Nature audio-video update from Vestskoven Sunday morning, 22 May 2022 at 5 am.

In the video, I am taking an early morning audio-video walk in Vestskoven around sunrise. About the forest, there is not much else to say than everything is just green. It is soothing and uplifting to be out in the early hours and experience the intense birdsong and fresh damp vegetation. I am happy to notice how this area, year by year, is turning more into a wilderness, and the bird life appears to be thriving.

Vestskoven 22. maj 2022

As it can be heard in the video, the ground is very crunchy and noisy to step on, indicating that we have had generally very dry conditions (again) this spring. Luckily, it looks like the weather is now is turning more wet the coming days.

For best experience, watch the video with headphones (binaural audio).

Weather: 10C, clear sky, no wind

Equipment used: Customized setup using an external ‘tree ears’ microphone audio recorder and Sony fdr-x3000 action cam, Zhiyun Smooth Q gimbal. Video settings: WB 6800K, AVC 30 fps, 50mpbs. EV -0.7. Wide angle, active stabilization. 0.75 lens.

Vestskoven 22. maj 2022

Nature audio-video update: Taking a morning ramble into the wet meadows, shrubs and grasslands of Amager Fælled on this calm sunny Friday morning, 25 March 2022 at 8 am. This is really a unique natural area just 3 km from the Copenhagen townhall, where it is possible to get fully out into rich nature with plenty of space and skylarks in the air.
Originally established partly as a scrap landfill site, Amager Fælled has developed into an amazing green oasis and a recreational peaceful refuge for many Copenhageners. Yet, it is still full of fairly deserted and undisturbed areas with great diverse wildlife.

Amager Fælled, March 25 2022

Unfortunately this area is going to gradually decline in the coming years. That is due to the ongoing establishment of Amagerfælledby, a 4.4 ha residential city area with 2.000 apartments situated southern part of the Amager Fælled (the construction zone can be seen in the background in the very last part of the video). This new city area will make a significant incision and increase traffic and disturbances affecting the whole southern area. There has been (and still is) wild protests against the construction activities, however the Copenhagen city administration issticking to their plan.

For best experience, watch the video with headphones.

Weather: Calm and sunny, 6C

Amager Fælled, March 25 2022

The withered grass is at its driest now. Amager Fælled, March 25 2022

Equipment used: Customized setup using an external ‘tree ears’ microphone audio recorder and Sony fdr-x3000 action cam, Zhiyun Smooth Q gimbal. Video settings: WB 6000-6200K, AVC 60 fps, 50mpbs. Wide angle, active stabilization. 0.75 lens.

Nature update from my usual area, Bakkeskoven in Hvidovre, December 17 2021, starting 8 am just before sunrise. The recording starts while it is still actually dark, but light is breaking through quickly. By the minutes, the transformation takes place – something quite special to witness. The morning traffic is minding its own business while nature is waking up, and a new day goes on.

Weather: About 4 C, clear sky and calm.

For best experience, watch the video with headphones.

Equipment used: Customized setup with Sony fdr-x3000 action cam, Zhiyun Smooth Q gimbal. Video settings: WB 7000K, EV -0.3, 25 fps, 50mpbs. Wide angle, active stabilization. 0.75 lens.

Nature update from Vestskoven in Herstedøster, November 6 2021, 15:00. In this update I am taking a video ramble through a secluded part of the forest with relatively young trees. The forest floor is quite full of of thorny shrubs, small trees, moss and fungi. All the leaves have fallen within the last 1-2 weeks, so a fresh crunching layer now covers the ground.

Weather: About 11 C, heavy overcast and some rain.

In terms of sounds, the forest itself was very quiet. Apart from my footsteps, you can hear the rain begin in the last part the video. However, a football match on the nearby school was very audible. This time the recorded audio is from the camera microphone. Somehow I managed to double-press the record button on my external audio recorder, so that was of no use.

For best experience, watch the video with headphones.

Equipment used: Customized setup with Sony fdr-x3000 action cam, Zhiyun Smooth Q gimbal. Video settings: WB 6400K, EV -0.3, 30 fps, 50mpbs. Wide angle, active stabilization. 0.75 lens.

Autumn nature update from Bakkeskoven 14. October 2021, 17:15. Taking an audio-video tour through the withering grass field and the adjacent tree plantations and bushes. Not very much seems to be happening here in October, still it is great time to be out observing nature and the landscape, sharpening one’s senses to the gradual changes in colors, smells and the weather.

In the video I’m taking a slow ramble in the same area as in the last video from July. For best experience, watch the video with headphones.

Weather: About 12 C, a bit windy and rain showers.

Equipment used: Customized setup with Sony fdr-x3000 action cam, Zhiyun Smooth Q gimbal. Video settings: WB 6500K, 30 fps, 50mpbs. Wide angle, active stabilization. 0.75 lens.

Summer nature update from Bakkeskoven 25. July 2021, 15:00. In this video I am going through the same small wood, Bakkeskoven, as I visited in March (see this previous post). This time its a totally different scenery, much greener and more shady under the canopy. Not many sounds though.

I’m ending the video on the grass field on the opposite side of the plantation, where there is plenty of tall grasses, thistles and Ragworts (Eng-Brandbæger).

The weather was warm and summerly with about 25 C. Everything is getting quite dry, as we have had warm weather and no rain for 2 weeks.

For best experience, watch the video with headphones.

This forest is clearly growing fast and is rapidly changing character. Most of the green growth is taking place in the upper canopy and not so much at ground level. The clearings and variations in the woodland are highly valuable.

Nature video update from Vestvolden in Copenhagen June 16, 2021, around 11:30 am.

In this video I’m taking a ramble in my usual area by Vestvolden, along the water canal, through the tree vegetation and into the grass field. I have visited this place a few times before, eg. in May, January and December.

I like to observe the changes over the seasons. This time, I think I succeeded in capturing some of the early summer atmosphere with lush green growth and the feeling of life everywhere.

Inside the wood the light is remarkably dimmed. Only few rays of sunlight reach the forest floor, instead the main light source is the green canopy. This creates a strong green cast in the video.

Watch the video with headphones for a full experience (Slow-TV, Binaural Audio).

Weather: 18C, sunny.

We have (again) had a sustained dry period with no rain for many weeks now, however it is good to see that the vegetation seems fairly unaffected, at least in the shady areas. The forecast for the coming days predicts a heat wave (plus 30C), luckily the forecast also indicates heavy showers, so this is something I look forward to.

Equipment used: Customized setup with Sony fdr-x3000 action cam, Zhiyun Smooth Q gimbal. Video settings: WB 6000K, AVC 30 fps, 50mpbs. Wide angle, active stabilization. 0.75 lens.

Vestvolden 16. Juni 2021

Vestvolden 16. Juni 2021

Nature video update from an early morning on Vestvolden, May 29 2021, around 4:15 am.

After a cold and sun deprived May, we’ve finally had a few days with sun and warmth, and everything is really now growing and leafing out.
The video starts about 20 minutes before sunrise. At that time it was already fairly bright in the open, however as I stepped into the small forest it turned out surprisingly dark.
It was a special experience to walk through the area with the intense bird song combined with the sound of passing trucks on the motorway.

Watch the video with headphones for full experience (Slow-TV, Binaural Audio).

Weather: 10C, cloudy.

Equipment used: Customized setup with Sony fdr-x3000 action cam, Zhiyun Smooth Q gimbal. Video settings: WB 6500K, AVC 30 fps, 50mpbs. Wide angle, active stabilization. 0.75 lens. Some processing in Davinci Resolve to bring up the light in the dark forest parts.

Veskvolden 29. maj 2021

Veskvolden 29. maj 2021

Nature video update from a cold morning in Vestskoven, April 14 2021, around 6:30 am shortly after sunrise.

This year, winter and spring have varied with waves of cold and warm weather. So far, April has been cold with persistent night frost, which is reflected by delayed tree leaf unfolding and plant growth in the forest.

It is great to see, that this forest appears to be kept fairly wild. Fallen tree trunks and branches can be seen all over.

The motorway noise was very dominating on this Wednesday morning. A Saturday or Sunday would have been much more quiet. Anyway, see this recording as view into the life in the forest on a regular weekday.

Watch the video with headphones for full experience (Slow-TV, Binaural Audio).

Weather: -2C, low northerly wind, clear sky.

Recent years, there has been an increasing focus on the role of forests for supporting biodiversity and insects as well for carbon uptake. Now, it actually looks like these ideas are being widespread implemented in Denmark. So, it is likely that we are going to see a lot more of this type of wild forest in Denmark in the coming years. This is going to be very interesting to follow.

Vestskoven 14. April 2021

Nature video update from Bakkeskoven in Brøndbyøster, March 15, 2021 around 10:30 am.

This forest (Bakkeskoven) was planted in 2005, and on this March morning the area stood very quiet and still, except for the motorway next door. Nevertheless, this area is full of rapidly growing trees and plants, and as far as I can see, they have planted several different sorts, mainly oak (I think). Definitely, this will be a nice area to follow in the coming years.

I’m curious to find out if I can find my way through this forest section again later this spring, when the leaves have unfolded and the ground vegetation has come up. No doubt, it will much more green and very enclosed space.

Watch the video with headphones for full experience (Slow-TV, Binaural Audio).

Weather: 3C, heavy clouds and light rain.

Equipment used: Customized setup with Sony fdr-x3000 action cam, Zhiyun Smooth Q gimbal and external audio recording using my Tree-ears microphones. Video settings: WB 6000K, 60 fps, 50mpbs. Wide angle, active stabilization. +0.75 lens. Vivid colors. Upscaling in Vidcoder to 1440p to get VP09 codec on Youtube.

Bakkeskoven in Brøndbyøster, 15 March 2021