Best mics for recording nature & how to create 5.1 suround sound?

[Mongoo]

Hi I want to record nature, like waterfalls, birds singing and crickets chirping. What would be the best mic's for this? And also if I wanted to make 5 point suround sound audio would I want to record with 5 simultaneous mics or would I just record one and make pan tracks off of that?

Thank you for the info.

Mongoo

 

[Innovations]

Well, if price is no object then this is the way to go.

http://www.transaudiodirect.com/com51sounmic.html

Now, presuming that you are a homerecorder and thus the preceeding sent you into spasms of sticker shock I would just use four hypercardoid small diameter condensers mounted on a single stand (using 3 stereo brackets). Since this is outdoors be sure to have good windscreens.

The .1 part of 5.1 can be produced after the fact since it is nondirectional.