A Morning on Otter Creek with a Raft of Ducks Artwork

Nature Is My Jam

If you’re like me, then you love the sounds of nature. From the dawn chorus of birds that rings in the start of another day to the howl of coyotes in the dark of night, these sounds ignite curiosity, excitement and a deep appreciation for our planet. You’re listening to Nature is my Jam, a show that explores the rich kaleidoscope of nature sounds and the art of capturing pristine audio in remote wilderness locations. Hello. I’m Darrin and I document the hidden corners of the world through sound, filmmaking, and photography. Each week, I will take you along with me as I create natural soundscapes. We will discuss how I record these sounds, but the star of each show will be nature itself. A high-quality audio immersion providing a brief respite from your hectic day. Subscribe now so you don’t miss an episode and I look forward to continuing this conversation with you soon.

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Nature Is My Jam

A Morning on Otter Creek with a Raft of Ducks

February 02, 2023 • Darrin Wassom • Season 2 • Episode 5

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A fairly short recording this week, but it is time well spent with a raft of Mallard Ducks. Until today, I would have said a flock of ducks but, apparently, ducks are only called a flock when they are in flight. When they are in the water, a raft, team, or a paddling of ducks is used. When they are on land? That’s called a sord of ducks. This is certain to be a question on Jeopardy, so jot this down and keep it close to the vest. Just remember me when you win.

This is a recording from the same location as last week, but from the other side of Otter Creek. I left a recorder and microphones attached to a tree close to the bank of the creek. When I went to retrieve the gear, I could see at least 100 ducks grouped together and being very talkative. A heavy snow was coming down, so they appeared as ghosts on the creek and I immediately regretted not having a longer lens on my camera to get a photo.

In other news, I found a new recording location much closer to my house. I spent a few hours there this week to scout the location and get a feel for the wildlife in the area. It is so quiet that my test recording came back with NOTHING. No cars, no airplanes, and no nature sounds. However, there are plentiful signs of activity, so I just need to learn the area for better microphone placement.

Apologies for the short recording this week, but I think you will enjoy it. For the discerning listener, you will probably hear some random traffic noise. This is because of the time of day of the recording and its proximity to a main road. I can only record from this location at night because there is very little traffic, but I think the noise is faint enough that it won’t distract from the listening experience.

Recording Details: