Recording wildlife (entry level)?

GeorgiaJoe

GeorgiaJoe

New member
I know nothing about the recording industry. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif What is some good entry level equipment to record wildlife? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif I have a couple of packs of coyotes that are in some real thick stuff. I can't get a clear shot but they sound so close I thought I might try to record some of their vocals. I asked about this a good while back and got some info but the prices were way up there. I googled "Portable recorders" tonight and saw some neat new technology at affordable prices.
Here was one device that I thought might do the task with a good mic':
http://digitalmedia.oreilly.com/2007/02/01/review-zoom-h4-handy-recorder.html

Thanks for any help! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowingsmilie.gif
GAJoe
 
GeorgiaJoe,
That's a nifty looking recorder, the H4. I've used the older Edirol R-1 and it does a good job with an external mic. Chances are you're going to need to pick a digital recorder and then an external shotgun mic to use with it. You can wrap up a ton of money in recording equipment if you really want to get into it and do a good job. Shoot me a PM if you want to toss around more ideas or pick my brain.
 
Would love to do this on the side, however I do believe a small fortune could get tied up in it.

Keep us informed.
 
So long as we're talking entry level, I've field-recorded some very usable sounds in MP3 (160kbps bit-rate, 48KHz) on a PoGo Ripflash Plus MP3 player/recorder, using nothing but the built-in mic. These are tiny, but have relatively large buttons, and one-touch recording. This feature is rather useful for serendipitously grabbing sound at a moment's notice while otherwise out calling with it (as the storage and control device for a homebrew ecaller). These devices were about $100 new, 4 years ago. Safe to say you could probably now find one of these-- or perhaps the recording Rio model (#800 if memory serves) or an iRiver-- for a lot less on fleabay. Too, there are now devices that fit in the dock of recent iPod models that record, too.

I've also used both an old Windows laptop and a new MacBook Pro to record stuff like captive baby mice and a baby chipmunk, and gotten excellent results with nothing more sophisticated than a $20 LabTec microphone. Cost is next to nothing to get your feet wet, if you happen to have one of these already, using Audacity or GoldWave.

Bigger challenge, I find, is in being ready at a moments notice at one of the rare times when you hear something good, while the wind also happens to be calm, etc. At these moments, no recorder is gonna do you much good if it's sitting back in the truck (or, sometimes, even at the bottom of your pack! The few times I've actually heard a bunny's last hurrah, it's all been over pretty quick).

LionHo
 
Sometimes, I just get lucky.

I recently received a cd from a predator hunter and amateur videographer who was trying to capture a coyote coming to the call on video. This is his story that came with the cd.

While hunting coyotes, he took a time out for a shot at a jackrabbit. When he went over to pick up the rabbit, he discovered he had only nicked it, and it started screaming in his hand. He flicked on his Sony camcorder and recorded 5 full minutes of this jackrabbit screaming bloody murder, using only the camera's internal microphones. Judging from what I've heard, conditions must have been perfect, no wind, no background, no jets, and no traffic. The camcorder caught the whole thing in crystal clear stereo and there is considerable crossfade in the recording as the rabbit shifts left and then right. It's 16-bit 48 KHz 1536 KBps stereo, perfectly modulated at about 85%, so it actually is better than cd quality. It's one of the best, neediest, most urgent "woe is me" jackrabbit recordings I think I've ever heard.
 
I recorded some yotes that were at least 500+yds away with a regular old handheld tape recorder. You know, the ones that the press use, or anyone needing to record someone taking. It picked it up pretty good, except every move i made wether it was me shuffling it from hand to hand or what, it picked that up to. You can hear it on you tube. I transfered it by recording it with my video camera with sound, then i put the vid on youtube. So, quality is okay at best, but its on there!

 


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