walking the water

Doing the monthly BTO survey on "my stretch" of the river Tweed is a very good opportunity for wandering through some ideas too. Even while counting mallards (including 24 ducklings in various stages of growth), grey heron, black-headed gull, mute swan, oystercatcher (my birds as they are the helpers of Bridget in Gaelic - gille-brìghde), dipper and goosander.

Onto the cauld which stretches across the river to create the pool you just saw and has these metallic edges as it scatters down onto the rocky section below.

Finally to a lower pool and its weedfilled cobbles.

Later I made a long audio recording where I get a bit distracted by a grey wagtail which flies over my head towards the end. But unfortunately blogger doesn't seem to like that. Still I enjoyed myself and got some good birds too. Creativity and wellbeing mix well with science and nature.

Soundart Radio

Have you ever wanted to make your own radio show? Then Soundart Radio can help you. Poet radio time again.

Perhaps you recorded a show on
 a cassette when you were a teenager and spent a lot of time alone. Maybe you have a list in your head that you could read out. Or perhaps you're a poet who lives in the trees, an angel, a roadkill chef or can recognise birds by their songs. If so, send some poems to poetandgeek.com.

If you are interested in more technical skills, go here: http://www.soundartradio.org.uk/projects/creative-radio-course/

Or just listen to birds and other cool stuff here http://www.soundartradio.org.uk/

Tree voice program

Working on a project inspired by Thomas Hardy's description of the night sounds of Egdon Heath - natives of the heath could tell what plant or dried grass the wind is blowing through - it involves miking up trees and making recordings of their voices in various woods in the Scottish Borders, Wooplaw and down by Kelso way and all. And then playing around with the results digitally.

It's fun when you end up with a fox, badger or owl or something in the background too.

Giving trees a voice sounds like poetry to me...