On the 12th of July 2008 I recorded a very unusual sound here in Southern Illinois. Since that time I have played this sound to hundreds of people, asking them what it sounds like. Eventually one person said it, “It sounds like someone trying to start a weed-eater”. Â That initial report can be found here “The Weed Eater”.
Later that summer I made several visits to the same general location, however not on the witnesses property. We did have to explain to the local authorities why we were sitting out in the woods in the dark at midnight.
The only unusual sound recorded was the following. You can listen to it both as original and how it sounds filtered to try and eliminate some of the katydids and crickets. This sound was coming from about 150 feet of us, deep in the woods, and not towards any highways. Once again I come up with the same conclusion, “It sounds like a weed-eater, only this time it is already started.” The following was recorded on the 25th of August 2008.
Click here to listen to sound clip:Â Weed Eater 2
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Spectral View
Dear Stan ,
Thought you might want to solve the Weedeater 1 mystery. I believe I have! The unusual and almost infrasound charactered sound is from the Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus) As a lifelong hunter, trapper and 30 some odd year sasquatch researcher I can assure you that this is what you recorded. What sometimes happens is that the male Grouse will find "The Perfect drumming log that acts like a uber-megaphone. All grouse drumming is done from atop a hollow log but some logs are better at amplification than others. I will certainly admit that your Grouse is a very energetic fellow but Grouse he is. The reproductive cycle is whats a little confusing in the above account as grouse normally do the courtship drumming in late spring…but the reproductive cycle of grouse has confused wildlife biologist forever.
I have heard identical sounding examples; (extreme , almost frightening loudness with infrasound qualities) on a few occasions and I believe that's what you recorded.
For a comparison see: All About Birds – Ruffed Grouse
And for Ruffed Grouse in Illinois check: Grouse and partridge in Illinois?