May 2014
In early April the German Ornithologist’s Society’s – DO-G bioacoustic
working group met in Berlin for a workshop. They main aim was to give
an insight into techniques of bioacoustic monitoring.
As the groups vize spokesman and one of the more experienced members
of the group I had the opportunity to attend the meeting in the Natural
History Museum.
Some members talked about their work and their experiences with hard-
and software to record migrants or breeding birds only by their
vocalisations and how to detect their calls in sound recodings of longer
durations automatically (pattern recognition).
At the end of the weekend the group made a short field trip to the famous
Schorfheide-Chorin in the North of Berlin.
JHONOLD01, 140406, Black Woodpecker, drumming, song, Chorin, Germany
© Johannes Honold
JHONOLD02, 140406, Black Woodpecker, drumming, song, Chorin, Germany
© Johannes Honold
I met Johannes Honold a birder and sound recordist from Bavaria on that
occasion. We decided to stay at the Schorfheide after the seminar hoping
to get some sound recordings of owls or local specialities like Common
Cranes or the Wood Sandpiper.
Unfortunately, we have discovered that even this sparsely populated area
is heavily noise polluted, so that it’s optical beauty is depreciated by the
constant traffic noise (mainly airplanes).
PFR09931-1, 1-00, 140406, Common Crane, territorial call,
Mallard, female, calls in flight, Grumsin, Germany
PFR09933, 2-10, 140406, Common Crane, territorial call, Grumsin, Germany
Nevertheless it was great spending time together in the field – sharing thoughts,
knowledge and skills.
Visit Johannes’s blog here: avesrares.wordpress.com