The Plantpot Parabolic
To tune in to nature and learn the language of the landscape, you of course need nothing more than your ears, an attentive mind and somewhere nearby to spend time listening to phenomena like the dawn chorus.
But if you enjoy getting recordings of the sounds of nature and want to share what you hear with others, then the plantpot parabolic is an amazingly effective and easy-to-make device that is great fun to use.
The plantpot parabolic is a budget adaptation of the professional ‘parablo’ reflector devices used by professional sound recordists to concentrate directional sounds and acquire amazing recordings of nature. To make your own DIY version, all you need is a parabolic dish (like a plantpot!), a handle and a recording device mounted inside (I usually use my phone)…
The result, after a few tweaks, is the ability to hear amplified sounds of nature and get some brilliant recordings of the natural world - especially of birdsong and the awesome daily event of the Dawn Chorus through spring.
How to build your own
Have a watch of my explainer video above to find out how to make your own DIY plantpot parabolic, or check out the superb illustration from Sarah Dowling below…
Click on the above image to download a PDF of this superb how-to guide from the awesome artist Sarah Dowling.
This illustration was created as part of a fantastic initiative I was involved in during spring 2021, coordinated by the wildlife filmmaker Nina Constable and in collaboration with the young naturalists Lucy ‘Lapwing’ and Indy Greene. The campaign was aimed at getting people out to record the Dawn Chorus on their doorstep and share it across social media ahead of International Dawn Chorus Day on May 2nd. The resulting clips were compiled together into a UK-wide ‘Dawn Orchestra’ by Nina Constable, and you can listen to the wonderful film below!
So get making, get recording and enjoy listening to the sounds of nature.
If you have any queries about the plantpot parabolic, or would like to use any of my sound recordings, please don’t hesitate to get in touch on my contact page.