Today Obituaries Songwriter and sound engineer Ernie Lyons using his parabolic microphone dish to record woodland sounds near his home in Glenisland, Castlebar, Co Mayo. Up early to capture the music Nature's orchestra is at its fullthroated, scintillating best on clear spring mornings.
Most people are asleep or going about their business, however, and miss the magic.
Living so close to the forest amongst mountains and valleys is ideal for a man who is at his happiest when holding his microphone out to nature. The resulting sounds are mixed on a recording desk in Ernie's home before being put on CD for Ashmore Willow Music in Canada. After that, it is the task of wizard Canadian-based producer Sam Reid to compose a suitable instrumental accompaniment for the recordings. Together they brought out a memorable series called Sanctuary, which has sold extremely well, particularly in the United States and Canada. The many birds and animals recorded by Ernie on his portable DAT machine, both here and in Canada, include blackbirds, thrushes, pigeons, wolves and crickets.