Episode 4. A kayak trip up the Charles River in search of Baltimore oriole song.

On June 11, 2024 I took a kayak trip, starting at 5:30 a.m. from the canoe launch at Redwing Bay in Needham, Massachusetts, and traveling slowly upstream for about an hour. This recording captures the journey upstream and the journey back.

Many of the Baltimore Oriole nests at Charles River Peninsula hang over the river so a kayak is the best way to locate the nests and record the songs of the orioles on-territory. By June 11, overall Baltimore oriole song had passed its peak but there was still plenty to hear, which I’ve tried to indicate in the time-line below, as well as some hints about the origin of the some of the prominent bird noises on the recording.

Regrettably, an airplane passes overhead with some regularity. Rather than edit these moments out, I’ve decided to preserve a sense of the soundscape as it is, at the possible expense of maximum relaxation potential. Indeed, starting around the 1 hr, 30 minute mark, this recording becomes a document of overall environment noisiness, birds included.

1:32 Baltimore Oriole (BAOR) nesting female immediately followed by her partner whose song (sung by multiple birds) I’ve labeled “BAOR 01.”

01:53 BAOR 01 (obscured by red-winged blackbird)

02:48 First appearance of eastern Wood-pewee (multiple birds will be heard throughout)

03:17 BAOR three note vocalization in distance, probably female.

03:25 BAOR 01

04:36 Gray Catbird sings last three notes of full “BAOR 02” song. (You will hear this song later)

04:46 BAOR 01

07:45 BAOR 01 (distant)

08:07 BAOR 04 This male also knows the 01 song.

10:11 BAOR 04 

11:44 BAOR 03 This song is also sung by multiple birds.

12:23 First appearance of male orchard oriole. There were three males at the Charles River Peninsula in 2024 and they all sang approximately the same song.

12:39 BAOR 20, which I’ve come to suspect might actually be the song of a female orchard oriole. I was never able to get visual confirmation, but this song was often associated with the male OROR song.

14:29 BAOR 08. It is not clear if this male successfully mated, but it did have one imitator (heard at 1:39:20).

14:36 BAOR 08

14:50 BAOR 08

15:22 BAOR 08

15:30 Now in red-winged blackbird territory; they show their displeasure with me.

16:13 BAOR 08 (distant)

16:37 BAOR 03 (obscured by red-winged blackbird)

16:37 BAOR 08 obscured

17:11 BAOR chatter

17:15 BAOR 03 (distant)

17:37 BAOR 08

17:28 A frightened animal (muskrat?) makes a splash.

17:50 BAOR 03 (distant)

22:44 Some noise as I fiddle with camera.

25:13 Nice group of northern rough-winged swallows in this area.

26:30 BAOR 02 (distant)

26:33 BAOR vocalization, identity unknown

27:03 Warbling vireos are unhappy about something.

27:27 BAOR 02 (obscured)

27:50 I pass under the trestle (and hit it a little).

28:00 Traffic noise begins getting louder as I approach Central Ave. bridge.

30:36 I take a photo.

30:47 BAOR 02

30:58 EDIT POINT. Now upstream of bridge. I recorded in 30 minute segments. Because the traffic noise became so intense, I didn’t resume recording until I was clear of the bridge area.

38:56 BAOR 02 (upstream version)

39:01 Pump sound from river bank, gets increasingly louder.

39:27 BAOR 02

39:40 BAOR 02 pip

39:44 BAOR 02 harsh note

39:59 BAOR 02

40:03 BAOR 02 harsh note

40:21 BAOR 02

40:23 BAOR 02 overlapped by another BAOR 02 singer

40:27 BAOR 02

40:41 BAOR 02

40:54 BAOR 02

41:02 BAOR 02

41:17 BAOR 02

41:34 BAOR 02

43:33 BAOR 02 (variation—first note repeated)

44:02 Startled deer crashes through vegetation.

44:22 BAOR 02 (distant)

44:42 BAOR 02

45:28 BAOR 02 (distant)

48:16 BAOR 02 (obscured)

48:30 BAOR 02

49:08 BAOR 02 full song

49:41 BAOR 02

50:01 Willow flycatcher’s sneezy song.

56:13 Red-winged blackbird alarm calls build in response to a Cooper’s hawk.

1:02:56 EDIT POINT. Heading back downstream.

1:03:41 Swamp sparrow and northern cardinal combo.

1:11:42 BAOR 02 (obscured by aircraft noise)

1:12:00 BAOR 02

1:12:13 BAOR 02 overlapped by BAOR Xy (previously unknown song)

1:12:17 BAOR 02

1:12:29 BAOR 02

1:12:54 BAOR 02  immediately followed by another BAOR 02 singer

1:13:14 BAOR Xy

1:13:20 BAOR 02 immediately followed by BAOR Xy

1:13:34 BAOR 02 (distant)

1:13:37 BAOR trill

1:13:42 Warbling vireo sings loudly.

1:13:49 BAOR 02 (distant)

1:14:04 BAOR 02 (obscured) followed by another BAOR 02 song

1:14:42 BAOR 02 (obscured)

1:14:59 BAOR 02 (distant)

1:15:11 BAOR 02 (full song) followed immediately by BAOR Xy (all in distance)

1:15:22 BAOR 02 (full song, obscured)

1:15:29 BAOR 02 (full song, obscured)

1:15:45 BAOR 02

1:16:18 BAOR 02 full song

1:16:43 BAOR 02 harsh note

1:16:53 BAOR 02

1:17:06 BAOR 02 harsh note

1:17:11 BAOR 02 harsh note

1:17:12 BAOR 02

1:17:24 BAOR 02 full song

1:17:27 BAOR Xz (previously unknown song)

1:17:37 BAOR 02 full song overlapped by another BAOR 02 full song in distance

1:17:49 BAOR 02

1:18:09 BAOR 02

1:18:24 BAOR 02 full song (obscured)

1:20:27 BAOR 02 full song (obscured)

1:20:38 BAOR 02 followed by BAOR 02 variation

1:20:45 BAOR 02 (full song, obscured)

1:21:02 Pump sounds begin again

1:21:20 BAOR 02 (obscured)

1:21:56 BAOR 02 overlapped by BAOR 02 (variation—different ending)

1:22:56 BAOR 02 (obscured)

1:23:36 BAOR 02 (obscured)

1:25:40 Common yellowthroat singing loudly

1:27:49 Orchard oriole male

1:28:47 Canada geese flyover

1:29:16 Approaching bridge, traffic noise builds

1:29:34 Yellow warbler singing loudly

1:30:54 EDIT POINT. Now downstream of bridge

1:32:00 BAOR 02 (obscured)

1:33:34 BAOR vocalization, possible female

1:35:40 Red squirrel is unhappy about something

1:38:01 Agitated red-winged blackbird begins following me

1:39:20 BAOR 03 (variation) followed by BAOR 08 (imitation)

1:46:03 Orchard oriole male followed by BAOR 20 (OROR female?)

1:46:10 BAOR Xx (previously unknown song (OROR female?)

1:47:25 BAOR Xx (OROR female?)

1:47:45 BAOR Xx (OROR female?)

1:48:02 BAOR 01 (probably BAOR 04 version)

1:51:50 BAOR 01 (probably BAOR 04 version)

1:52:11 BAOR 01 (probably BAOR 04 version, obscured)

1:52:52 Gray Catbird in mimic mode.

1:54:13 BAOR 01 (variation)

1:54:29 Gray Catbird mimics call notes used by BAOR 01

1:54:59 Gray Catbird mimics call notes used by BAOR 01

1:55:13 Lawn crew sounds start

1:56:20 BAOR 01 (variation)

1:56:52 BAOR 01 (variation)

1:57:05 BAOR 01 (variation)

1:57:26 Chick noise and chatter from the BAOR 01 nest