Sounds Southern

40 Episodes
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By: Alice Pierotti

Sounds Southern immerses listeners in the tranquil and vibrant field recordings of North Mississippi’s hill country. Each episode, presented by recordist Alice Pierotti, offers a 20-minute journey into the soothing sounds of nature in the rural south, from dancing leaves to distant birdcalls.For those who wish to delve deeper, Sounds Southern Extended subscribers gain exclusive access to complete recordings, ranging from 30 to 120 minutes, perfect for relaxation, meditation or background ambience.Recorded on the land of the Woodland and Middle Mississippian peoples, the Chickasaw and the Mississippi Band of the Choctaw Indians.....www.soundssouthern.com Hosted on Acast. See ac...

Great Horned Owl Greets the Dawn
#129
Today at 11:00 AM

Recorded on November 23, 2025 at Heart Place, this is the sound of the bird chorus at dawn. Sounds Southern Extended listeners will hear twenty minutes of a Great Horned Owl’s hoo-awws as blue hour shifts into sunrise. Listeners will also hear the morning calls of the Chipping Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Hermit Thrush, Carolina Wren, Northern Mockingbird, American Crow, Northern Cardinal, Dark-eyed Junco, Eastern Towhee, Blue Jay, Belted Kingfisher, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Fox Sparrow, Cedar Waxwing, Pileated Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker and the gentle psithurism of wind moving through the trees. This delicate recording is best enjoyed in a quiet setting.


Snow Geese above the Autumn Red Oak
#128
11/25/2025

Recorded on November 22, 2025 on the sleeping porch at the dogtrot, this is the sound of a perfect fall day for migrating birds. Winter species are arriving in the hill country and large flocks of Snow Geese are moving toward the Delta side of Panola County where they will overwinter on fallow farm fields and wetlands. Sounds Southern Extended listeners will hear the squeak of the porch door and my cat’s meow along with almost an hour of bird song from Blue Jay, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Carolina Chickadee, American Robin, American Goldfinch, White-throated Sparrow, Song Sparrow, American Crow, Hermit Thrush, Dark-eyed Ju...


Whispering Pines Under the Northern Lights
#127
11/18/2025

Recorded on November 11, 2025, from the Way Out West deck, this is the sound of wind pushing out an early-season cold front that dropped temperatures below freezing for two nights. Overhead, a geomagnetic storm reached rare G4 levels, sending the aurora borealis dancing as far south as Mississippi. The wind moves through the trees, creating the soothing sound of psithurism, with the occasional dry post oak leaf skittering across the deck. Sounds Southern Extended listeners will hear the chime of the bell as I close the door to the windy night and my sweet cat Suny's meow. This recording is best...


Fall Rains Beneath the Green Night Sky
#126
11/11/2025

Recorded on October 26, 2025, on the sleeping porch, this is the sound of an all-night rain moving in under a bruised, green-tinged sky. The eerie color comes from sunlight interacting with water droplets and ice particles within the storm clouds—reddish-yellow light scattering through moisture and refracting off hailstones. This rare phenomenon is most vivid near sunset, when the low angle of the sun enhances the storm’s strange, luminous hue. Listeners will hear the steady fall of rain onto the metal roof and rain drum and Sounds Southern Extended listeners will enjoy over 75 minutes of the soothing rain plus the soft...


Crickets by the Lakeshore
#125
11/04/2025

Recorded on October 27, 2025, at Sardis Lower Lake, this is the sound of crickets singing in the shoreline grasses as the day fades. The soft pink noise of their steady rhythm creates a calming soundscape, perfect for relaxation or meditation.

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Dripfall in the Mockernut Hickory
#124
10/28/2025

Recorded on October 26, 2025, at Heart Place after a weekend of steady rain, this is the sound of dripfall from the mockernut hickory and the rising chorus of crickets as evening fog settles in and the autumn day draws to a close.

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Autumn Breezes in the Southern Red Oak
#123
10/24/2025

Recorded on October 23, 2025, at the dogtrot, this is the sound of a breezy autumn day in the pasture.The wind rustles through the leaves of a giant Southern Red Oak in a mast year, scattering acorns below as the bright, musical trills of Allard’s Ground Crickets rise through the air. Listeners will also hear the calls of Blue Jays, American Crows, a Northern Flicker and a Red-shouldered Hawk riding the thermals above Heart Place. This recording is best enjoyed in a quiet setting.

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Autumn Evening Raindrum
#122
10/21/2025

Recorded on October 18, 2025, from the sleeping porch, this is the sound of an approaching thunderstorm in a squall line that swept across the Southeast, dropping more than three inches of rain at Heart Place over the course of the autumn night. Sounds Southern Extended listeners will hear the deep, rolling thunder of the storm’s advance and the steady rain falling on the metal roof and onto the raindrum, with crickets singing softly in the brief calm between downpours.

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Sundown Thundershower
#121
10/17/2025

Recorded on September 15, 2025, from the Way Out West deck, this is the sound of the first in a line of pop-up showers that ushered in an evening of rain and thunder. Listeners will hear distant thunder rolling across the horizon and a gentle rain falling as the sun sets and crickets begin their nightly song.

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Mockingbird in the Autumn Meadow
#120
10/14/2025

Recorded on October 9, 2025, from the sleeping porch at the dogtrot, this is the sound of a Northern Mockingbird establishing its winter territory in a meadow alive with blooming fall wildflowers—swamp sunflower, late-blooming boneset, goldenrod and frost aster. The wind through the blackjack oaks adds a soft psithurism as the mockingbird’s intricate song drifts through the autumn air, joined by Blue Jay, Carolina Chickadee, American Crow, Downy Woodpecker, Chipping Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, White-breasted Nuthatch, Tufted Titmouse and one curious cat’s meow.

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Barred Owl beneath the Full Harvest Moon
#119
10/10/2025

Recorded on October 6, 2025, from the Way Out Deck, this is the sound of a Barred Owl establishing his winter territory in the woods behind the dogtrot. After a day of rain, the clouds drift away to reveal a rising super Harvest Moon. Crickets provide a soft, steady backdrop while the gentle creak of the deck and the squeak of a door mark quiet human presence as the owl begins his haunting hoo-aww calls from the tall pines.

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Great Horned Owl Song
#118
10/07/2025

Recorded on October 4, 2025, at the dogtrot, this is the sound of morning blue hour filled with crickets and the resonant call of a male Great Horned Owl, whose deep stuttering hoots — hoo-h’HOO-hoo-hoo — echo through the twilight as he sets up his territory in the woods at Heart Place.

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Ruby-throated Hummingbirds in the Autumn Garden
#117
10/03/2025

Recorded on September 15, 2025, on the Moonpie Deck, this is the sound of a charm of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds gorging on nectar in the wild medicine garden. This feeding frenzy, known as hyperphagia, fuels their preparation for fall migration to Mexico and Central America.

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Crickets and Midnight Thunder
#116
09/30/2025

Recorded on September 15, 2025, on the sleeping porch, this is the sound of a fall evening with distant rolling thunder and a steady chorus of crickets as a storm approaches. Sounds Southern Extended listeners will hear a complete hour of the soothing, relaxing sounds.

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Dog-day Cicadas at River Road
#115
09/26/2025

Recorded on August 30, 2025, at Belmont along the Tallahatchie River, this is the sound of a season in transition. Dog-day cicadas buzz from the treetops while the last of the summer birds prepare for fall migration. Carolina Wren, Acadian Flycatcher, White-eyed Vireo, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Hooded Warbler, Blue Jay, American Crow, Eastern Towhee, Red-eyed Vireo, Carolina Chickadee, Wood Thrush and Tufted Titmouse all add their voices to the peace of the woods at the riverside.

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Autumn Equinox at the Swamp
#114
09/23/2025

Recorded on September 22, 2025, at the Belmont swamp, this is the sound of the wetlands after a rainshower. Crickets set the backdrop as Tufted Titmouse, Common Yellowthroat, American Crow, Chimney Swift, White-breasted Nuthatch, Summer Tanager, White-eyed Vireo, Northern Waterthrush, Northern Cardinal and Pileated Woodpecker call across the swamp. Raindrops kerplop from the leaves of the towering bald cypress, adding to the rhythm of the autumn sounds. This recording is best appreciated in a quiet setting.

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Evening Thunder in the September Sky
#113
09/19/2025

Recorded on September 15, 2025, on the Way Out West Deck, this is the sound of the last drops of an evening thundershower fading as crickets and katydids weave their night song into a gentle green noise, perfect for meditation.

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Charm of Finches and Raindrum Song
#112
09/16/2025

Recorded on August 29, 2025 at the dogtrot, this is the sound of a quenching garden rain shower accompanied by a charm of lively finches at the feeders. Raindrops patter on the metal roof and fall onto the rain drum, creating a natural melody. Listeners will also hear the sharp chee-dit calls of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds as they chase each other through the rain.

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Morning Dew in the Wild Passion Vine
#111
09/09/2025

Recorded on August 30, 2025, in the pasture at Heart Place, this is the sound of a cricket chorus at blue hour giving way to dawn where heavy dew blankets the pasture and the blooming wild passion flower vine. Sounds Southern Extended listeners will also hear distant coyote calls and a Barred Owl hoot along with Blue Jay, American Crow, Eastern Wood Pewee, Northern Mockingbird, Northern Cardinal, Tufted Titmouse, Eastern Bluebird, White-breasted Nuthatch and Ruby-throated Hummingbird.

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White-eyed Vireo at the Riverside
#110
09/05/2025

Recorded on August 30, 2025, at Belmont on the Tallahatchie River, this is the sound of an early morning bird chorus featuring year-round residents alongside others preparing for fall migration.. A steady backdrop of cricket song frames the voices of the Carolina Wren, Eastern Wood Pewee, Red-shouldered Hawk, Acadian Flycatcher, Hooded Warbler, Northern Cardinal, White-eyed Vireo, Red-bellied and Pileated Woodpecker, Summer Tanager, Kentucky Warbler and Red-eyed Vireo.

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Late Summer Raindrops on the Sleeping Porch
#109
09/02/2025

Recorded on Aug 28, 2025 on the sleeping porch, this is the sound of a late summer sundown as a pop-up shower moves out of the area. The background rhythm of field crickets and the pitter patter of raindrops falling from the metal roof onto the rain drum mingle with the hooowaa of a Barred Owl echoing through the bottom.

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Night Sounds under the August Black Moon
#108
08/26/2025

Recorded on August 22, 2025 at the dogtrot under a rising Black Moon, the rare third new moon in a season of four, this is the sound of a steady drone of katydids, field & tree crickets and cicadas bringing a peaceful calm to the late summer night.

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Insect Song in the Twilight Rain
#107
08/19/2025

Recorded August 14, 2025 at the dogtrot, this is the sound of gentle rain on the metal roof with distant rolling thunder, joined by an assortment of field and tree crickets and katydids. The continuous trill of the Southeastern Field Cricket, the spritely chirps of the Southern Wood Cricket, and the brief raspy rattles of the Lesser Angle-wing Katydid weave together into a late summer night chorus.

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Blue Grosbeak Dawn Song Beneath the Flying Up Full Moon
#106
08/12/2025

Recorded on August 10, 2025, from the Way Out West deck, this is the sound of the dawn chorus as blue hour shifts into sunrise under the full August “Flying Up” moon—named by some cultures for the time when young birds take their first flights. Blue Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, Tufted Titmouse, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Carolina Wren, House Finch, Red-eyed Vireo, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Northern Cardinal, White-eyed Vireo, Eastern Bluebird, Eastern Phoebe, Carolina Chickadee, Pileated Woodpecker and Chipping Sparrow blend with the steady rhythm of field crickets in the early dawn.

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Morning in the Meadow
#105
08/08/2025

Recorded on July 29, 2025, on the Way Out West deck, this is the sound of morning in the meadow and the distinctive call of the Red-headed Meadow Katydid—a powerful, rapid tick followed by a loud, grinding trill. Summer songbirds including Eastern Wood-Pewee, House Finch, Downy Woodpecker, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Carolina Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch, Tufted Titmouse, Northern Cardinal, Blue Grosbeak, Yellow-throated Vireo, Red-winged Blackbird, American Crow and Mourning Dove weave into the summer mix of cicadas, crickets and katydids warming in the summer sun.

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Soft Summer Thundershower
#104
08/05/2025

Recorded on July 8, 2025, this is the sound of a gentle rain falling on the west deck and metal roof of the dogtrot as distant thunder rolls across the river bottom. Dusk-singing cicadas pulse in the background while Ruby-throated Hummingbirds dart through the soft drizzle. The rain blankets the shiny leaves of the Blackjack Oaks and pasture grasses, as Eastern Wood-Pewee, House Finches, Indigo Bunting, Carolina Chickadee, Northern Cardinal and the steady rhythm of field crickets join the evening chorus. Sounds Southern Extended listeners can enjoy 75 minutes of soothing pink noise, perfect for meditating.

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Conehead Katydid under Shooting Summer Stars
#103
08/01/2025

Recorded on July 29, 2025, at the dogtrot, this is the sound of the night chorus of katydids, crickets and cicadas rising beneath the summer meteor showers of the Southern Delta Aquariids and Alpha Capricornids at their peak. The recording opens with the bold, continuous trill of the robust conehead. At the 22-minute mark, the two-parted zeee-dik of the oblong-winged katydid cuts through the symphony of common true katydids. Overhead, a waxing crescent moon at 27% shares the dark sky with streaking meteors and the nocturnal insect hum of mid summer.

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Gentle Stream at Cold Springs Woods
#102
07/29/2025

Recorded on June 19, 2025, this is the sound of an ephemeral stream splashing and bubbling as it winds through the woods at the edge of a prairie remnant alive with native grasses, sedges and blooming summer wildflowers. Flowing beneath the territory of a sweet-singing Common Yellowthroat, the stream carries the rhythm of his triplet song—witchety-witchety-witchety—above its clear, cool water. Nearby, the layered calls of White-eyed Vireo, Indigo Bunting, Kentucky Warbler, Carolina Wren, American Crow and Mourning Dove complete the early summer soundscape.

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Purple Martins at Heart Pond
#101
07/25/2025

Recorded on June 8, 2025, at Heart Pond, this is the sound of Purple Martins riding thermals after a pop-up shower. Their chortling song rises above a lively soundscape of early summer birds that include Chipping Sparrow, Northern Parula, Northern Mockingbird, Orchard Oriole, Blue Grosbeak, Northern Cardinal, Brown-headed Cowbird, House Finch, Blue Jay, Tufted Titmouse, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Summer Tanager, Wood Thrush, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-crested Flycatcher, Carolina Wren, American Robin, Mourning Dove, American Crow, White-eyed Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Eastern Kingbird and Indigo Bunting, with field crickets and Southern Cricket Frogs adding to the chorus around the pond.

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Bullfrog Chorus in the Spring Lake Moonlight
#100
07/22/2025

Recorded on June 9, 2025 at Wall Doxey State Park, this soundscape captures a diverse frog chorus at Spring Lake, an artesian spring-fed 40-acre lake lined with towering bald cypress trees. Under a waxing gibbous moon at 98% illumination, the deep resonant calls of American Bullfrogs take the lead, joined by Cope’s Gray Treefrogs, Bird-voiced Treefrogs, Green Frogs, Southern Cricket Frogs and Fowler’s Toads. Crickets and katydids provide a steady rhythmic undertone, weaving a rich layered chorus of summer nightlife.

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Golden Hour with a Charm of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds
#99
07/18/2025

Recorded on June 14, 2025, at the dogtrot, this is the sound of golden hour in the garden. The chee-dits of a charm of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds sparkles alongside a chorus of Tufted Titmouse, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Northern Cardinal, House Finch, Chipping Sparrow, Yellow-throated Warbler, Red-bellied & Pileated Woodpecker, American Robin, Carolina Wren, Wood Thrush, Mourning Dove, Red-eyed Vireo, Northern Parula, Eastern Kingbird, Blue Jay, Summer Tanager and Northern Mockingbird. The raspy waaaaa of a boisterous little Fowler’s Toad occasionally joins the mix along with a background of field crickets.

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Katydid Chorus under the Full Buck Moon
#98
07/16/2025

Recorded on July 10, 2025, at Heart Place under the light of the full Buck Moon, this is the sound of a warm summer evening. From high in the oak trees, a group of Common True Katydids sing their steady, rhythmic drone, perfect for deep relaxation or drifting off to sleep.

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Prothonotary Warbler & the Babbling Brook
#97
07/11/2025

Recorded on June 19, 2025, in the bottomland forest along Sandstone Trail, this is the sound of a gentle brook flowing after rain. The bright tweet-tweet-tweet-tweet of a Prothonotary Warbler carries through the understory, joined by the songs of a Red-eyed Vireo, Northern Cardinal, Carolina Wren and Red-bellied Woodpecker. This calming green noise is perfect for relaxing or meditating.

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June Gullywasher with Pealing Thunder
#96
07/08/2025

Recorded on June 19, 2025, at the dogtrot, this is the sound of a powerful early summer thunderstorm, with more than an inch of rain falling in just one hour. Listeners are treated to booming, echoing, pealing thunder and the sound of rain on the Moonpie deck and in the meadow. Sounds Southern Extended subscribers get an hour of some of the season’s most dramatic thunder and the melodic rhythm of the rain drum and the return of birdsong as the storm rolls away. As the skies begin to clear, birds like the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Chipping Sparrow, Eastern Wood-Pewee, House Finch, Tu...


Swamp Cicadas & Summer Songbirds in the Wet Prairie
#95
07/04/2025

Recorded on June 19, 2025 in a wet prairie remnant near Sardis Lake, this is the sound of summer settling in after nearly an inch and a half of rain fell in just 24 hours. As the summer sun returns, swamp cicadas (also called morning cicadas) fill the air with their crescendoing, shimmering buzz, joined by the rhythmic chirp of crickets and the steady trickle of an ephemeral stream winding through blooming stands of American germander and blue mud plantain. This is the sound of a wet summer morning—lush, lively and full of motion.


Birdsong rises from all di...


Bird-voiced Tree Frogs in the Snappy Sync Magic
#94
07/01/2025

Recorded on June 9, 2025 at Wall Doxey State Park, this is the sound of a vibrant frog chorus at dusk in the wet woodlands surrounding artesian Spring Creek. Synchronized fireflies—Photuris frontalis, also known as Snappy Syncs—light up the twilight in silent rhythm. The chorus features Cope’s Gray Treefrogs, Bird-voiced Treefrogs, Green Frogs and Fowler’s Toads, with the Bird-voiced Treefrog’s bell-like call (resembling the pitch and tempo of a Pileated Woodpecker) at the forefront. Crickets add their steady rhythm to the layered soundscape.

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Thundershower in the Green Pasture
#93
06/27/2025

Recorded on May 24, 2025, on the Way Out West Deck during a stretch of record-setting rainfall in Mississippi, this is the sound of a gentle thundershower passing over the pasture lush with native grasses and blooming wildflowers. Birds call from the rain-soaked Blackjack and Post Oaks—Chipping Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Indigo Bunting, Tufted Titmouse, Downy Woodpecker, Brown-headed Cowbird, Carolina Chickadee, Blue Jay, Summer Tanager, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Carolina Wren, House Finch, and Pine Warbler—while a few Southern Cricket Frogs, stirred by the rain, add to the chorus.

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Dusk-singing Cicadas & Barking Tree Frog at Heart Pond
#92
06/24/2025

Recorded on June 8, 2025, at Heart Pond, this is the sound of late spring at blue hour. As the light fades, the first dusk-singing cicadas of the season begin their pulsating drone, joined by the calls of Barking Tree Frogs, Fowler’s Toads and Southern Cricket Frogs. Their layered chorus captures the shift from day to night in a humid Southern landscape.

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Wood Thrush Melody in the Creek Bottom
#91
06/20/2025

Recorded on June 8, 2025, in the woods at Heart Place, this is the sound of the Wood Thrush singing from the creek bottom in late spring, as birds establish their summer territories. A rich chorus joins in, including Northern Parula, Tufted Titmouse, Northern Cardinal, Summer Tanager, Chipping Sparrow, Indigo Bunting, American Robin, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Northern Mockingbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Gray Catbird, Hooded Warbler, Blue Jay, Brown Thrasher, Mourning Dove, Orchard Oriole, Carolina Wren, Red-winged Blackbird, Blue Grosbeak, Acadian Flycatcher, Purple Martin, Carolina Chickadee and Eastern Kingbird. Creating the perfect calm, this recording is great for meditation or slowing the heart rate.

...


Yellow-breasted Chat in the Wildflower Meadow
#90
06/17/2025

Recorded on May 4, 2025, at the dogtrot, this is the sound of a lazy spring afternoon in the wildflower meadow, with a light breeze rustling the leaves of the Blackjack oaks. At the center of the soundscape is a male Yellow-breasted Chat, showcasing his extensive vocal repertoire—whistles, cackles, mews, catcalls, chuckles, rattles, gurgles, pops and more—strung together in ever-changing combinations. Accompanying him are the Tufted Titmouse, American Crow, Northern Mockingbird, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Brown-headed Cowbird, Red-winged Blackbird, Orchard Oriole, American Robin, Summer Tanager, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Pine Warbler, House Finch, Purple Martin, Carolina Wren and Red-bellied Woodpecker. This recording is best enjo...