Une nuit sur terre

A Night on Earth : Tropical Thunderstorm, Cocora Valley, Colombia (4​.​592488, -75​.​524440)

Posted by bitcrusher

This stormy night was recorded in the national park of the Coroca region (Colombia), and more precisely in an isolated valley, adjacent to the famous Cocora valley (very touristy). After hours of winding tracks under the storm, we established a bivouac, alone in the middle of the montane tropical forest. This forest is very atypical, because we are here at 3000m above sea level. The vegetation is very strange, like these giant palm trees, called wax palm (Ceroxylon quindiuense).

 
The night begins with the calls of the amphibians who respond to the drops of water from a light rain. In the distance the thunder rumbles crescendo. The rain intensifies, always with the rhythm of the frogs and thunderbolts.
Then the storm subsides and gives way to a concerto of frogs and night birds. The sound recording ends in the middle of the night, the sound of amphibians has subsided. In the background we hear the storm go away.

This recording is shorter than usual, because it was technically hard to make and require more editing than usual. Rainfall recordings are never easy, but I hope you enjoy it.

Microphones: MS Sennheiser (MKH 8040-30)

Recorder: Sound Device MixPre 10T

GPS coordinates: 4.592488, -75.524440

05/04/2019

A night on earth: Rainforest, Amazon, Ecuador (-1.076094, -77.612354)

Posted by bitcrusher

This night was recorded in the middle of the tropical rainforest, in the reserve and biological station of “Jatun Sacha” in Amazonia, Ecuador.

The recording starts at the end of the afternoon, with a chorus of birds and insects. We hear the birds playing in the branches of the trees.
Then the crickets rise in intensity, at the same time as the strange call of an exotic bird. Some hypnotic sounds announce the sunset and the begin of the night.
Gently the wind rises as darkness sets in.
The amphibians start singing, their calls resonant and bouncing back into the night.
Then towards the end of the night a little tropical rain gently punctuates the song of frogs.

Dawn arrives at the same time as the singing of the birds that begin to awake.
A cacique and a woodpecker, not far from the microphone, express their joys as the sun rises.
Little by little the rain lower in intensity, leaving room for songs and flies of parakeets, caciques and other birds.

Microphones: MS Sennheiser (MKH 8040-30)

Recorder: Sound Device MixPre 10T

GPS coordinates: -1.076094, -77.612354

25/04/2019

One night on Earth : Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia (11​.​121955​,​-​74​.​113425)

Posted by bitcrusher

This night was recorded in the middle of the montane tropical forest, inside the “Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta” in north Colombia

The recording begins in the late afternoon, on a background of cicadas, some amphibians, then a “crested oropendula”, a beautiful bird with yellow tail, already met in Guatemala, who falls backwards to release his very particular sound. 
Parakeets in flight. Cracking branches announce the arrival of howler monkeys for a series of powerful vocalisations. 

The night settles and the cicadas sound louder and louder, then calm down. Birds occupy the space of the night with strange calls. 

In the morning with the monkeys in the distance, the cicadas wake up, as well as the birds. Then after this brief chorus, the cicadas become silent and leave space for toucans and squirrels. 

Microphones : MS Sennheiser (MKH 8040-30) 

Recorder : Sound Device MixPre 10T 

GPS coordinates : 11.121955,-74.113425 

03/19/2019 

A night on Earth : Uaxactun, Maya rainforest, Guatemala (17​.​397155, -89​.​638475)

Posted by bitcrusher

This night was recorded in the middle of the Guatemala rainforest, inside the “Reserva Biosfera Maya” near the mayan ruins and village of Uaxactun.

The night begin with insects, cicada, birds.

Then the howler monkeys start their strange call in the middle of the night.

Just before sunrise we can discern the calls of the roosters from the distant village below the ruins. 

Microphones : MS Sennheiser (MKH 8040-30) 

Recorder : Sound Device MixPre 10T 

GPS coordinates : 17.397155, -89.638475 

01/10/2019