzzards, and one faintly audible woodpecker (listen at about 6:10, 6:18, and 9:34). There were lots of cicadas, crickets, insects, occasional frogs, and a crazy dog in the far distance that never would hold it down. Sounded like he/she had something treed somewhere in the woods of the river-bottom nearby. And, oddly enough, the fish managed to get in on the recording. One (or more) would hit the surface of the lake with a hard splash occasionally, which you'll hear in this recording. This was a fun one to make, even with the early summer weather. Deep East Texas at its best (and just about hottest, though that's usually the end of August or early September)!