We managed to find a couple of fine days to go to Gigrin and check out the Kites.
I got permission from Chris to make recordings from the Feeding Ground so I checked batteries and windshields prior to setting up my recording kit before the public came onto the farm at 1300hrs.
As usual the rooks and ravens were first down to scavange for food but overhead some interest was shown by the bolder Kites.
The now regular resident White Red Kite soon made an appearance swooping and circling before diving into the fray.
Others followed, their graceful manouvering exciting those watching
as they hung on the air with hardly a flap of wing to keep them aloft.
So, were they disturbed by my recording kit set out on their feeding ground, did it stop them claiming their daily feast, did they even notice its presence?
I think not, it went un-noticed and not a single bird was bothered.
Here's how.......................................
Its 'recorder rock', some shrunk natural hessian hiding all the gear.
Inside the parobolic dish an Edirol R09 SD recorder
is looking up towards the natural amphitheatre.
Strapped to the bedroll is a quasi-binaural spaced omni' pair of Audio Technia AT 4022 mic's giving a great depth of field to the overhead soundscape. Angie made all the custom fitted windshields.
These were feeding into a Fostex FR2LE with a 4GB CF memory card resting on the lid of my equipment box to keep out the ground water from the stream which ran just where I had chosen to place the kit.
A sturdy stump acted as an anchor for the dish and kept it off
the wet ground and the handy grasses served to disguiise the lot.
Once I work out how, you can share the sound of the day with me.
Try going to....
http://soundcloud.com/bigrogsound/b170837s-kites-ravens-with-sheep
http://soundcloud.com/bigrogsound/b170837s-kites-ravens-with-sheep
