1968: FARMER becomes WILDLIFE AUDIO MAESTRO | The Lone Listener | Science & Nature | BBC Archive

"I could see no future for me in farming - but where was the escape?"

Lawrence Shove is the only man in Britain who makes his living as a freelance recordist of wildlife sounds.

You might say he's a hunter, a lone hunter, who uses the most novel of all weapons - a tape recorder and microphone. With these, he captures the voices of wild nature.

His wildlife recordings go onto gramaphone records sold in thousands, he lectures with them, provides sound effects for films, they're broadcast on the radio and on television.

"The fascination of sound recording for me is the uncertainty. Trying to outwit a wild creature. Pitting your wits against a wary bird, in the hopes of capturing its voice as a trophy."

"When I play a recording, the memory of the moment comes flooding back."

Footage compiled using excerpts from The Lone Listener, an episode from BBC TV series Look.

Narrated by Tony Beamish.

Originally broadcast 27 May, 1968.

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