I set out for the Ochoco Mountains in central Oregon expecting birdsong, solitude, and long nights of recording. Instead, the road delivered rain, crowded campsites, and a possibly disabled car miles away from civilization. The second leg of my summer trip had barely begun but things didn’t quite go as expected. After leaving the Warner
Dawn choruses, detours and rain Read More »
In June, I headed out on my annual summer recording trip, started years ago as a way to save my dog from the sound of fireworks around the 4th of July. That dog is gone and my current dog is deaf, so the need to avoid fireworks is not as pressing. But the summer solstice
Songs of the summer solstice Read More »
In March of this year, I headed south to the desert to do some sound recording. More accurately, I visited three deserts—the Great Basin, Mojave, and Colorado. It was the second week of March, a little early for much bird activity, but I still came home with some good recordings and a welcome break from
At the edge of spring: listening across three deserts Read More »
Nestled just south of Mono Lake in eastern California, and north of the dramatic Long Valley Caldera, the Mono Hills beckon with their quiet beauty. These volcanic ridges and valleys are sculpted from pumice soils and lie in the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada. Yet, against the odds, the slopes burst with stands of
Sagehen to Sawmill: Solitude and songbirds in California’s Mono Hills Read More »
In south-central Utah lies an area of corrugated sandstone that looks like someone took a giant backhoe and scooped out a huge chunk, leaving the rest to the vagaries of erosion. It’s called the Box Death Hollow Wilderness, and given its ruggedness and difficult access, it’s probably one of the least visited wilderness areas in
Exploring Utah’s Box Death Hollow: Adventures Along Hell’s Backbone Read More »
In early September, I set off to check on a couple of my acoustic monitoring stations near Beatty, Nevada (more on that in an upcoming blog post). As I was already on the road, I decided to make a real road trip out of it and check out a spot in Utah that’s been eluding
Vanishing voices: Pinyon Jays and the changing Nevada landscape Read More »
After visiting the prairies last summer, I decided it was time to spend some time in the forest. Not the open forests of the eastern Sierra, but the deep, dark forests of the Cascades and Klamath Mountains. Where giant pines and firs reach for the skies. I’ve visited the area before, but it was usually
Visiting the southern Cascades and Klamath Mountains Read More »
After I left Canada, I headed back to the Little Rockies in Montana, where another breezy night kept me from getting any good recordings. Then I explored the northern end of the Bighorn Mountains in Wyoming, where the campgrounds were just opening. I found a nice, dispersed area and pulled into a campsite some distance
Thunderstorms and pikas – exploring the Wyoming Range Read More »
After my recording trip to Red Rock Lakes, I headed east, across Yellowstone, to the Pryor Mountains. The plan was to meet Lang Elliott at the Pryor Ice Cave and try recording inside the cave. The plan was thwarted by a muddy road, with foot-deep ruts, which was too much for my small SUV to
Prairie – at last! Read More »
On my sound recording trip last May and June, after I left Castle Gardens in Wyoming, I traveled to Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in southern Montana. I’ve been here a couple of times before and it’s one of my favorite places on the planet. The shortest route was through Yellowstone, but since I
Return to Red Rock Lakes Read More »
After I waved goodbye to the Black Hills, I made my way to Ten Sleep, Wyoming. I drove through the Bighorn Mountains, which were still rocking fresh snow from recent storms. It was the last week of May, but winter held the mountains firm in a wintery grip. All the campgrounds were still closed, while
In late May 2024, as part of my prairie recording expedition with Lang Elliott and Beth Bannister, I checked out Red Bird Canyon in the southern Black Hills of South Dakota. I arrived there late in the afternoon after being pushed across Wyoming by a strong tailwind. Although not very deep or extensive, the canyon
