PODCAST · science
Songscapes
by Rob Porter
Soundscapes from nature sanctuaries and natural areas in Canada. Includes birds, amphibians, insects, and more.Season 1 and 2 produced from field recordings of the Hamilton Bioacoustic Research Project & the Hamilton Naturalists' Club in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.Season 3 produced from field recordings of various recordists around the world. See the episode notes for details.
Episodes
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Moose Creek, Kananaskis Country
It's mid-morning at the end of May, 2025. Along the fast-flowing Moose Creek in the Jumpingpound Demonstration Day Use Area the Lincon's Sparrows and White-throated Sparrows sing loudly while the Ruby-crowned Kinglets pass through. As time passes, Pine Siskin, American Robins, and even a few...
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A Cold June Dawn Chorus at Deer Lick Run
It's 4°C (39 °F) and 5:40am on June 5, 2024 and the American Robins and a Northern Cardinal start off the morning. As time progresses, a number of bird species add their voices: Winter Wren, Dark-eyed Junco, Blackburnian Warbler, Ovenbird, Blue Jay, and towards the end of our soundscape, the…
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Rain Songs at Ruigrok Tract
The trees are damp with an overnight rain, and with each gust of wind "rain" falls from the trees to the ground. Red-eyed Vireos, Eastern Wood-Pewees, and Ovenbirds sing while Blue Jays call and a quiet and mysterious Eastern Screech-Owl makes rare daytime vocalizations. Recorded on a Zoom F3…
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May Day at Turkey Point Tract
Migration is in full swing along the shores of Lake Erie. Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Eastern Towhee, Blue-winged Warbler, Northern Cardinal are just a few species heard singing. A surprise guest appearance of a Caronlina Wren making a good Kentucky Warbler impression in song. Recorded with a Zoom...
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Frog, Wind, and Snow
This soundscape features spring peepers, wood frogs, with some cameos from Pine Siskin and Canada Goose, as well as lots of wind and snow. Recorded on March 17, 2024 in Beverly Swamp, Flamborough, Ontario using the Zoom F3 and SO.1 Omni Mics. This podcast is powered by Pinecast. Try Pinecast for...
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A July Morning at Hector Falls
Along the trail to Hector Falls I left a recorder for about half a hour. Red-eyed vireos dominate, with the occasional Black-throated Green Warbler, White-breasted Nuthatch, and a number of other songbird species. Recorded on July 15, 2022 with a Zoom F1 recorder with an XYH-6 microphone at…
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Canada Goose Side Trail in May
It's mid-May and most breeding bird species have arrived, and a few are still migrating through. Red-eyed Vireos, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Ovenbird, and more can be heard throughout this soundscape. This was recorded using my new SO.1 Sonorous Objects omnidirectional pair of microphones. This podcast…
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Nocturnal Nature
Each year I attempt to put together a new episode for the Halloween season, but as you might be aware, finding owls is in itself a time consuming effort, let alone recording sounds of them. While I didn’t succeed in capturing much this year, I did think of what I think should be a fun fill-in.…
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Songs of Ice
During a midwinter day at Lake Niapenco, the ice and rocks make interesting sounds as the temperature rises through the day. Read more about this phenomena here: https://www.sciencerendezvous.ca/activities/2020/12/30/hear-ice-sing/
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May Migration at Fifty Point
An early morning soundscape recorded during the migration in May of 2021, at Fifty Point Conservation Area, Grimsby, Ontario, Canada.
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Life in the Swamp
Featuring Red-winged Blackbirds, Northern Flicker, American Robin, Swamp Sparrow, Spring Peepers, Leopard Frogs, and more! Recorded on April 10, 2021 at Beverly Swamp Conservation Area, Flamborough, Ontario by Rob Porter. This podcast is powered by Pinecast. Try Pinecast for free, forever, no...
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Amphibian Trio
The peeping of the Spring Peepers, and the gargling of the Northern Leopard Frog is joined briefly by the songful trill of the American Toad. Recorded on April 10, 2021 at Beverly Swamp Conservation Area, Flamborough, Ontario by Rob Porter. Equipment: ZOOM F1 field recorder with XYH-6 Microphone.
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A Contrast at Dawn
Late May at McMaster Forest at about 5am. The American Woodcock are "peenting" while all the rest of the songbirds awake... Features: American Woodcock, Field Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Blue-winged Warbler, Tree Swallow, and more. Audio engineering by Rob Porter.
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May Meadow Sunrise
It's early May at Vinemount Meadows Sanctuary at about 5am. The chorus frogs are singing, and the American Woodcock is "peenting", and as the day emerges, many birds add to an impressive dawn chorus. Features: Chorus Frog, American Woodcock, Field Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Mallard,...
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8 p.m. Evensong
Songscapes Season 2: A Day in Cootes Paradise was recorded on July 5, 2019 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Cootes Paradise is a 1500 acre wetland on the western edge of Lake Ontario, owned and managed by the Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG), a charitable organization. It lies alongside the city of...
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S2E15 - 7 p.m. Denouement
Songscapes Season 2: A Day in Cootes Paradise was recorded on July 5, 2019 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Cootes Paradise is a 1500 acre wetland on the western edge of Lake Ontario, owned and managed by the Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG), a charitable organization. It lies alongside the city of...
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S2E14 - 6 p.m. Undulations
Songscapes Season 2: A Day in Cootes Paradise was recorded on July 5, 2019 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Cootes Paradise is a 1500 acre wetland on the western edge of Lake Ontario, owned and managed by the Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG), a charitable organization. It lies alongside the city of...
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S2E13 - 5 p.m. Rainfall
Songscapes Season 2: A Day in Cootes Paradise was recorded on July 5, 2019 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Cootes Paradise is a 1500 acre wetland on the western edge of Lake Ontario, owned and managed by the Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG), a charitable organization. It lies alongside the city of...
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S2E12 - 4 p.m. Brooding
Songscapes Season 2: A Day in Cootes Paradise was recorded on July 5, 2019 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Cootes Paradise is a 1500 acre wetland on the western edge of Lake Ontario, owned and managed by the Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG), a charitable organization. It lies alongside the city of...
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S2E11 - 3 p.m. Distant Thunder
Songscapes Season 2: A Day in Cootes Paradise was recorded on July 5, 2019 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Cootes Paradise is a 1500 acre wetland on the western edge of Lake Ontario, owned and managed by the Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG), a charitable organization. It lies alongside the city of...
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S2E10 - 2 p.m. Winds
Songscapes Season 2: A Day in Cootes Paradise was recorded on July 5, 2019 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Cootes Paradise is a 1500 acre wetland on the western edge of Lake Ontario, owned and managed by the Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG), a charitable organization. It lies alongside the city of...
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S2E9 - 1 p.m. Horizon
Songscapes Season 2: A Day in Cootes Paradise was recorded on July 5, 2019 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Cootes Paradise is a 1500 acre wetland on the western edge of Lake Ontario, owned and managed by the Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG), a charitable organization. It lies alongside the city of...
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S2E8 - 12 p.m. Foreshadowing
Songscapes Season 2: A Day in Cootes Paradise was recorded on July 5, 2019 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Cootes Paradise is a 1500 acre wetland on the western edge of Lake Ontario, owned and managed by the Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG), a charitable organization. It lies alongside the city of...
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S2E7 - 11 a.m. Repose
Songscapes Season 2: A Day in Cootes Paradise was recorded on July 5, 2019 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Cootes Paradise is a 1500 acre wetland on the western edge of Lake Ontario, owned and managed by the Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG), a charitable organization. It lies alongside the city of...
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S2E6 - 10 a.m. Morning Calm
After hours of intense morning songs, a new calm begins to establish itself. Songscapes Season 2: A Day in Cootes Paradise was recorded on July 5, 2019 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Cootes Paradise is a 1500 acre wetland on the western edge of Lake Ontario, owned and managed by the Royal…
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S2E5 - 9 a.m. Wax and Wane
A song cycle of waxing and waning intensity begins. Pauses between songs become longer, then shorter, then longer again. Songscapes Season 2: A Day in Cootes Paradise was recorded on July 5, 2019 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Cootes Paradise is a 1500 acre wetland on the western edge of Lake...
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S2E4 - 8 a.m. Songs Sustained
As the morning songs continue, some Black-capped Chickadees arrive with both songs and calls. Songscapes Season 2: A Day in Cootes Paradise was recorded on July 5, 2019 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Cootes Paradise is a 1500 acre wetland on the western edge of Lake Ontario, owned and managed by…
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S2E3 - 7 a.m. Territory
With the dawn chorus complete, the Red-winged Blackbirds disperse to their daytime territories, with just a few staying behind. Red-eyed Vireos, Carolina Wren, Indigo Buntings, Yellow Warblers are just some of the other species that emerge from the cacophony. Songscapes Season 2: A Day in Cootes...
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S2E2 - 6 a.m. The Golden Hour
As more birds awake, so do some insects, and squirrels. In the distance, the sounds of a city waking to a new day. Songscapes Season 2: A Day in Cootes Paradise was recorded on July 5, 2019 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Cootes Paradise is a 1500 acre wetland on the western edge of Lake Ontario,...
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S2E1 - 5 a.m. Morning Twilight
The day begins with the occasional call of the green frog, and distant singing Red-winged Blackbirds and American Robins. As the light emerges, bird songs are brought to the fore, and more species add their voices to the building dawn chorus. Songscapes Season 2: A Day in Cootes Paradise was...
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S1E23 - Who cooks for you?
On a cold February night, deep in the woods of Hayesland Swamp, a lone Barred Owl sings its telltale "Who cooks for you?" song. Recorded on February 3, 2019 at Hayesland Swamp Nature Sanctuary in Flamborough, Ontario. Audio editing by Rob Porter and Simon Carter. For more information, see...
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S1E22 - The Hungry Hawk
Once fledged from the nest, juvenile Red-tailed Hawks still require regular feeding by the parents. As you will hear in this soundscape, they are not subtle! Also heard in this soundscape: Indigo Bunting, Song Sparrow, Field Sparrow, American Goldfinch, Tree Swallow, American Robin, Yellow-billed...
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S1E21 - Wood Thrush
The song of the Wood Thrush is one of the most widely-loved songs of all North American birds. Known by the mnemonic "ee-oh-lay", the male song is able to produce two notes at the same time, giving it a flute-like quality. This is a blend of two recordings, recorded on July 1, 2018 & June 30…
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S1E20 - Gunk, Gunk!
The Green Frog is a fairly common amphibian found in eastern North America in shallow, permanent water features. It's well known for its "gunk, gunk!" call. In this soundscape you'll hear it along with many other wetland and forest edge singers: Swamp Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Common...
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S1E19 - The "Sore-throated" Vireo
The Yellow-throated Vireo shares much in common with it's red-eyed cousins. Their song is only different in its harsh intonation, making it sound like a "sore-throated" rendition of the Red-eyed Vireo song. Found in wet forest habitats, it sometimes overlaps with Red-eyed Vireos, making them...
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S1E18 - Creekside with the Eastern Wood-Pewee
Known for the distinctive "puh-wee" call, the Eastern Wood-Pewee is a very common breeding bird in forests throughout eastern North America. They are also very persistent, seeming to sing constantly throughout the day and sometimes continuing long after sunset until it's truly dark out. This...
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S1E17 - An Urban Meadowlark
The Eastern Meadowlark is typically found at agricultural sites throughout southern Ontario, but can sometimes be found at large open parkland in urban areas. In this soundscape you'll hear both the song and "rattle" call of the Eastern Meadowlark. In the background you'll hear various species…
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S1E16 - Oh Sweet Cacophony!
The song of the White-throated Sparrow, known by the mnemonic "Oh Sweet Canada, Canada, Canada!", is considered to be one of the most musically pleasing songs... when there is just one bird singing. What happens when several White-throated Sparrows sing together in dawn chorus? The effect is…
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S1E15 - Interview With the Catbird
At 5:13 a.m. on May 31 of this year, a male Gray Catbird perched right in front of our field recorder and gave us a nine-minute "interview". The very next morning at nearly the exact same time, he give us another six minutes. Gray Catbirds are mimics -- males sing to impress potential mates with...
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S1E14 - Redstarts of the Lake Huron Fringe
The American Redstart is an abundant and friendly warbler that can be found in deciduous forests and forest edges. It has a fairly simple and short warble, with a fairly wide range of variability in the song. In this soundscape, they are singing nearly constantly. This soundscape was recorded at...
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S1E13 - The "Variable" Warbler, Part 2: Golden-winged Warbler
Together the Blue-winged Warbler and Golden-winged Warbler form a species complex that isn't fully understood. Each species can breed with the other, and produce offspring hybrids that themselves can produce further offspring, leading to all kinds of variations in plumage. This unfortunately has...
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S1E12 - The "Variable" Warbler, Part 1: Blue-winged Warbler
Together the Blue-winged Warbler and Golden-winged Warbler form a species complex that isn't fully understood. Each species can breed with the other, and produce offspring hybrids that themselves can produce further offspring, leading to all kinds of variations in plumage. This unfortunately has...
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S1E11 - Winter Wren on a Summer Day
The Winter Wren can have one of the most lengthy continuous songs of all of Ontario's breeding birds, and is amongst one of the loudest in spite of its tiny size. This soundscape was recorded at Petrel Point Nature Preserve in Red Bay, Ontario in July of 2018. Heard in this recording: Winter…
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S1E10 - Arrival of the Northern Waterthrush
The Northern Waterthrush arrives late April in the Hamilton area, preferring swampy forested habitat. Its song is described as a loud and ringing warble, that accelerates into a jumble of quick notes. For the trained ear, it is similar to the related Yellow Warbler. This soundscape is derived…
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S1E9 - Songs of the Spring Floods
In 2019, the Hamilton Naturalists' Club acquired a new property in the Upper Hayesland Swamp, known now as the Hayesland Swamp Nature Sanctuary. It is a flooded forest in the spring, providing habitat to many wetland wildlife species. This soundscape opens with harsh song of the wood frog...
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S1E8 - Whip-poor-will
A short recording that includes the song of the Eastern Whip-poor-will. This species is now only heard and seen in the Hamilton area during migration, as the local breeding populations have all collapsed. To hear one sing, you need to be up at night or at dawn during the brief migration window as...
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S1E7 - Early Spring Dawnsong at McMaster Forest
This urban recording begins at dawn with the wind-down of the outlandish nocturnal mating calls ("peents") and display of the American Woodcock. Next comes the Song Sparrow and Northern Cardinal as the light grows. Finally, the Field Sparrows and Eastern Towhee begin their songs. Of the songbirds...
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S1E6 - Edge Habitat
Birds can be most abundant along "edge" habitats--between one discrete habitat and another. Here you will hear a mix of urban birds--Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, Mourning Dove--along with the boreal species Yellow-rumped Warbler and a lakeside Song Sparrow. This soundscape was recorded close to a...
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S1E5 - Many Questions
The Red-eyed Vireo is known for its repetitive song, which can sound like a loop of questions and answers. They sing throughout the summer in forests across Eastern North America, even in the hot afternoons. You may also hear a warbler or two as well... Recorded on July 19, 2018 at Otter Lake, on...
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S1E4 - The Song Dogs of Winter
Throughout the winter, we have recorded many Eastern Coyotes, also known as the "song dogs". This is a collection of coyote choruses in multiple locations near Hamilton, Ontario throughout the winter of 2019. Audio editing: Rob Porter Audio sourced from the Hamilton Bioacoustics Research Project…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Soundscapes from nature sanctuaries and natural areas in Canada. Includes birds, amphibians, insects, and more.Season 1 and 2 produced from field recordings of the Hamilton Bioacoustic Research Project & the Hamilton Naturalists' Club in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.Season 3 produced from field recordings of various recordists around the world. See the episode notes for details.
HOSTED BY
Rob Porter
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Songscapes have?
Songscapes currently has 53 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Songscapes about?
Soundscapes from nature sanctuaries and natural areas in Canada. Includes birds, amphibians, insects, and more.Season 1 and 2 produced from field recordings of the Hamilton Bioacoustic Research Project & the Hamilton Naturalists' Club in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.Season 3 produced from field...
How often does Songscapes release new episodes?
Songscapes has 53 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Songscapes?
You can listen to Songscapes on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Songscapes?
Songscapes is created and hosted by Rob Porter.
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