Sounds Southern

Recorded on March 30, 2026 at Heart Place, this is the sound of the sundown chorus at the woods edge, with violet wood-sorrel in full bloom beneath a stand of loblolly pines. Wind moves through the trees in a soft psithurism as the last of the March breezes carry newly arrived swallows, Northern Rough-winged and Cliff, as they wheel and dance on air..Joining the evening bird chorus are Song Sparrow, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Carolina Chickadee, Eastern Bluebird, Carolina Wren, Chipping Sparrow, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, American Robin, Yellow-rumped Warbler, American Crow, Northern Parula, Downy Woodpecker, Cedar Waxwing, Purple Finch, Blue Jay, Northern Cardinal, Tufted Titmouse, White-throated Sparrow and House Finch, along with the distant meow call of a peacock from a nearby farm.

Recorded on March 30, 2026 at Heart Place, this is the sound of night noises at blue hour. Listeners will hear a mixture of crickets in the pasture including the Southern Wood Crickets with their spritely chirps (about four per second), Southeastern Field Crickets delivering long trills with uneven pauses and Carolina Ground Crickets with a rapid, pulsing trill that stumbles now and then. Across the pasture frogs call from Heart Pond including the Southern Cricket Frogs, sounding like two small pebbles tapped together and Fowler’s Toads with their raspy “waaaa” call. The steady rhythm of insects and amphibians creates a natural chorus suited for meditation or drifting off to sleep.

Recorded on March 22, 2026, at the woods edge surrounding Bullfrog Pond, this is the sound of a dawn song of new migrants and year-round residents preparing for spring. An Eastern Gray Squirrel gives its nasal calls while March winds move through the pines and the oak grove on the hilltop.Canada Geese are beginning spring courting rituals on the ponds at Heart Place and other voices in the dawn song include Carolina Wren, Tufted Titmouse, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, American Crow, House Finch, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Yellow-rumped Warbler, House Sparrow, Carolina Chickadee, Northern Cardinal, Cedar Waxwing, Eastern Bluebird, American Goldfinch, Brown-headed Cowbird, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Barred Owl, Pine Warbler, Eastern Meadowlark, Chipping Sparrow and Red-winged Blackbird.

Recorded on March 7, 2026 at the dogtrot after an afternoon of thundershowers, this is the sound of Spring Peepers calling with their high, exuberant “peeeep” alongside the clucks and low groans of Southern Leopard Frogs at Heart Pond while the occasional drip from the roof falls onto the raindrum The distant rhythm of the chorus creates a soothing field of green noise suited for meditation or relaxation. This recording is best enjoyed in a quiet setting.

Recorded on January 24, 2026 at Heart Place, this is the sound of the first day of Winter Storm Fern as sleet and ice begin to fall across the hill country. Even as the storm sets in, American Goldfinch, Dark-eyed Junco, Tufted Titmouse, Northern Cardinal and House Finch continue to move and call through the cold.Winter Storm Fern became an historic and devastating ice storm, causing catastrophic damage to infrastructure across North Mississippi, with Panola, Lafayette, Tallahatchie and Yalobusha counties sustaining the greatest impact. Ice accumulation brought down trees, including a favorite hundred-year-old post oak at the dogtrot, and power lines, leaving many without electricity for weeks. The recordist was without power or heat for two weeks and without internet for three.More rhythmic than rain, the steady ticking of ice across the winter landscape creates a natural white noise that is well suited for relaxation or sleep.

Recorded on March 14, 2026 on the sleeping porch, this is the sound of a returning pair of Northern Rough-winged Swallows arriving at Heart Place, where they have successfully nested in recent years. Listeners will hear the swallows’ harsh zeep calls, buzzing notes and low, rough bzzt sounds carried on the March winds as other birds including Red-shouldered Hawk, Blue Jay, Carolina Wren, Northern Cardinal, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Chickadee and Golden-crowned Kinglet add to the homecoming chorus. The winds set the Cosanti bell ringing and rustle the budding leaves of the Southern Red Oaks in the pasture.

Recorded on March 4, 2026 at the dogtrot, this is the sound of gusty March winds carrying in thunderclouds as blue hour settles over the pond and pasture while Spring peepers and Carolina ground crickets greet the evening with their calls. Listeners will hear rolls of distant thunder as the wind whistles through the screen on the sleeping porch and the Cosanti bell chimes softly in the breezes.

Recorded on March 7, 2026 at the dogtrot on the sleeping porch, this is the sound of an afternoon long thundershower on the sleeping porch. Light to medium rains fall on the metal roof and onto the raindrum while the birds can be heard flittering around the oak trees and making trips to the birdfeeders. Sounds Southern Extended listeners will hear over 2.5 hours of the storm including long rumbles of rolling thunder, perfect for relaxing or drifting off to dreamland.

Recorded on February 27, 2026 at the dogtrot on the sleeping porch, this is the sound of the dawnchorus in the pasture The dense morning fog carries sound across the pond and pasture, allowing the distant drumming of a pair of Red-bellied Woodpecker to clearly travel. Other birds greeting the day include: Pine Warbler, Blue Jay, White-throated Sparrow, Northern Mockingbird, Tufted Titmouse, Northern Cardinal, Carolina Wren, Eastern Bluebird, Pileated Woodpecker, American Crow, House Finch, Mourning Dove, Chipping Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Fish Crow, American Robin, Swamp Sparrow, Brown-headed Cowbird, and Downy Woodpecker. Listeners will also hear the rustle and call of an Eastern gray squirrel moving through the trees.