Sounds you love in the woods

The calls of the hermit thrush and white-throated sparrow.

Amazing how many people mention the White Throated Sparrow. I remember sitting in the chair at my former dentist's when his wall clock chimmed in with "Old Sam Peabody, Peabody, Peabody." It was almost enough to make me smile.

Little Rickie said:

How about that loud crack trees make when it's super cold and the air is dry in the woods.

Ever hear the ice on a lake crack/boom under the same conditions?

Ever happen to you while standing on the lake?

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Actually that loud crack/boom sound happens when ice is being formed on a lake and the pressure ridges are surging against one another. As a Nordic skater, I welcome that noise as a GOOD sound. There is a different kind of cracking sound made when the ice sheets are actually breaking apart, leaving you stranded with a ribbon of water between you and the shore. That one can be somewhat disconcerting; but, fortunately, I have so far always found some alternate route back.

Many already mentioned and:
Acorns falling out of the trees and hitting the ground on a crisp fall day.
A thin layer of ice cracking beneath one's boots along the trail.
Trees branches creaking on a breezy day in the woods.
Chipmunks running thru the leaves then popping out to let you know they are there.

Donna

Jimmy Legs and Little D said:

Many already mentioned and:
Acorns falling out of the trees and hitting the ground on a crisp fall day.
A thin layer of ice cracking beneath one's boots along the trail.
Trees branches creaking on a breezy day in the woods.
Chipmunks running thru the leaves then popping out to let you know they are there.

Donna

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Donna - I thought you were going to finish the first sentence with "...and hitting you on the head."

I would have to add to that walking into a tree that is leaning across the trail because you are watching your feet, and hearing the dull thunk that follows the stars.

Loons far out on the lake in the early morning and at dusk.

The squeak of snow under snowshoes on an absolutely frigid day.

Red-wing blackbird hanging off a cattail.

The huff and stamp of a surprised deer.

Popping pine knots in the fire.

Sand-like snow rustling like leaves before the wind on a frozen lake.

The crunch and slide of a kayak bow coming to rest on a gravel shoreline.

Friends calling "Woo hoo!" when you're in sight of camp.

That stupid Screech Owl that scared the pants off me from what seemed like 20 feet away in the middle of a very dark night spent under the stars.

Coming to the end of a long hike, the sound of traffic which means the trailhead is not far away.

The sounds of any unidentified, unseen creature. I always imagine its a moose or bear ( often, when the creature shows itself, its a red squirrel!!)
The sound of rain on a shelter roof when you are warm inside.

The sound your shoes make on the trails that are all eroded down to pea sized gravel. It sounds like what chewing Grape-Nuts sounds like.

The sounds of your hiking companions trying to shout to each other above the sound of the wind above treeline in winter.

The sounds I make when I get out of the car after a long car ride, after a long hike!

One of my favorite moments of all time (and my son's): We were climbing Gothics when he was 8 on a perfectly still morning. I stopped him on the Orebed Brook Trail and told him to listen very carefully and tell me what he heard. After about 10 seconds he got frustrated and said: "Dad, I don't hear ANYTHING!", which was exactly the right answer. We were hearing absolute silence - a rare and wonderful commodity in the modern world.

erugs said:

Donna - I thought you were going to finish the first sentence with "...and hitting you on the head."

I would have to add to that walking into a tree that is leaning across the trail because you are watching your feet, and hearing the dull thunk that follows the stars.

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Ellen,
If I had, then I might consider a rewrite of the hit song from the 70's by BJ Thomas to: "Acorns Keep Falling On My Head"

Donna

Down south I loved to hear the whipporwills singing at night. I think I was the only one I knew who enjoyed their music. I don't dare say what other sound I love to hear in the woods but I will give you a clue....it makes me giggle.

-MEB

MEB said:

Down south I loved to hear the whipporwills singing at night. I think I was the only one I knew who enjoyed their music. I don't dare say what other sound I love to hear in the woods but I will give you a clue....it makes me giggle.

-MEB

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My parents have a whipporwill visit them in New Boston and it has been a treat to hear it, though often all I hear is the "orwill" part. As for giggling, it is always good, now you have us guessing as to just what it is that gets you going.

the snap of a twig that is too loud/heavy to be from anyone else but a moose

ravens...they make so many cool sounds

mating calls of moose

last night I listed to two different packs of coyotes howling and yipping and it was echoing off mountains...just awesome

Great thread!

Everything mentioned makes up a long list of favorite sounds in the woods, but my list is topped by the huffing and puffing of the little heartbeat at my heel... constant trail companion, Emma.

KDT

jbrown said:

The squeak of snow under snowshoes on an absolutely frigid day.

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Yes!

I love how sounds like footsteps on the hard snow change as the temperature drops to really low. On the coldest of winter days, you can hear the difference in frequency.

The sound of my 3-yr old daughter's voice asking me questions about the forest as we discover nature together.

Trees creaking as they bend in the wind at night (and sometimes coming down!)