Two years ago, when I was recording in Skaftafell National Park, I noticed that Redwings sing differently between two places in the park. In the forest around Skaftafellsheiði, above the campsite and the information center, the redwings sing quiet „normal songs“ as most Redwings do in Iceland. But in nearby valley, in Morsárdalur in Bæjarstaðakógur forest, most of the Redwings colony start their song with two long tones before the „normal song“ starts.
I have search my recordings for something interesting. What makes it different and what is common with this Redwing songs which will probably bring me, or someone else, to further research.
But I will not talk about it here, because that will be another story.
By slowing down the recording four times (1min > 4min) it makes a totally new soundscape. It sounds like a rain forest full of screaming monkeys. It opens my mid for different understanding on birdsong. Redwing’s song is much more complex than I thought. They are far from being singing the same melody or make a simple message all the time. It sounds more like a complex language.
It does not matter what they are doing. Are they speaking to each other, sending messages or singing a complex song to the crowd, it always leave the question: What are they doing and what does it all mean?
Following recording was recorded last summer in Bæjarstaðaskógur. You can hear this special Redwing start his song with its two tones before he continues with a „normal“ song.
In the normal speed recording at 2:40, you will hear a rumble from the Morsárjökull glacier which was about 10km away
Background noise is mostly from streaming water in the mountains and the Morsá river.
Quality open headphones are recommended while listening at low to mid level, or in speakers at low level.
Normal speed.
(mp3 256kbps / 12Mb)
Slow speed (4x).
(mp3 256kbps /41Mb)
Recorder: Sonosax SR-X4+ (24/48)
Mics: Sennheier MKH20 (AB40)
Pics: Canon EOS-M
Weather: Light cloud, showers around, calm, 10°C
Location: 64.058877,-17.024021
HLJÓÐMYND - SOUNDIMAGE 
Sæll, ég er að vinna að verkefni sem heitir birdspot og var að hugsa um að bæta við fuglahjódum. Er möguleiki á að fá fuglahljóð hjá þér eða getur þú bent mér á einhvern annan!
Sæll. Já það ætti að vera hægt að skoða það. Vandinn er hinsvegar sá að ég á ekki mikið að stökum fuglahljóðum. Ég er frekar að eltast við hljóðvistana í heild sinni á hverjum stað fyrir sig.
Ég á allar græjur í fínum gæðum til að eltast við einstaka fugla og hef of með mér Parabóluhljóðnema í ferðum. Mér hefur þótt það hinsvegar tímafrek vinna, sérstaklega fyrir það að ég hef ekki nýtt slik hljóð í eitthvað sérstakt.
Sem stendur veit ég ekki um neinn hér á landi sem er að eltast við einstaka fuglahljóð. Það ma þó vera að Yann Kolbeinsson sé að því. Ég var allavega að gera við parabóluna hanns fyrir um ári síðan 🙂