Bird Song, Streaming Live

June 2, 2009 6:57 AM

Time to listen to Bird Song Radio -A 'filler' radio station that played on DAB radio in the UK until this week has been pulled from the air, much to the chagrin of thousands of listeners. Reportedly, Terry Pratchett is a fan, saying "There's something about the sound of the outdoors that adds texture to a room. It cools the room down, makes you feel relaxed."

The station, playing a 25 minute loop of birdsong recorded as a test pattern before the launch of Classic FM in 1992, has now been replaced by Amazing Radio, which " features songs from unsigned artists who have uploaded their music to website amazingtunes.com over the past four years. But it's okay! You can still listen to it online at Birdsong Radio.

posted by Happy Dave (13 comments total)

Sounds really awesome...for 25 minutes.
posted by DU at 7:15 AM on June 2

About 25 minutes longer than most things on the internet.
posted by bjrn at 7:19 AM on June 2 [1 favorite]

I'd love to hear a bunch of birdsong loops of different lengths, dropping in and out, fading between channels, playing on top of each other, all full of patterns and loops and spirals and randomness, like that.

I'd also like it if somebody wrote a program that did this. I'd love it if they named it 'Cindy Birdsong.'
posted by box at 7:29 AM on June 2

Damn - I wondered why I couldn't find it ...

It was oddly soothing as a background noise. Every once in a while you could hear a traveling band pass in the distance, the sound just audible. It gave you the feeling that you were in the countryside, with the village green just past the rise in the hill.

And compared to most channels on digital radio? BirdSong was interesting.
posted by outlier at 7:31 AM on June 2 [1 favorite]

box: I'd also like it if somebody wrote a program that did this. I'd love it if they named it 'Cindy Birdsong.'

There's a comedienne on Reno 911 named Mary Birdsong. For some reason I think that's cool.
posted by JHarris at 7:41 AM on June 2

this sounds like a wonderful idea, actually. it can't be very expensive to go out in the woods or to an aviary & record some sounds to augment the 25 minute loop. i'm all about new indie artists, but aren't there already about 700 variations of amazing radio out there?
posted by msconduct at 7:46 AM on June 2

Clicked on the link and thought there's nothing wrong without before I realised it was a real life bird outside...
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 8:12 AM on June 2

Plus a bird will never want you to check out his nu-metal/reggaeton project.
posted by box at 8:15 AM on June 2 [1 favorite]

It's like braille twitcher porn. If you listen carefully you can hear Tits and every once in a while you will hear Great Tits.
posted by srboisvert at 8:36 AM on June 2

Atmosphere Lite - the free sounds of nature at your desktop.
posted by Duug at 9:37 AM on June 2

An AskMe question turned up many recordings of interesting backgrounds.
posted by Pronoiac at 2:37 PM on June 2

This will make my days brighter for many months to come. Thank you.
posted by eccnineten at 6:11 PM on June 2 [1 favorite]

I am _so_ going to drive my cats nuts with this.
posted by Kyol at 8:51 PM on June 2