Sounds Southern

Recorded on November 9, 2026 at the cypress swamp at Clear Springs, this is the sound of an evening cricket chorus coming to life as the day winds down and the sun sets over the swamp. Listeners will hear an Eastern Gray Squirrel and the fading evening calls of Carolina Wren, Downy Woodpecker, White-throated Sparrow, Pileated Woodpecker, Northern Cardinal, Great Blue Heron, Canada Goose, American Robin and Wood Duck as daylight gives way to dusk.

Recorded on November 1, 2026 at the dogtrot during the blue hour before dawn, this is the sound of an autumn storm front moving through the hill country, its clouds bringing much-needed rain that continues into the morning. Listeners will hear light to moderate rainfall, creating a soothing green noise ideal for relaxation and sleep. Sounds Southern Extended listeners will hear distant rolls of thunder, the bird chorus emerging through the rain as dawn breaks and the melodic notes of the rain drum tuned to the Akimbo scale.

Recorded on October 25, 2026 at the dogtrot beneath the light of the Full Hunter’s Moon, this is the sound of a nighttime cricket chorus accompanied by the soft, distant hooting of a pair of Great Horned Owls as autumn brings the beginning of their courtship season and an increase in vocalizations. Cooler nights have arrived in the hill country, turning the Sugarberry leaves from lime green to gold. Listeners will notice how the rhythm of the cricket song has slowed considerably from the rapid, lively trills of summer, settling into a gentler, more measured chorus as autumn deepens.

Recorded on October 10, 2026 on the sleeping porch, this is the sound of a delicate late-afternoon rainshower accompanied by the evening chorus of birds and the gentle notes of rain falling on the rain drum. A Northern Mockingbird takes center stage, offering a series of soft melodies as the day draws to a close. Listeners will also hear Northern Flicker, Blue Jay, Northern Cardinal, Carolina Wren, American Crow, Chipping Sparrow and American Robin through the light patter of rain on the metal roof.

Recorded on October 8, 2026 at the dogtrot, this is the sound of a nighttime chorus of crickets and katydids beneath the Draconid meteor shower. Rising softly above the steady rhythm of insects are the distant hoots of a Great Horned Owl, establishing its territory and beginning its courtship calls as autumn settles over the hill country. This recording is best heard in a quiet setting, ideal for deep relaxation or drifting off to sleep.

Recorded on October 5, 2026 at the dogtrot, this is the sound of a breezy autumn day in the pasture. Listeners will hear psithurism moving through the towering Blackjack Oaks and the fall song of a Northern Mockingbird establishing its winter territory in the American Beautyberry and Blackberry thicket below.The Northern Mockingbird’s fall song is remarkably different from its spring song, with only about 1% of its songs shared between the two seasons. Females are also much more likely to sing in fall than during the spring and summer. Listeners will also hear American Crows and Blue Jays calling across the pasture, while a few lingering Ruby-throated Hummingbirds add their chatter and the whir of their wings to the autumn afternoon.

Recorded on September 3, 2026 at the dogtrot, this is the sound of morning in the fall garden. Crickets and grasshoppers are bursting with life, while dozens of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds crowd the garden feeders during the peak of fall migration, fueling up for their long journey south. Dog-day Cicadas sing from the loblolly pines, reveling in the heat wave. Other birds raise their voices in the morning chorus, but it is the insect musicians who steal the show. Listeners will hear American Crow, Blue Jay, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Carolina Wren, Tufted Titmouse, Eastern Wood-Pewee, House Finch and White-breasted Nuthatch.

Recorded on September 11, 2026 on the sleeping porch, this is the sound of scattered thundershowers moving across the pasture beneath a particularly colorful sunset. Listeners will hear light rain falling on the metal roof, dripping onto the rain drum and deep rolls of thunder as the storm begins to break apart. As the rain moves on and daylight fades, cricket song rises from the fall-blooming plants and grasses.

Recorded on September 4, 2026 at the dogtrot, this is the sound of a late-summer night chorus beneath a sky full of stars and waxing gibbous moon. Crickets and katydids fill the darkness with rattles, chirps and trills, joined by the fading buzz of a few late-summer cicadas as the season begins to turn toward fall.