Wake Up Call

24th March 2023

These last few days I am waking up in the wee hours of the morning to the beautiful song of an Asian Koel or what we call in Bengali as Kokil. It roosts on one of the branches of the mango tree just outside my window behind the house and starts this earnest call. Believe it or not this starts at aroun 3:25 am and goes on and off for about 20 minutes.

It's a mixed feeling really to be woken up so early in the morning. On the one hand it is a very sweet call, perhaps the sweetest bird song that there is in the world. But on the other hand I hate being woken up so early in the morning every day. I love the call but hate waking up.

I was determined to record it today and kept the recorder, microphone and the headphone on the ready next to me on the bed when I went to sleep last night. As soon as it started I switched them all on and recorded the song. I made some four recordings. In mono and stereo both. 

The call was so loud that I had to turn the recording level down to five. Otherwise it was going over and the light was turning red on the level panel.

So here is the call for posterity. I have made Asian Koel recordings in the past. It is one of the easiest things to do if you are from this part of the world. The bird is very vocal. But I had to record this particular artist because there is a certain bond that has already been created between the bird and me.