Immersive soundscapes from Rye Harbour Nature Reserve

Emma Chaplin
, 03 August 2021
Immersive soundscapes from Rye Harbour Nature Reserve
Rye Harbour Nature Reserve © Radio Lento

Guest post from Radio Lento, who create a "weekly podcast of sound postcards".

If you're anything like us, you'll know that it's impossible to be on Rye Harbour Nature Reserve without pulling out a camera. Spectacular views. Big skies. Active wildlife. 

You may take some video too. But how much do you think about the sound? What we hear subliminally affects us, yet we rarely, if ever, mention it. Passing comment on the lovely view to a stranger is customary, but not on the lovely soundscape.

In a bid to capture the special ambience of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, we visited last April with two sets of stereo microphones. We walked from Winchelsea station and entered the reserve along a footpath, passing through an outcrop of blackthorn trees covered in the healthiest lichens we'd ever seen. Everything around us sounded so alive, so spring-like, and yet peaceful. At the last pasture before the shingle, we left a pair of microphones alone on one of the trees to record, then walked on. 

Rye1RadioLento

Fast moving banks of cloud gave way to hot spring sunshine and it wasn't long before, high overhead, we heard skylarks. Always special as these are red list birds. We set up mics beside one of the ponds to capture their call. Perfect sounds of coastal wind swooshing through reeds and echoes of the sea beyond the last shingle ridge.

Listen in to these soundscapes, recorded less than a mile apart but sounding so different:

Episode 64 - Waiting for skylarks at the Rye Harbour nature reserve (23mins)

Episode 76 - Last fields before the sea (35mins)

For the full immersive experience listen with headphones or earphones. Ideal as a backdrop whilst working from home or in a quiet moment just to relax.

Why not try recording your own personal soundscape out on the reserve with your phone's video or audio app? Wrapping a piece of soft fluffy fabric around it can reduce wind distortion.

---------------------

Radio Lento is a weekly podcast of soundscapes. Find them wherever you get your podcasts and follow them on Twitter. 

Leave a comment
Time Δ Debug Message - Perch Runway 3.2
1783068901.99180 [906] SELECT p.pagePath, pr.routePattern, pr.routeRegExp, p.pageTemplate, pr.routeOrder, s.settingValue AS siteOffline FROM swt_pages_staging p LEFT JOIN swt_page_routes pr ON p.pageID=pr.pageID LEFT JOIN swt_settings s ON s.settingID='siteOffline' UNION SELECT NULL AS pagePath, pr2.routePattern, pr2.routeRegExp, pr2.templatePath AS pageTemplate, pr2.routeOrder, NULL AS siteOffline FROM swt_page_routes pr2 WHERE templateID!=0 ORDER BY routeOrder ASC, pagePath ASC
1783068902.04120.0494Matched route: news/[slug:s]
1783068902.04130.0001Server address: 216.73.216.31
1783068902.04140Using master page: /templates/pages/blog/post.php
1783068902.04140Page arguments: 
Array
(
    [0] => /news/immersive-soundscapes-from-rye-harbour-nature-reserve
    [s] => immersive-soundscapes-from-rye-harbour-nature-reserve
    [1] => immersive-soundscapes-from-rye-harbour-nature-reserve
)
1783068902.04170.0003 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1783068902.04310.0014 [86] SELECT DISTINCT settingID, settingValue FROM swt_settings WHERE userID=0
1783068902.04560.0025 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_shop_cart WHERE cartID=22559419
1783068902.04750.0019 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_shop_cart WHERE cartID=22559419
1783068902.04850.001 [nil] SELECT * FROM swt_shop_sales WHERE saleFrom<='2026-07-03 08:55:00' AND saleTo>'2026-07-03 08:55:00' AND saleActive=1 AND saleDeleted IS NULL ORDER BY saleOrder ASC
1783068902.0520.0035 [1] SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS DISTINCT tbl.* FROM ( SELECT idx.itemID, main.*, idx2.indexValue as sortval FROM swt_blog_index idx JOIN swt_blog_posts main ON idx.itemID=main.postID AND idx.itemKey='postID' JOIN swt_blog_index idx2 ON idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemKey='postID' AND idx2.indexKey='_id' WHERE 1=1 AND ((idx.indexKey='postSlug' AND idx.indexValue='immersive-soundscapes-from-rye-harbour-nature-reserve')) AND idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemKey=idx2.itemKey GROUP BY idx.itemID, idx2.indexValue, postID ) as tbl WHERE (postStatus='Published' AND postDateTime<='2026-07-03 08:55:00' ) GROUP BY itemID, sortval ORDER BY sortval ASC LIMIT 0, 10
1783068902.05620.0042 [1] SELECT FOUND_ROWS() AS `count`
1783068902.05730.0011 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_blog_posts WHERE postID=2583 AND postStatus='Published' AND postDateTime<='2026-07-03 08:55:00'
1783068902.05970.0023 [13] SELECT * FROM swt_blog_sections ORDER BY sectionTitle ASC
1783068902.06090.0013 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_blogs ORDER BY blogTitle ASC
1783068902.06730.0064 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_categories WHERE catID=73 LIMIT 1
1783068902.06820.001 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_categories WHERE catID=70 LIMIT 1
1783068902.0690.0007 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_categories WHERE catID=189 LIMIT 1
1783068902.07160.0027Using template: /templates/blog/post.html
1783068902.0720.0004 [162] SELECT catID, catPath FROM swt_categories
1783068902.07330.0012 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_blog_posts WHERE postStatus='Published' AND postDateTime<='2026-07-03 08:55:00' AND postSlug='immersive-soundscapes-from-rye-harbour-nature-reserve'
1783068902.10540.0321Using template: /templates/blog/post.html
1783068902.10640.001 [250] SELECT country, countryID FROM swt_shop_countries WHERE countryActive=1 ORDER BY country ASC
1783068902.10830.0019Using template: /templates/pages/attributes/seo.html
1783068902.10870.0005 [1] SELECT regionID, regionTemplate, regionPage, regionRev AS rev FROM swt_content_regions WHERE regionKey='Banner image' AND (regionPage='/news/post' OR regionPage='*')
1783068902.110.0012 [nil] SELECT * FROM ( SELECT idx.itemID, c.regionID, idx.pageID, c.itemJSON, idx2.indexValue as sortval FROM swt_content_index idx JOIN swt_content_items c ON idx.itemID=c.itemID AND idx.itemRev=c.itemRev AND idx.regionID=c.regionID JOIN swt_content_index idx2 ON idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev AND idx2.indexKey='_order' WHERE ((idx.regionID=104 AND idx.itemRev=0)) AND idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev ) as tbl GROUP BY itemID, pageID, itemJSON, sortval, regionID ORDER BY sortval ASC
1783068902.11250.0025 [82] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageDepth >=0 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1783068902.11720.0047 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1783068902.11980.0026 [2] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-006-001', '000-006', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1783068902.12360.0038Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template.html
1783068902.12370.0001 [6] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1783068902.12480.0011 [4] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1783068902.12540.0007 [29] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1783068902.12860.0032 [10] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1783068902.12980.0012 [7] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1783068902.13960.0098 [9] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1783068902.14470.0052 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' OR pageSortPath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1783068902.1460.0013 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageHidden=0 AND pageNew=0 AND pageTreePosition IN ('000-006-001', '000-006', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition
1783068902.15040.0044 [1] Using template: /templates/navigation/breadcrumbs.html
1783068902.15110.0007Using template: /templates/blog/post.html
1783068902.15140.0003 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_blog_authors WHERE authorID='20' LIMIT 1
1783068902.15570.0043Using template: /templates/blog/author.html
1783068902.15630.0006 [1] SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS DISTINCT tbl.* FROM ( SELECT idx.itemID, main.*, idx2.indexValue as sortval FROM swt_blog_index idx JOIN swt_blog_posts main ON idx.itemID=main.postID AND idx.itemKey='postID' JOIN swt_blog_index idx2 ON idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemKey='postID' AND idx2.indexKey='_id' WHERE 1=1 AND ((idx.indexKey='postSlug' AND idx.indexValue='immersive-soundscapes-from-rye-harbour-nature-reserve')) AND idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemKey=idx2.itemKey GROUP BY idx.itemID, idx2.indexValue, postID ) as tbl WHERE (postStatus='Published' AND postDateTime<='2026-07-03 08:55:00' ) GROUP BY itemID, sortval ORDER BY sortval ASC LIMIT 0, 1
1783068902.15950.0032 [1] SELECT FOUND_ROWS() AS `count`
1783068902.16030.0008 [1] Using template: /templates/blog/post.html
1783068902.16290.0026Using template: /templates/blog/comment_form.html
1783068902.16410.0012 [nil] SELECT * FROM swt_blog_comments WHERE 1=1 AND postID=2583 AND commentStatus='LIVE' ORDER BY FIELD(webmentionType, 'like', 'repost', 'comment', NULL) ASC, commentDateTime ASC
1783068902.22540.0613 [0] Using template: /templates/blog/comment.html
1783068902.22570.0003Using template: /templates/blog/post.html
1783068902.22610.0003 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_blog_authors WHERE authorID='20' LIMIT 1
1783068902.2270.0009 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/what-we-do' OR pageSortPath='/what-we-do' LIMIT 1
1783068902.22830.0012 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-002' LIMIT 1
1783068902.22910.0008 [7] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-002%' AND pageDepth >=1 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1783068902.23650.0074 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1783068902.23860.0021 [2] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-006-001', '000-006', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1783068902.24140.0028 [6] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1783068902.24260.0011 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/make-a-difference' OR pageSortPath='/make-a-difference' LIMIT 1
1783068902.24420.0017 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-005' LIMIT 1
1783068902.24520.0009 [38] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-005%' ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1783068902.2480.0029 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1783068902.2490.0009 [2] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-006-001', '000-006', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1783068902.25150.0026 [10] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1783068902.25540.0038 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/visit' OR pageSortPath='/visit' LIMIT 1
1783068902.2580.0026 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-004' LIMIT 1
1783068902.25890.0009 [30] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-004%' AND pageDepth >=1 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1783068902.2630.0042 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1783068902.26410.0011 [2] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-006-001', '000-006', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1783068902.26750.0034 [29] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1783068902.27890.0114 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/make-a-difference' OR pageSortPath='/make-a-difference' LIMIT 1
1783068902.27990.001 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-005' LIMIT 1
1783068902.28070.0008 [11] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-005%' AND pageDepth >=1 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1783068902.28340.0027 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1783068902.28430.001 [2] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-006-001', '000-006', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1783068902.28720.0028 [10] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1783068902.28860.0015Request time: 0.2982
1783068902.28870Process time: 0.298
1783068902.28870Memory: 1.6252