Shown here is Canadian wildlife photographer Dan Gibson using the parabolic microphone he developed. Here, he has the mike mounted on the prow of his canoe, which allows him to silently paddle up in search of wildlife.

This photo is from the March 1972 issue of Popular Mechanics, in which he is described as a photographer who developed the tool primarily to capture photographs of wildlife. The article hinted, however, that the system could be used to capture wildlife sounds on tape. Thanks to this microphone, Gibson became more famous as a recording artist, with his Solitudes series of recordings of nature sounds and music. Here, for example, is his recording of La Mer (Beyond the Sea):

You can find the label’s recordings on Amazon, or find more information at their facebook page. If you’re looking for a parabolic microphone, here are some of the current offerings:

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