On a recent trip to Pereira, Colombia, I woke up early on the day we were heading home and stepped out onto the hotel balcony. What greeted me was something truly beautiful—a stunning sunrise and, unexpectedly, a chorus of birdsong. It’s not something I typically hear back home.

We had spent our last night at Parque Consotá, an ecological park just outside Pereira. I quickly grabbed my iPhone and recorded a couple of short videos. To my surprise, I captured a few peaceful minutes filled with nothing but the sound of birds. No traffic, no airplanes—just the natural stillness of the morning.

I didn’t realize it at the time, but that moment reawakened a long-dormant passion of mine: audio field recording.

It actually started way back in my pre-teen years, when my parents gave me a little reel-to-reel tape recorder. I took it everywhere, recording anything and everything—including, hilariously, my dad snoring.

That was the spark that ignited my love for all things audio. And now, all these years later, I’ve found myself returning to that passion—only this time, it’s tied in with my photography.

The result? A new creative outlet: a YouTube channel dedicated to sharing nature sounds from across South Florida. It’s been a fun and fulfilling way to blend my love of sound with my love of the natural world.