In the last week I’ve been listening-really listening-to the sounds of the wilderness. Well, this isn’t exactly wilderness right where I’m living-not when you have 90,000 of your best friends coming to visit during the season. So at times there is a need to filter out the cars and buses and airplanes, not to mention the guests and several hundred employees who are in the canyon where we live and work. But most of the time, there is an opportunity to stop, to listen, and to hear the sounds that are not man-made.
There are the raucus ravens who hang out around here. Earlier in the season it seemed as though the seagulls had taken over the territory, but apparently the ravens have recaptured their traditional place in the heirarchy. This afternoon I watched as three ravens chided me for infringing on their territory. Unfortunately, I’m not as easy to get rid of as the seagulls were.
We also have a healthy population of Columbian ground squirrels in residence. They run and chase each other from tree to tree, and when they realize I’m watching they move around to the other side of the tree and squeak at me. How brave.
There are plenty of other, smaller birds besides the ravens, and of course the river nearby and the wind in the trees cooperate to bring the counterpoint to the animals and birds. I love it in the early morning, before the tourist trade gets into full swing. It makes for a wonderful walk to work.
Travels with Billie 