Sounds of Perch Lake: The Mesmerizing Persistence of the Eastern Whip-poor-will

09/01/22 • 21 min

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Welcome to the 13th episode of the Nature is my Jam Podcast. This week we are, once again, on the shores of Perch Lake in Grand Traverse County, Michigan. I attended an event last week to see two authors, Jerry Dennis and Dave Dempsey, speak about their love of the Great Lakes and the challenges we could face in the years to come. Fresh water is becoming scarce and the popularity of our state as a great place to live, drawing people from all over the country to move here.

The topic gave me pause, and I thought about the Eastern Whip-poor-will and how I have heard it less and less over the years. I can vividly remember countless nights listening to the Whip-poor-will as I fell asleep and their song being part of a quintessential Michigan summer. Still a presence in Northern Michigan, their numbers seem to fade as each year passes...... or we just can’t hear them over the din of human progress.

That thought remained me throughout the weekend and I thought it would be a good idea to record the Eastern Whip-poor-will this week for the podcast. Of course, there are no guarantees when setting out to find a specific species, but luck was in our favor this week. This episode finds us on the shores of Perch Lake, one of my favorite birding locations.

As I was setting up my recorder and microphone, a Great Egret silently hunting in the grasses and coming closer to where I was setting up startled me. I quickly grabbed my camera and cursed myself for not bringing a longer lens, but I got this photo. I was excited to record my first ever sighting of this beautiful bird, but had to get back to the task at hand as the light was fading quickly. As the Great Egret flew off to the other side of the lake, I pressed record and hiked back to my Jeep with high hopes for the next morning.

You might agree we had success in capturing the whip-poor-will and I’m happy to share this recording with you. I selected a section of the recording where the song of this amazing bird is prominent and focused. You will also hear crickets, frogs and owls, but they are the supporting act for the star attraction.

As always, thank you for listening and I appreciate your support.

Recording Summary:

Date and Time: 8/30/2022 | 3:15 AM
Location: Grand Traverse County, Michigan, USA
Landscape/Feature: Perch Lake
Conditions: Night, Light to Gusty Breeze, Clear Skies, Mild Temps
Recording Device: Zoom F6 Field Recorder
Microphone(s): Audio Technica BP 4025
Digital Audio Workstation: Adobe Audition

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As always, thank you for listening and I appreciate your support.

Recording Summary:

Date and Time: 8/30/2022 | 3:15 AM
Location: Grand Traverse County, Michigan, USA
Landscape/Feature: Perch Lake
Conditions: Night, Light to Gusty Breeze, Clear Skies, Mild Temps
Recording Device: Zoom F6 Field Recorder
Microphone(s): Audio Technica BP 4025
Digital Audio Workstation: Adobe Audition

Support the show

Thanks for listening! ❤️ Your support means the world to me. Follow me on Instagram and Twitter for daily updates.

Previous Episode

Sounds of Old Mission Peninsula: Coyotes and Owls at the Old Mission Lighthouse Park

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Welcome to the 12th episode of the Nature is my Jam Podcast! This week we are taking in the hiking trails and beautiful geography of the Old Mission Point Park, on Old Mission Peninsula. The major attraction in this area, aside from the many wineries, is the Old Mission Point Lighthouse, which began service in 1870. My mantra for this area is, ‘come for the lighthouse, stay for the trails’. The hiking really is perfect, approachable for all fitness levels, and never crowded.

My goal for this recording was to capture the nocturnal calls of the Barred Owl. I was successful in recording their distinctive sound, but my microphone placement could have been better. Next time! This recording is very reminiscent of a typical Northern Michigan evening. Imagine sitting in front of a campfire, watching the stars and hearing owls in the distance. A bonus in this recording is a pack of coyotes howling and hunting.

This post is light on photos this week because of a corrupt SD card but I took a few with my phone. If you are in the area, then you should definitely treat yourself to a few hours on these trails. The terrain varies and the trail meanders through beautiful meadows, climax forests, deep ravines, and sandy Lake Michigan beaches. The wildlife is plentiful and vocal!

As always, thank you for listening and I appreciate your support.

Recording Summary:

Date and Time: 8/23/2022 | 5:00 AM
Location: Grand Traverse County, Michigan, USA
Landscape/Feature: Old Mission Peninsula, Mission Point Hiking Trail
Conditions: Night, Light Breeze, Clear Skies, Mild Temps
Recording Device: Zoom F3
Microphone(s): Audio Technica BP 4025
Digital Audio Workstation: Adobe Audition

Support the show

Thanks for listening! ❤️ Your support means the world to me. Follow me on Instagram and Twitter for daily updates.

Next Episode

Sounds of Leelanau Peninsula: Lighthouse West Natural Area

Welcome to the 14th episode of the Nature is my Jam Podcast. Based on feedback from last week’s episode (and trust me, you had a lot of feedback!), we need a palate cleanser from the mesmerizing persistence of the Eastern Whippoorwill. The consensus is that we could have done with more mesmerizing and less persistence. Although I disagree, I have heard your voice.

This week, we venture out to the Leelanau Peninsula to visit the Lighthouse West Natural Area, part of the Leelanau Conservancy. While the natural area is small in stature at 42 acres, it is mighty in terms of the wildlife present and the unique geography of the area. Most notably, it is a certified bird habitat, meaning, “the native plants in this landscape support healthy bird populations by producing an abundance and diversity of insects.” This distinction is the real reason I wanted to visit this area. The fall migration will begin soon and I want to be fully prepared for those hectic couple of weeks of birding.

Next door to the Leelanau State Park, this natural area doesn’t get the tourist traffic or the noise. From the small parking lot, the trail meanders through a meadow for a short distance before plunging into a large stand of mature maple trees. It’s quite a contrast in terrain, but it changes again as the trail goes along an ancient bluff and eventually levels off into what is called a “boulder terrace”. Created eons ago, when the lake level was much higher, the terrace was a visual reminder of a different time. There is also evidence of massive boulders left by the glaciers.

As I approached the beach, the sun was just setting, and the crickets made themselves known. The sky turned a brilliant yellow and orange while the waves slowly washed ashore. It was stunning. I placed the recorder and microphone by some gnarled cedar trees, hoping to catch the ambience of the surrounding crickets and cicadas without being overwhelmed by the waves. Not to fear, I also placed a second recorder in the meadow and captured some very talkative owls and a pack of very busy coyotes. That recording will be available next week.

As always, I welcome your thoughts and hope you enjoy this episode. Thanks again for your continued support!

Recording Summary: