Looking over Garreg Ddu in the Elan Valley at 6am on a slightly misty morning.
Today I'm back in the Elan Valley, but on the opposite bank of Garreg Ddu from my usual location. Below the almost sheer rock face above, the woodland mainly consists of young birch saplings which have been allowed to regenerate, not only in the former conifer plantation on the hill behind, but right down to the water's edge, where they are joined by a few willows. As a result of the dry conditions we've experienced recenty, the water level is several metres below its maximum, exposing a shallow muddy section which has attracted a few Mallards. There are quite a few more ducks here than I've seen in the past &, at times, they take centre stage.
The recording covers the period from 4.30 to 7am, which I've edited into the 47 minutes presented here. This is split into two sections to keep the individual files a reasonable size and, as there's no fade between the two, they can be re-joined for playback. As usual, the recording levels are quite low as this is a very quiet soundscape, so playback should reflect this with the background sound in the opening section only just audible.
Part one opens as the night unfolds. The eerie calls of Tawny Owls reverberate through the woodland, ducks are calling and redstarts have just begun to sing. This night section forms a kind of prelude to the dawn chorus which fades in after about three minutes.
Close by, a Blackbird joins in with its flute-like song and the unmistakable two-tone call of a Cuckoo echoes across the lake. A small group of Mallards with ducklings approach and stay quite close, paddling to & fro and occasionally flying off and landing, too. Their wing-beats contain quite a lot of low frequency energy which is quite audible on this recording. Also heard are Robin, Song Thrush, Wren, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Crow, and the barking of distant Canada Geese. Occasionlly, a Buzzard can be heard calling high overhead. It's still quite dark, and owls continue to call from time to time. Then, at around 15 minutes into the recording, a Willow Warbler strikes up its gently lilting call against a building drone of bumblebees foraging on the early spring flowers.
Part two continues with a close-up sonic portrait of the Willow Warbler which gives us a lovely serenade for ten minutes or so. A short distance away, another sings alternately. Buried in the mix of other birdsong, I can just hear the occasional trill of a Wood Warbler, too. At around 11 minutes, two pairs of Canada Geese fly in over the water with their raucous honking calls. They seem to leave a silence in their wake, though after a moment or two, the gentle ambiance returns. Meanwhile, the ducks are still busy, a Cuckoo comes in quite close, with at least one other heard in the background. There's also the high pitched and continuously repeated song of a Goldcrest. I heard one last week on the opposite side of the lake, too & I've been whistling that repeated ostinato for several days! Meanwhile, Crows circle overhead, a Cuckoo strikes up again and, in the last minute of the recording, I think that could be a Stonechat giving its distinctive clicking call.
Recorded: 2022-05-08 @ 0430...0700 LT
Location: 52.2725 , -3.5911
Part 1
Download full length recording:
25min, 40MB, .ogg format
Part 2
Download full length recording:
22min, 34MB, .ogg format
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