First Light in Early Spring in a Huon Valley Forest

This excerpt from a longer recording begins nine and a half minutes after the very first call of First Light uttered by – as is usual in these forests – the Black Currawong (endemic to Tasmania). In this excerpt, however, the first calls heard are those of the Yellow Wattlebird (also endemic to Tasmania). We also hear the last few night calls of the Tasmanian Boobook (more closely related to the New Zealand Boobook rather than the mainland Australian Southern Boobook). Soon after, the distinctive calls of Black Currawongs emerge again, from the distance, and gradually draw nearer. It is 05:23 in the morning in this rich, dense, moist, cool-temperature southern forest of Tasmania; and, to human eyes, it is still quite dark. Gradually, the dawn chorus awakens and widens, marked by the low ‘ooming’ song of Bronzewings (a large, heavy terrestrial native pigeon).

Recorded with meditative respect upon the land of the Nuenonne tribe of the Palawa people.