There are places on this Earth where time slows and the silence says more than words ever could. The Kalahari is one of them.

This image was taken during one of my visits to that vast, golden savanna—a place that’s often called a desert, yet teems with life if you know where and how to listen.

As the first light of dawn touched the sand, a lone jackal appeared in the distance—quiet, watchful, belonging entirely to the landscape. I recorded the stillness that morning… the hush of the wind, the hush of the world. Occasionally, a truck rumbles far off—but if you listen closely, you might find a moment of peace in the space between.

“Silence drapes the Kalahari...
Only the wind speaks,
and a lone jackal listens.
In this vast stillness,
peace finds its way through the dust.”

I hope this brings you the same calm it brought me.

#Kalahari #FieldRecording #NatureSoundscape #DesertPeace #WildAfrica #MartynStewart #thelisteningplanet

I’m excited to share something a little magical—and a little ridiculous—with you this week. In 2011, I was deep in the dunes of coastal Namibia when I recorded one of the most peculiar sounds nature has ever thrown my way.

Meet the Desert Rain Frog (Breviceps macrops). It doesn’t croak. It doesn’t chirp. It squeaks. Like a rubber toy defying extinction, hidden beneath the fog-soaked sand.
I lay there, alone in the dunes, headphones on, as this tiny creature squealed its heart out just below the surface. It wasn’t calling for love. It was protesting—“I may be small, but I’m not going quietly.”

You can hear the full story—and that unforgettable call—in this week’s podcast episode, now live for all patrons. I’ve also included a hand-drawn sketch of this remarkable little being, squeak and all.

🎙️ listen above

🎧 Includes: Full story, field note, raw and cleaned frog call recordings

Thank you for continuing to support the preservation of these voices. This one still makes me smile every time I hear it.

With gratitude,
Martyn

Covered in tarpaulin, hidden away. Inside, a dog sat shaking, refusing to meet my gaze. His neck was scarred, his ear torn. He looked broken. I knelt beside him for hours. Whispered. Left a GoPro in his cage to study his movements. He wouldn't move much. I named him **Pocket**. And he changed my life. Day after day, I returned to sit beside him. Then one morning — the miracle — he wagged his tail. Barely. But it was enough. That tail wag told me he recognized me. Trusted me. Loved me. I asked Lola if I could adopt him. She smiled and said yes. I remember the call to Roo, my wife. We had just adopted a mistreated lab named **Bucket**, and I asked if she was okay with one more. She hesitated — then said yes, with all her heart. Pocket came to the U.S. with 112 rescued dogs.

I’m thrilled to finally share the story behind one of the most surreal, beautiful collaborations of my life — Wild Concerto. A sonic journey

Whispers from the grass. He is a bird with a beat. In the understory of a South American forest, where vines tangle and light filters down

In this episode, I speak of the bears who used to visit my garden in Washington State. I reflect on the extraordinary work of Dr. Lynn Rogers, who showed me that bears are not to be feared—they’re to be understood. They are curious, emotional, gentle beings. And they are being slaughtered.

Some for thrill. Others for profit. All senselessly.

Alongside the podcast, I’ve created a new artwork—“The Circle of Trust”—a quiet portrait of four black bears in a misty forest, with no human in sight. Just peace. Just presence. Just the world as it should be.

If you’ve ever felt more at home in the company of animals than people… if you’ve ever mourned a creature you never met… this one’s for you.

🔗 Listen to the episode
🖼️ View the artwork
🙏 Share your thoughts or memories of bears you’ve known or loved.

Thank you for walking this path with me. For giving voice to the voiceless. For believing that we still have time to change.

With gratitude,
Martyn

That morning was like any other—until it wasn’t.
I wandered from camp with my parabolic mic as the Kalahari woke up. Then, from the brush, came the strangest, most comical “heeeeeey!” I’d ever heard.
I honestly thought one of the crew was messing around.
Nope. It was real.
A bird.
The Grey Go-away-bird.

Its call was unforgettable—wild, ridiculous, and absolutely perfect.
Swipe to hear the moment I captured it in the wild.

#FieldNotes #Birdsong #SoundRecording #WildlifeAudio #Kalahari #GoAwayBird #GreyGoAwayBird #NatureSound #BotswanaWildlife #DesertVoices #Ornithology #thelisteningplanet #MartynStewart

🌿 *Whispers from the ocean* 🌿

This week’s episode carries a heavy tide…

I’ve just released a new piece titled Whispers from the ocean — a heartbreaking look at the Queensland Shark Control Program and the silent massacre taking place beneath the waves. Over 1,100 marine animals killed in just seven months — including sharks, rays, turtles, dolphins, and even threatened species.

It wasn’t easy to record. I had to re-do my narration several times, as I’m currently struggling with my vocal cords. But some stories deserve to be told, even if the voice cracks under the weight.

Special thanks to Deb Ashcroft for opening my eyes to this tragic affair. her compassion and determination inspired me to dig deeper.

🎧 Listen, reflect, and share. The ocean is trying to speak — we just need to listen.

\#WhispersFromTheGrass #SharkNets #MarineConservation #OceanVoices #DebAshcroft #QueenslandSharkControl #SoundscapeOfLoss #SpeakForTheVoiceless #thelisteingplanet.

People often ask me what gear I’ve used to record the sounds of our planet over the years. Well — I finally sat down to tell that story.

In my new podcast episode, “Tools of the Trade,” I walk you through five decades of sound recording — from nicking my brother’s Shure mic as a teenager, to discovering stereo with the Nagra IV-SJ, to mastering Mid-Side with my beloved MKH 30/40 combo.

It’s a deeply personal journey that spans analog tape, MiniDisc, DAT, and digital workhorses like the Sound Devices 722 and MixPre-6.
I even share the protocol I use to record oceans and rivers, and how I avoid capturing the sound of my own clothing or breath.

To go along with the episode, I’ve created a six-panel hand-drawn storyboard that illustrates the evolution of my recording setup — from 1970s mono to the layered soundscapes of today.

🎧 Listen to the episode above

Thank you for being part of this journey. Your support helps me keep listening, recording, and sharing the wild, vanishing sounds of Earth.

— Martyn

#fieldrecording #naturepodcast #soundscapes #thelisteningplanet #behindthescenes

Sometimes a sound arrives so unexpectedly, it demands to be shared — no matter how long it’s been, or what time it is.

This voice belongs to a bird dressed like no other — the Vulturine Guineafowl. Imagine Michael Jackson on safari, minus the glitter. That’s how surreal this bird looks. Piercing red eyes, electric-blue plumage, and the confidence of a rock star.

I recorded this one in Kenya, mic pointed toward dry bushland, where a flock strutted past in a blur of feathers and personality. Native to eastern Africa, these striking birds rarely fly — they run, bark, cluck, and posture their way across the scrub.

🪶 I invite you to listen. It’s raw. It's rhythmic. It’s unexpected.
And like all Whisper in the Grass moments — it arrives unannounced.