Episode 18: Mountain Spring

Episode 18: Mountain Spring

Author: Sound By Nature April 17, 2019 Duration: 59:57

A partly cloudy and warm spring afternoon beside a mountain spring in the  Shasta-Trinity National Forest in Shasta County, California. I recorded this right where it burst forth from the ground in a tall stand of old growth Douglas Fir, Ponderosa Pine, Incense Cedar, and Sugar Pine. The Black Oaks, Pacific Dogwoods, and Bigleaf and Vine Maples in the understory had yet to leaf out, and the first fern fiddleheads had only just begun to unfurl in this beautiful and secluded area of densely forested mountains located a short distance from the Pacific Crest Trail. The spring, one of several in the area, forms the headwaters of West Trough Creek, a cold and shady tributary of Squaw Valley Creek, itself a tributary of the McCloud River.


Sometimes the most profound moments come from simply listening to the world outside our windows. Sound By Nature is an invitation to pause and immerse yourself in the authentic acoustics of the natural world, curated into thoughtful audio experiences. Each episode is a dedicated soundscape, free from narration or music, capturing everything from the gentle patter of rain in an old-growth forest to the distant crash of ocean waves at dusk. It’s a resource for recentering, whether you need a backdrop for deep work, a tool for meditation, or a gentle path into restful sleep. This podcast draws from the fields of acoustic ecology and environmental science, presenting these recordings not just as ambient noise, but as a connection to the intricate and often overlooked sound environments that surround us. Tune in, put on your headphones, and let the raw, unedited symphony of the planet provide a much-needed respite from the clutter of daily life.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 219

Sound By Nature
Podcast Episodes
110: North Fork of the Sacramento River [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:30:00
This was recorded on a bright and sunny summer morning beside the North Fork of the Sacramento River in Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Siskiyou County, California. Please donate https://soundbynaturepodcast.com/donation…
108: Dawn Chorus And Rain At Bigelow Meadow [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:00
This was recorded on a rainy morning in late spring beside Bigelow Meadow in the Bigelow Meadow Botanical Area, Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Siskiyou County, California. The recording starts as the dawn chorus was wel…
107: Mount Shasta- Old Growth Forest Along Squaw Valley Creek [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:00:00
This was recorded on a cloudy spring afternoon just above the base of Mount Shasta in a stand of old growth trees near Squaw Valley Creek, Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Siskiyou County, California. The creek was not fa…
106: Spring Day Beside A Confluence Of Mountain Streams [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:56:23
This recording was gathered on a clear spring day at the confluence of two mountain streams high in the upper watershed of the Middle Fork of the Sacramento River. It was a very warm day for this time of year in the moun…
105: Ice Cave In The Medicine Lake Highlands [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:30:00
This recording was collected inside an ice cave in the Medicine Lake Highlands, Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Siskiyou County, California. The cave itself is a lava tube which collects cold air during the winter, and a…
104: Frogs At Night Beside The McCloud River Trail [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:00:00
This was recorded on a clear and bright moonlit night beside the McCloud River Trail in Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Siskiyou County, California. It was the warmest night of spring so far and the moon was close to ful…
103: International Dawn Chorus Day Beside The Upper McCloud River [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:54
This was recorded on International Dawn Chorus Day beside the Upper McCloud River in Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Siskiyou County, California. It was a cold and clear spring morning and the recording starts before sun…
Bonus! Black Bear Inspection 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:00
This is a recording of a Black Bear inspecting my recording rig at sunset at Bigelow Meadow Botanical Area, Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Siskiyou County, California. I left my recording rig in an Aspen thicket at the…