Issue #1 - March 2007 Return to newsletter frontpage   Feature: The Listening Earth Story - How we began How have natural soundscapes evolved? New Release: 'An Evening in the Australian Bush' Nature Download Shop coming soon Free Nature Sound Download + Desktop Image Write an Album Review Comet McNaught New Release: 'An Evening in the Australian Bush' CD Click here for sound samples and album description: http://www.listeningearth.com.au/pages/Sounds_Evening.html 'A Morning in the Australian Bush' has always been our most popular album. For quite a while we have had it in mind to offer a nocturnal companion (so to speak) of this favourite title. It is finally available, both in selected Australian retail outlets, and directly from us via our secure online store. 'An Evening in the Australian Bush' makes a lovely end to the day, a soothing way to prepare for a restful transition to a peaceful nights sleep. It begins with the last of the day's birdsong, and as dusk settles, you will hear a diversity of Australia's unique night-sounds; owls, bush curlews, possums, bats, gliders, a koala, plus frogs and insect choruses. If you concentrate, there is a lot to listen to, but you can also just relax and let the tranquility of the forest at night enfold you. Eventually the soundscape becomes even more spacious, with soft crickets and the hypnotic calls of a Tawny Frogmouth allowing you to drift off into the depths of the night. Return to top The Listening Earth Download Shop - coming soon!! Over the last couple of months we have had lots of requests for a download shop on our website. It is also something we have been keen to establish... So, in the next month or two we hope to have this facility up and running. You will be able to download complete CDs, or mix and match tracks... creating your own favourite nature collection! Our recordings will be available as well-encoded mp3s, ready for your iPod so that you can take nature with you wherever you go. We'll also be making albums available as full-resolution audio (for all you audiophiles out there :-) with cover graphics for you to print out and make your own CDs at home. Just letting you know we are on the job, and will have this up and running soon. Return to top Nature Soundscape Download + Desktop image: After five weeks recording in India, we have returned with some beautiful recordings. So it is understandable that we'd like to choose one of the highlight mornings to share with you this month. This recording was made at Satkosia Wildlife Reserve, in the state of Orissa in eastern India. On this magnificent morning we recorded over 3 hours of rich and varied birdsong. In this excerpt you can hear the lovely, flutey calls of Indian Scimitar Babblers, along with Fantails, Red Jungle Fowl, Giant Squirrels, Sunbirds, Langur monkeys, Bulbuls, Woodpeckers, Tailorbirds and Rose-ringed Parakeets. I intend to prepare an album featuring this morning alone, so look out for it on our download shop in a few months. Meanwhile, enjoy! 'Satkosia Forest' soundscape - mp3. Download 'Satkosia Forest' desktop image. This photo shows the exact location where this recording was made. 1024x768 size (most common screen formats) 1680x1050 size (widescreen format) Return to top Write a review! We would like to invite you to review any of our CD albums. We often receive lovely feedback from customers who have bought our CDs, and we would like to open up the floor for you, our listeners, to write a review or two. Personally, I know I find it helpful when buying books or CDs online to hear what others think of them, and it does give a different perspective to that of the authors or artists. We are so close to our albums; after all, we were present at every recording! So it is refreshing for us to hear the responses that come from your listening. We will publish the best reviews on our website, on the page for the relevant album. Reviews don't have to be favourable - this isn't just a self-glorification exercise! We, and our online visitors, will want to read what you really feel, so you can be as personal in your reflections as you like. Considering that we each have a deeply personal relationship with nature, it can't really be any other way. You're welcome to write as much or little as you like. We'd welcome even just a single sentence. And if English isn't your native language, please just write it to your ability, we are sure your meaning will get through clear enough. So send us your reviews in an email, please include your name and county of residence. We look forward to reading your contributions! Return to top Comet McNaught Comet 2006 P1 (McNaught) caused quite a sensation in mid-January, when it swung around the sun and reappeared streaming a magnificent tail in the southern sky. It was the brightest comet since the mid 1960s, but was unfortunately only visible to observers living in more southerly latitudes. We arrived home from India a week after its re-appearence, so it had already lost much of its magnificence. This photo was taken outside our home. For images that show just how spectacular this comet was during the preceeding week, when closer to the sun, click here. http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~jds/images/2006p1_20070120a_vavra.jpg http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~jds/images/2006p1_20070120b_vavra.jpg http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~jds/images/2006p1_20070123a_rudi_vavra.jpg http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~jds/images/2006p1_20070126a_rudi_vavra.jpg Return to top