Juvenile Great-horned Owls beg for food from adults by making raspy sounding screeches. In the Fall they’re learning to hunt, but they still beg for food from the adults. In this recording their dialog ends with what sounds like the juvenile Great-horned Owl landing in a grassy field and catching something!
S2-27 Gray Foxes on a Moonlit Night
As the moon rises a Gray Fox barks. Her voice reverberates across a small field of Coyote Brush and grass. Another Gray Fox responds in the distance. Their voices carry over the chorus of crickets. Owls sing as the night settles in. The two Gray Foxes call to one another from the shadows, and listen…
S2-26 Black-bellied Plovers in Late September
There’s a sound that echoes along the banks of the Petaluma River, near Shollenberger Park. It usually starts in late September. This is when Black-bellied Plovers return from their breeding grounds, as far north as the arctic. They call as they fly along the river’s edge. Their voices floating across the water to tell us that fall has arrived again.
S2-25 Western Honey Bees Collecting Pollen
The Western Honey Bee was first brought to North America in the early 1600s. They’re very social compared to the native bee species found in Northern California. When they’re all buzzing around in a bush you can certainly tell that their work is a collective effort!
S2-24 An Orchestra of Crickets
The sound of crickets all singing together is sometimes referred to as an orchestra. The song of most tree crickets is a sustained trill. Late summer and fall is the time when the cricket Orchestras here in Sonoma County start to tune up and fill the night with their music!
S2-23 Sonoma Creek Headwaters in Summer
A Song Sparrow makes chip calls, a Wrentit sings it's bouncing ball song, and a Spotted Towhee can be heard as well. These different voices all combine to create the soundscape of the Sonoma Creek headwaters in early summer!
S2-22 The Pacific-slope Flycatcher
One bird you’ll hear around parts of Sonoma County in the summer is the Pacific-slope Flycatcher. Once you learn their song it’s easy to recognize. So, next time you’re relaxing in the shade by a creek and sipping lemonade on a hot summer’s day in Sonoma County, keep an ear out for the Pacific-slope Flycatcher!
S2-21 American Bittern In The Mix
If you listen closely to this soundscape you’ll hear a low sound that sounds a little like “ker-plunk, ker-plunk”… That’s a species of bird called the American Bittern. Low frequency sound travels better through the dense reeds. So, the lower voice of the American Bittern allows them to communicate with one another through the busy soundscape of the marsh!
S2-20 The Ash-throated Flycatcher
Every spring and summer the Ash-throated Flycatcher’s distinctive voice contributes to soundscapes across the West, from Texas to California. But by the end of August they take their music back to Mexico, and as far south as Central America.
S2-19 The Underwater World of the Harbor Seal
Harbor seals spend up to 70% of their life underwater. Their aquatic home can sound strange and even abstract to our ears. In this recording from Jenner we can hear harbor seals making grunting sounds, and blowing bubbles.
S2-18 A Northern Mockingbird Singing His Heart Out
The Northern Mockingbird is an impressive singer! This species gets its name from how they mimic the songs of other birds. The more sounds the male is able to include in his song, the more likely he is to attract a female.
S2-17 Marsh Wrens at Kennedy Park
Marsh Wrens are about the size of a sparrow. They’re a rusty-brown color, with black and white markings that resemble eyebrows. These were recorded at Kennedy Park, in Napa. Listen carefully and you’ll hear a quick couple of “chuck” sounds, followed by the Marsh Wren’s “rapid fire” song.
S2-16 Swainson’s Thrushes on the Russian River Estuary
The Swainson’s Thrush is one of those birds that you’re more likely to hear than see. If you paddle along the south bank of the Russian River Estuary, near Jenner… you might just hear the beautiful music of our russet-backed Swainson’s Thrush!
S2-15 Downy Woodpeckers and Chicks
In this episode we return to the headwaters of Sonoma Creek, in Sugarloaf Ridge State Park to listen to Downy Woodpecker chicks. We were last here in winter, but now it’s spring.
S2-14 Western Bluebirds at a Backyard Nestbox
Western Bluebirds are a small thrush that can sometimes be found in backyard nest boxes. As this male Western Bluebird flies up to the entrance of the nestbox the chicks get very excited. Sometimes, if you sit quietly and listen, you can observe a lot in your own backyard!
S2-13 Springtime at London Lake
Springtime at London Lake, in Jack London State Historic Park, is alive with the sound of many species of birds and insects.
S2-12 The Mysterious Song of the Varied Thrush
The Varied Thrush's song has been described as haunting, ethereal, and mysterious. Listen, and you might just hear the spirit of the old growth forests they call home, reverberating in the song of the Varied Thrush!
S2-11 A Bewick's Wren at Bothe Napa Valley State Park
By the end of his second month the male Bewick's Wren has found his own unique Voice. This will be the song he sings for his entire life!
S2-10 The Red-breasted Nuthatch in Sonoma County
Red-breasted Nuthatches can be found in parts of Sonoma County. Like in Annadel State Park. The next time you visit your favorite stand of conifer trees, keep an ear out for the Red-breasted Nuthatch!
S2-09 Black-tailed Deer Alarm Sounds
Deep down in their DNA Black-tailed Deer are wired to be on alert for predators. When a mountain lion or say, a bobcat is nearby, Black-tailed Deer will sound an alarm.