A Society Of Recordists

For over half a century, the Wildlife Sound Recording Society has been active in encouraging amateur recordists to develop their skills and increase their understanding of the natural world, in the UK and around the globe. In this impressionistic sonic portrait, we join society members on a group field-recording trip to Caerlaverock Wetland Centre in Dumfriesshire, to share in reflections and reminiscences about encounters with nature and the art of audio recording.

The sound of thousands of barnacle geese in flight; the wingbeat of a whooper swan; the ambience of a lake at night - our recordists have different sounds they wish to capture during the trip, and a variety of techniques, equipment rigs and field craft know-how at their disposal. Some want the ultimate sense of a location in stunning stereo, while others want to document specific species with as little other 'pollution' as possible. What makes a good recording? And what drives them to keep heading out at dawn and dusk alone with their microphones?

Featured Field Recordings:

David M. - A flock takes to the air at Caerlaverock

Richard Youell - Overhead Whooper Swan

Johannes van den Burg - Black-backed Jackal calling at the Waterhole

Anna Sulley - Bird song: Wren, Curlew, Jackdaw

Robert Malpas - Inner Farne: Terns with People

Johannes van der Burg - Life In The River Eye

Derek McGinn - Snow Bunting

Richard Youell - Geese over Caerlaverock

With thanks to the Wildlife Sound Recording Society and to the British Library for permission to share extracts from the Charles and Heather Myers collection.

Photo credit: Richard Youell

Producers; Peregrine Andrews and Phil Smith

A Far Shoreline production for BBC Radio 3.

A sonic portrait of the Wildlife Sound Recording Society.