Listen to a dynamic and exciting new dimension in nature recordings. As you listen, many new birds will be heard over time as environments change, just like you are actually walking. Proprietary recording techniques were used to record the sounds of actual nature walks. Hear the beautiful sounds of nature, without footfalls, music, or narration. Great for relaxation, treadmill exercise, therapy, or when you can’t get outdoors. Experience the sounds of Spring from forest trails in Michigan, Minnesota, and Manitoba Canada. Wood and Swainson’s Thrush, Veery, warblers, vireos, flycatchers, sparrows, Ovenbirds, Grosbeaks, woodpeckers, Snipes, Loons, Coyotes, and more are heard during these walks.

Visit our web site to hear audio samples, including a 3 minute sample from the album on the home page, www.natureguystudio.com. Note, the samples are short and don’t give the feeling of movement as you would hear if listening for longer periods of time.

Northern Trails Track List:

Manitoba Forest: 28:11 min.

Bird populations soar in this isolated forest habitat surrounded by endless fields of grain. Along the woodland trails, you will hear a great variety of common songbirds, such as Catbirds, Robins, White-throated Sparrows, and countless warbler species. Listen for vireos, Grosbeak, flycatchers, Nuthatch, Veery, House Wren, Red-Wing Blackbirds, and even a pair of Coyotes. See how many birds you can identify.

Michigan Woods: 22:00 min.

Walk along trails through the woodlands of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula in late May. Your walk begins with the songs of various warblers in a swampy wooded area. Listen for a Sandhill Crane as it flies by. Then, enter a woodland that leads to a lake shore. Ovenbird, Wood and Swainson’s Thrush, White-throated Sparrows, vireos, warblers, Great-crested Flycatcher, waterthrush, and more are heard.

Minnesota Lakeside: 29:00 min.

This trail goes for miles along a large, secluded lake, traversing woodlands, fields, and wetlands. Moose and bear tracks are everywhere, and Bald Eagles sail overhead. A delightful chorus of birds accompanies you on this early morning walk in June. Your walk will begin in an open area, with Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and warblers. As you pass by marshes, listen for the winnowing sounds of Common Snipe. Loons are heard calling from the nearby lake. Gentle breezes begin to stir. Abundant flycatchers, warblers, vireos, and woodpeckers are heard as you travel though the woods.

Total Run Time: 79:11 min.

Northern Trails is in stock and ready to ship. Order today and escape to a land of enjoyable nature sounds like you never heard before. This album is available as a CD at: http://www.natureguystudio.com/catalog/northern-trails-cd-p-90.html, or as a downloadable MP3 album at: http://www.natureguystudio.com/catalog/northern-trails-mp3-p-91.html.

PA Elk Barred Owl 092307 Gilmore Trail f0211

For a more detailed article with photos, visit: http://www.natureguystudio.com/microtrackbattery.html

It will happen sooner or later, your battery in your M-Audio Microtrack 24/96 recorder will go bad. You have a few options. You could buy another one, return it to M-Audio and have them replace the battery for around $150, or you can replace it yourself for under $10. This article will tell you how to replace the battery yourself. If you are careful, are fairly skilled, and can solder, you should be able to replace the battery.

If your M-Audio Microtrack is dead and it won’t power up, first try to recharge the unit for a few hours to see if the display will power up. If that doesn’t work, press the power and delete key at the same time for a few seconds to reset and reboot the firmware. Ideally, you should open the case and check the battery and make sure charging circuit works before you buy a battery. Read the entire article and read how to check the battery before you buy a battery.

Ready to replace that battery? Here is what you will need: a small flat bladed screwdriver and or some plastic case openers, a small philips screwdriver, a soldering iron and solder, a replacement battery (see below), and two inches of double stick tape or some adhesive RTV.

The battery from M-Audio Microtrack is a 3.7Volt, 1200mAhr, prismatic, Lithium battery. The size is: 60mm x 51mm x 4.6mm. A very common replacement battery that will fit is a battery from an original iPhone, which is 1400mAhr. Batteries from the iPhone 3G or 4G will not fit. The iPhone 2G battery is available from numerous sources on eBay for around $6.00 including shipping. The battery usually comes with an installation kit of plastic case openers and some star and philips drivers.

First, remove the compact flash card. Place the unit on an open surface and use a ground strap or touch a ground source to eliminate any static charge on your body from damaging the electronics inside the Microtrack. Continue to ground yourself while working on the battery replacement.

Next, open the back cover. This is the most difficult part. Take your time and take it easy or you can ruin the plastic cover. Place your sharp, small, flat bladed screwdriver at the corner of the case and push in and lever outwards. You may also try the plastic case openers that came with your replacement battery kit. The four corners open outwards. There are three catches along the midsection, where the flash card inserts and the opposite side, that should be levered inwards as your screwdriver is inserted. It will take a little time to gradually open the case. You may have to place additional screwdrivers at the latch points to keep the case from popping back together. You may leave some marks in the case plastic. That is ok, but try not to break the latches or the case may not close back together well. Remove and place the cover on your bench.

Remember to ground yourself or wear a grounding strap before touching the PC Board! Next, carefully lift the old battery from the PC Board. It has double stick tape holding it to the board. Now, remove two small philips screws holding down the PC Board. Put the small screws in a safe place so you don’t loose them. Carefully lift the PC Board. It will be retained by the end pieces of the case. You don’t need to completely remove the board, but you do need to lift away the end panel where the line out and S/PDIF RCA connectors are located to get to the battery wires.

You can check your battery voltage to see if is dead. Anything around one volt and the thing is dead. Check the voltage at the battery wires while a charger is plugged in. You will want to see around 4 to 5 volts. That will tell you that it is trying to charge and the charging circuit is working.

Now, you will replace the battery, and how you do this may depend on the battery you get. Do not touch the two battery wires together. It will short the battery out and may cause damage. Basically, connect the red wire where the red wire came from and the black wire where the black wire came from. Leave the white wire disconnected, since it is not used in the M-Audio unit, and be sure to tape over it and to the battery so it is electrically isolated. Your wires may be long enough to solder them to the board or, like mine, they may be short, and require splicing with the wires from the old battery. I used heat shrink tubing on my splice or you can use electrical tape or silicon RTV to insulate the wires. Apply some electrical tape or RTV to cover where the battery wires attach to the PC Board. It looks like the positive lead could almost touch ground if left uncovered.

Next, reassemble the end panel and PC Board with the small screws. Route the wires and placement of the battery so that the battery wires are routed around the battery and away from the case closure snaps. Apply a piece of double stick tape or RTV to the back of the battery and attach it to the PC Board. Then snap the back cover back on. Plug that charger or USB cable in and let the unit fully charge. You should immediately see the screen display working once the new battery is installed since the replacement battery is semi-charged.

Your done! That was easy and you saved yourself a bunch of money. Your new battery will probably give you a little bit better run time.

Toad and Frog Sounds

Enjoy the relaxing, rhythmic sounds, of toad and frog choruses, heard during the warm Spring months. These recordings have been specially selected for a consistent volume, free of loud calls and man-made noises. These longer tracks feature delightful favorites from East of the Rocky Mountains. The sounds, of American, Fowler’s, Woodhouse’s, Great Plains Narrow-mouthed, and Great Plains Toads, plus Spring Peepers, Mountain Chorus, Green, Bull, Plains Leopard, Blanchard’s Cricket, and Green Tree frogs, were recorded at locations in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Texas. The tracks have been edited for nearly seamless looping. Visit our web site to hear audio samples, including a 3 minute sample from the album on the home page, www.natureguystudio.com.

Toads and Frogs Track List:

Toad Haven: 17:52 min.
Listen to American Toads with a background of Spring Peepers, Green and Bull frogs along a placid river in Pennsylvania. You may also hear a Barred Owl, some Canada Geese at a nearby lake, and the faint screeches of a flying squirrel.

Kentucky Pond: 21:53 min.
This recording was made at a small pond within the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area in Kentucky. Blanchard’s Cricket, Green Tree, Bull, and Green frogs join with Fowler’s Toads in a jubilant, yet relaxing, all night chorus in May. In the distance, a Barred Owl and a group of coyotes can be heard.

Texas Canyon: 15:18 min.
Abundant toads and frogs call from a canyon wetland in the Texas panhandle. Blanchard’s Cricket and Plains Leopard frogs join with Woodhouse’s, Great Plains Narrow-mouthed, and occasional Great Plains Toads in this pleasant chorus.

Toads & Frogs is in stock and ready to ship. Order today and escape to a land of enjoyable nature sounds. This album is available as a CD at: http://www.natureguystudio.com/catalog/toads-frogs-cd-p-88.html, or as a downloadable MP3 album at: http://www.natureguystudio.com/catalog/toads-frogs-mp3-p-89.html.

Upon checkout, use coupon code, TOADS, to receive a 10% discount on your total order. The coupon is available for a limited time, until November 30th, and not available to wholesale accounts.

Audubon Singing Bird Clock

I am now stocking one of the most popular products for those who enjoy the outdoors and birds, the Audubon Singing Bird clock. 12 of the most popular North American birds are featured on this 13″ Audubon Singing Bird Clock framed in Green Matte. Each hour is announced by the beautiful song of that particular bird — a different song every hour. A light sensor deactivates the sounds when the room is dark. Officially licensed by the National Audubon Society. We now have these clocks at just about the lowest price you can find anywhere.

Buy one today for yourself or for a great gift by clicking this text.

Starting at 12 o’clock, the birds of the hour are: Summer Tanager, Song Sparrow, Purple Martin, American Goldfinch, Wood Thrush, Common Yellowthroat, Eastern Meadowlark, Carolina Wren, Eastern Bluebird, Red-winged Blackbird, Yellow Warbler, and Hermit Thrush.

Powered by 3- AA batteries, not included. For best sound, place this clock in a well lit room. The volume is related to how light the room is. A darker room will cause the volume to be low, and the sound will turn off if totally dark.

Nature sounds from Northern California

Introducing a  brand new album: Hidden Cove: Northern California Coastal Birds in Chorus

Listen to these relaxing sounds from a hidden cove where Redwood forests meet the Pacific Ocean. This cove is a paradise surrounded by protected forests and wilderness zones. Old growth Redwoods, deciduous trees, clearings with grasses and wildflowers, and a mountain stream attract birds in great numbers. California Quail can be seen and heard frequently, as well as Swainson’s Thrush, Stellar Jays, Red-breasted Sapsucker, hummingbirds, warblers, Ravens, and more. Relax to the sounds of nature at this secluded coastal paradise, with no music added. Visit our web site to hear audio samples, including a 3 minute sample (limited time), from the album on the home page, www.natureguystudio.com.

Hidden Cove Track List:

Shoreline Forest: 40:27 min.
In the early morning mist, a chorus of Robin, Swainson’s Thrush, Song Sparrow, Morning Dove, Western Tanager, and more greet the ear. In the distance, the ever restless waves of the Pacific Ocean can be subtly heard washing ashore.

Quail Haven: 34:40 min.
On a warm, breezy afternoon, the air is filled with the songs of Swainson’s Thrush, calls of abundant California Quail, and sounds of occasional Stellar Jays, Raven, Hummingbirds, Wilson Warblers, Song Sparrow, and more.

Hidden Cove is in stock and ready to ship. Order today and escape to a land of enjoyable nature sounds. This album is available as a CD at: http://www.natureguystudio.com/catalog/hidden-cove-cd-p-81.html, or as a downloadable MP3 album at:http://www.natureguystudio.com/catalog/hidden-cove-mp3-p-82.html.

For a limited time, until October 30th, 2010, enter coupon code, HIDDEN, upon checkout for a 10% discount on your total order.

Listen to the relaxing, rhythmic sounds of the Pacific Ocean along a remote coastline in Northern California. This album has one long track of surf sounds – perfect for relaxing and falling asleep. Hear each wave break on the shore, and recede back along the sandy beach with a bubbling fizz. No music or narration is added, nor are there any other distracting sounds heard. The surf was recorded in calm weather at an inlet, where a small creek meets the ocean and creates unique sounding waves.

This is one of my best recordings of a classical sounding ocean coastline, with distinct waves. Each area of coastline sounds different, depending on the topography, ocean depth, and weather.

For more information on the album, listen to audio samples, and to purchase the album, visit: http://www.natureguystudio.com/catalog/california-coast-cd-p-79.html

For a limited introduction time, use coupon code: CACOAST for a 10% discount on the purchase of the album.

One of my hobbies is tinkering and building automotive engines, transmissions, and other drivetrain to increase performance, and more recently to increase fuel economy. Aftermarket muffler manufactures such as Dynomax, Thrush, Flowmaster, Magnaflow, Cherry Bomb, and others all make a good deal of money selling their performance mufflers. They advertise that their mufflers increase performance quite dramatically from a stock muffler, but never seem to have dyno tests to provide proof. They often only quote muffler flow rates in comparison to a “stock” muffler. The question should then become how much flow is required and how much does more than good enough make? 

Finally, Horsepower TV on Spike TV (episode HP2010-07) did a dyno comparison test of some Cherry Bomb mufflers for sound levels and horsepower. I will ignore the sound level tests they did as they have no real world relationship to being inside an enclosed dyno room. They compared Cherry Bomb’s glass pack, turbo, pro, and high priced Vortex brands to a stock muffler on a test engine running headers and dual exhaust. A common stock style muffler gave 472 horsepower, the glass pack gave 480 horsepower, the turbo style muffler gave 477 horsepower, the short pro muffler gave 476 horsepower, and the Vortex muffler gave 480 horsepower. At the very best, the gains were less than 2% and only 1% for two of the mufflers. This proves that more muffler flow is not needed to make performance gains. Performance gains of 5% are barely noticeable, and certainly not worth it for any other than competitive racing.

What these aftermarket mufflers are good for is increasing, quite dramatically, the sound from the engine. Increasing engine sound has a psychological effect of feeling like the vehicle is faster. Now you know that it isn’t from the above dyno tests. The muffler manufactures are truly selling a pipe dream.

When I was younger, I bought into the hype and used loud mufflers, but it was always irritable to drive around a loud vehicle that could be heard from a few miles away. Now that I am much more sensitive to noise pollution, I use high flow stock style mufflers. I can sneak around the back woods and my tires rolling on the gravel make more sound than my engine.

I am writing this article to emphasize that loud mufflers do not help performance and will only make those that use them a menace on the roadways. Believe me, almost nobody wants to hear loud vehicles, especially while relaxing in a country or forest setting trying to enjoy the wonderful sounds of nature. Loud mufflers are technically illegal, because of the disturbance they cause, and at anytime when an officer wants to stop you, they can on sound alone. Save your ears and everyone else’s by using stock style mufflers. Dynomax sells Walker HushFlow mufflers that run very quiet yet offer improved performance than the worst stock mufflers.

The video was recorded with a Panasonic FZ-50 digital camera at the Tinker’s Creek Nature Preserve in Northeast Ohio. Not the best camera to shoot video with, but that is what I had in my hand at the time. I didn’t have time to get the video camera out of my backpack.