As recorded by Chris Watson

Chris Watson is a sound recordist specialising in natural history. His work as a wildlife sound recordist covers film, television and radio as well as CD productions and Sound Installations. Chris spent time in the rainforests of South America, making these recordings. The tracks are numbered in chronological order, so as they happen throughout the day and into the night. As such they may be sequenced, mixed or segued to create a series of atmospheres with featured events or to represent the passage of time.

For more information, visit his website at www.chriswatson.net

1. Pre-dawn - 02m 14s
The quietest time of the day. Irregular clicks from nearby insects and the distant awakening of a few birds above and beyond in the vast canopy of trees.

2. Magpie Jays at Sunrise - 02m 12s
The first birds to call from lower down amongst the branches. Clattering rhythms and contact calls to each other in the first blue/ grey light light of dawn.

3. Early Morning - 04m 02s
As daylight rapidly breaks and the temperature quickly rises the dawn chorus sweeps through the forest on a warm breeze.

4. Black Howler Monkeys 1 - 01m 33s
From their night-time roost way up in the canopy black howler monkeys loudly announce their location across the tree tops, then listen for any replies.

5. Black Howler Monkeys 2 - 01m 12s
The answering calls often overlap into a chorus of cacophonies.

6. White Faced Monkeys - 02m 15s
Leave their overnight roost and discover a large boa constrictor lodged at the base of their tree. The monkeys set about calling in aggressive alarm to disturb the snake from it's ambush position.

7. Cicada Chorus - 01m 02s
It is now hot and unseen but very loudly thousands of cicadas strike up their songs in a sonic wave that sweeps across the forest floor.

8. Flies! - 02m 12s
Ever present across the warmest parts of the day is the harmonic buzz and drone of countless insect wings.

9. Red Rumped Caciques - 02m 05s
Highly social birds that nest colonially and also forage together across the forest keeping contact with rapid metallic buzzes and trills.

10. Golden Crowned Warbler - 00m 59s
Solo notes from a single bird singing unseen in dense leaf cover.

11. Montezumas Oropendula  - 02m 03s
Colonial birds that make beautiful hanging nests gathered together in the branches of a favourite tree. The sounds from their nest site features the loud rich tones of birds greeting the return of others who arrive with deep wing beating rhythms.

12. Evening Atmosphere - 01m 57s
From around 1700h the temperature starts to fall triggering a chorus of doves singing in the canopy high above.

13. Frog Chorus - 01m 54s
Even small forest pools can have large populations of amphibians. The falling temperature and light level towards sunset triggers their gathering of songs to attract a mate and defend their territory.

14. Frog Evensong 1 - 02m 02s
The strange 'knocking' song of a tree frog from above in the branches of a large fig tree.

15. Frog Evensong 2 - 01m 43s
A duet from frogs singing after rainfall in a newly filled forest pond.

16. Forest at Night - 01m 45s
A background of distant cicadas and myriad other insect voices whilst unseen in the inky darkness nearer by other animals forage in the leaf litter across the forest floor.