Field notes: summer birdsong in the Black Forest

I recorded this soundscape in June 2026 near Furtwangen, in Germany’s Black Forest. The excerpt brings together distinct bird calls and a quieter woodland atmosphere, with voices that seem close and others arriving more softly from among the trees.

The supplied recording location is 48.089380, 8.153140. The Black Forest recording page contains a one-minute preview, so you can spend a little time with the place before deciding what to explore next.

Begin with the whole woodland

Let the first few calls arrive without trying to catch every one. Notice whether your attention settles on an individual phrase or on the atmosphere surrounding it. There is no need to turn the recording into a species-identification test.

A distinct call can become the centre of the scene for a moment. When it ends, stay with the recording rather than immediately searching for a replacement. The quieter spaces help give the next voice its shape. They are part of what there is to hear.

Move between the closer and softer voices

On a second listen, choose one clear phrase and follow it to the end. Then open your attention to a softer voice behind it. Treat near and far as listening impressions: you do not need to assign a distance or work out exactly where a bird was sitting.

You might notice something on the second pass that escaped you on the first. That does not mean the earlier listen was incomplete. Following one detail and taking in the wider scene are simply different ways to spend the same minute.

If you would like to learn birdsong identification afterwards, the RSPB’s bird-song guide suggests concentrating on one song at a time. Use it as a learning resource; it does not identify the birds in this particular recording.

Try a minute of close listening

Choose a comfortable playback level. You can keep the screen out of sight once you have started the preview.

1. Take in the setting. Listen to the overall woodland atmosphere for a few moments.

2. Follow a phrase. Give one call your attention without needing to name its singer.

3. Widen the scene. Notice another layer and the gaps between voices.

4. Finish where you are. Pause playback and listen to the room or outdoor space around you.

These are suggestions for your attention, rather than descriptions of events at particular timestamps. You can also ignore the exercise and enjoy the excerpt as it comes. A recording does not need to produce a particular feeling to be worth hearing.

Carry the curiosity outdoors

A familiar garden or permitted woodland path can offer another chance to listen. Keep the recording for private listening rather than playing it to attract birds. The BTO’s Birders’ Code recommends staying on existing paths and avoiding song playback during the breeding season.

The sounds around you will have their own character. Compare what you notice without expecting your local place to reproduce this one. If you want a way to begin, our sound-walk guide offers a gentle structure.

Return to the recording

Listen again to the excerpt and follow one detail through it: a nearby call, a quieter layer or a pause. If you would like to understand the work behind the sound, read how we capture nature.

— J