Nightsounds from a tropical lowland forest in the small hours before dawn.
A chorus of crickets chirrups away soothingly, and water drops, accumulating on leaf tips in the humid air, drip softly to the forest floor. Occasional geckos, owls, coucals, bats or frogs may be heard in the forest depths.
"This recording was made on the island of Koh Ngai, off the coast of Thailand.
"The recording location I chose was quiet and undisturbed, as it was on the unpopulated side of the island. However this required a predawn start and a hike in the dark over the hills that formed the island's spine. Once there though, to be alone in untouched lowland rainforest felt very special.
"This recording pairs with our album 'Shama Song', as it documents the birdsong continuing into the morning at the same place.
"Arriving back at our accomodation late in the morning, covered in sweat, I reckon my fellow tourists relaxing on holiday must have thought I was bonkers."
Throughout; a steady chorus of nocturnal crickets, with an intermittent katydid species (above 10kHz). Dewfall hitting leaves and ground litter, with occasional heavier sound of a falling fruit, or debris dislodged from the canopy (eg; 10:28-10:39).
House Gecko (0:35, 2:19, 9.27…)
Large frog species (throughout, close individuals @ 1:27, 4:22...)
Small fruit bat flies past (5:01, 11:13, 11:38…35:02)
Toke Gecko (in distance 5:53-6:12, closer 7:26-8:00, 25:36)
Barred Cuckoo-dove (8:11-8.38)
Greater Coucal (pair 8:50-9:15)
Unidentified birdcall (raptor, maybe a Shikra or sparrowhawk?) (15:40, 16:43, and 19:04 - same individual but a call variation, plus later when you can hear more clearly the raptor tone of voice 47:54, 49:09-49:42)
Unidentified chattering - bat? (32:24-32:36)
Large bug flies past (35:15)
Unidentified insect (cricket?) (piping chirrups in intermittent sequences - a good example: 37:38 - ~48:00)
Frog sp. again, in chorus (~41:00 - ~46:00)
Rapping on treetrunk - pretty sure this is a small woodpecker, possibly a Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker (louder and softer for most of remainder from ~51:00)
First birdsong of dawn chorus begins (1:02:30)
White-rumped Shama, dawnsong (1:03:14)