Wildlife sound recordist Chris Watson gives us his top ten hints on recording the perfect bird song.

listen to a dawn chorus

1: Why record wildlife sounds? Wildlife sounds enrich our lives, whether it's birdsong in a garden, or the spectacular soundscape of a seabird colony. Capturing these sounds can be an exciting and rewarding experience.

2: Listen. Your ears are an important part of your equipment! Teach yourself to listen afresh. The radio is a good place to start. Hear the range and depth of location sounds on reports, features and documentaries and simply build up your own experiences of the differences you hear and what you like the sound of.

3: Microphones: They need good windshields when used outdoors and need to be of robust design, with a bass cut switch to reduce wind and traffic noise. Sennheiser, Sony, Audio Technica and Beyer all make good microphones and their catalogues have application guides and advice on recording techniques. Microphones can be hand-held but a lightweight tripod or clamp is much better, this prevents handling noise and leaves you free to operate the recorder and watch the action.

4: Recording machines: Mini-disc is a new audio format of high quality. The portable recorders are lightweight, easy to use and have a long battery life. Audiocassette recorders can also record good quality sound. Remember that if you have access to a video camera these can also record sound only - you don't have to record an image as well!

5: Accessories: A pair of headphones to listen to what you are actually recording is essential, but don't listen at too high a volume, as this becomes tiring to your ears.

6: Get familiar with your equipment: Good recordings can be made with modest equipment, but whatever you choose it is essential to get to know how to operate it well outside, so you can concentrate on the subject without fiddling with cables and connectors.

7: At first pick a manageable and accessible subject: The rich, fluty song of a blackbird is one of the classic sounds of spring. The song is quite loud and sung regularly from the same spot as the bird advertises its presence and defends its territory.

Plan your first session by listening out for a singing bird the evening before as blackbirds also join in the dusk chorus. The bird will often return to a regular position, called a songpost. This could be the corner of a garage roof, the top of a lamppost, the branch of a tree or even perching on a washing line!

8: Techniques: Patient observation of your subject is essential, to gain knowledge of its habits. This can be learnt over the course of a few weeks in spring. Hide yourself by avoiding noisy fabrics and by wearing dull colours.

The skill, and one of the pleasures, is the positioning of your microphone to achieve a good balance between the subject and other sounds. If there is only a short cable between microphone and recorder try fixing them both close to the songpost; switch to record and move back so you can observe but not disturb the action when the bird returns. This close up technique means you record the full range of an individuals song whilst background noises are reduced in level. Alternatively, try recording a more atmospheric or ambient track to include several different birds singing during the chorus by fixing the microphone in a mid spot to achieve a natural balance between the individual songs.

9: An early start!: Our dawn chorus in spring is a wonderful sonic experience and during May it seems to reach a peak of activity around 4.00am. Just being out at that time and hearing those sounds wash over you is a refreshing and revitalising experience. Back home, relax, close your eyes and replay your recordings - the effect is transforming!

It is well worth taking your recording equipment further afield and finding new subjects. Always check your situation regarding access to areas off public rights of way and remember the welfare of your subject. Some birds and other animals are protected by legislation particularly when at or near a nest containing eggs or young.

10: Further information: The Wildlife Sound Recording Society (WSRS) is a British based society with a worldwide membership. A field meeting and recording workshop is held during Spring and members organise meetings locally. The Society publishes its journal "Wildlife Sound" twice a year as well as a sound magazine on CD four times a year with examples of members work.

The National Sound Archive Wildlife Section is part of the British Library based in London. It holds a large collection of wildlife recordings from Britain and around the world which can be listened to by arrangement. A one day training workshop in wildlife sound recording is held each year

Chris Watson March 2001