In obtaining permits from the City of Colorado Springs for summer 2019 research with Colorado College students, I was invited to collect some soundscape data in association with Motorless Morning (20 April 2019). I deployed an AudioMoth acoustic recorder, recording 2 minutes of audio six times per hour from 5 am to noon on both 19 April 2019 (a normal traffic morning) and on 20 April 2019 (Motorless Morning). Here are a few sounds recorded. Note that these sound files (mp3 format) may be best heard in a quiet environment with headphones.
Biophony
Most of the natural animal sounds heard were bird calls:
Several White-throated Swifts can be heard on this recording, made on a normal traffic day (19 April 2019).
Listen to the White-throated Swifts (best heard in a quiet environment with headphones):
The call of a Spotted Towhee recorded on Motorless Morning (20 April 2019).
Spotted Towhee. Photo (c) Steven J. Taylor, 31 March 2019.
Listen to the Spotted Towhee (best heard in a quiet environment with headphones):
A Black-billed Magpie call recorded on a normal traffic day (19 April 2019), at the beginning of this recording is the last part of the call of a Spotted Towhee.
Black-billd Magpie. Photo by Steven J. Taylor, 25 April 2019.
Listen to the Black-billed Magpie (best heard in a quiet environment with headphones):
The call of Canada Geese is captured in this recording, made on a normal traffic day (19 April 2019).
Listen to the call of Canada Geese flying overhead (best heard in a quiet environment with headphones):
This more complex recording captures what I think is the call of a Canyon Wren, along with the call of a Spotted Towhee, on Motorless Morning (20 April 2019).
Listen to the call of a Canyon Wren, and a Spotted Towhee again (best heard in a quiet environment with headphones):
Anthrophony
Anthrophony is sounds produced by humans or things humans have created – a variety of such sounds were recorded:
A bicycle passes by the acoustic recorder on Motorless Morning (20 April 2019). Note the broad range of frequencies emitted.
Bicycle (best heard in a quiet environment with headphones):
A person, perhaps with a dog on a leash, walks past the acoustic recorder on Motorless Morning (20 April 2019).
Listen to the sound of a person walking – you may be able hear the metallic jingle of a leash (best heard in a quiet environment with headphones):
A skateboarder, or perhaps a rollerblader, passes the acoustic recorder on Motorless Morning (20 April 2019).
Rollerbladers cruising around Garden of the Gods during Motorless Morning, 20 April 2019. Photo courtesy of Seth Boster, The Gazette.
Listen to the passing rollerblades or skateboard (best heard in a quiet environment with headphones):
A runner passes by the acoustic recorder on a normal traffic day (19 April 2019), note how accurately the recording documents their steady pace.
Listen to the passing runner (best heard in a quiet environment with headphones):
A vehicle passes by the acoustic recorder on a normal traffic day (19 April 2019).
Listen to the vehicle drive by (best heard in a quiet environment with headphones):
A military jet passes across the sky on a normal traffic day (19 April 2019) – only the lowest frequency range, where most of the jet noise is evident, is show in the sonogram.
Listen to the sound of the jet passing overhead (best heard in a quiet environment with headphones):
