Out and About in Nature
I love the outdoors. I love it so much, in fact, that this morning, I sat on a chair, on a porch, outside! (I love sitting too.) It was transformative, at least for this city kid. It’s rejuvenating to spend time in nature, and I take every opportunity I have to do it.
And while I basked in the glorious green of Upstate New York, I listened.
I can tell you exactly how many blocks away a siren is and what vehicle it belongs to. I know by the slam of a car door how many cups of coffee a person has had that day. I can tell by a coo of a pigeon if it likes blueberry muffin crumbs or stale crackers.
But Upstate sounds? I’m not so sure. So here’s what I heard and where I think it was coming from.
What hit my ears first was some furious buzzing.
Then, as I listened more, I heard branches swaying.
Of course, chirps filled the air.
Suddenly, I realized I was awash in the white noise of crickets.
A loud “thunk” echoed across the field.
And beneath it all, I heard the quiet calm.
Nailed it.
Thank you all for joining me on this journey. Take a moment to listen to the world around you. Soak it in. Imagine. Enjoy.
Thank you again,
-Avi
I can tell the difference between a spring peeper (tiny toad), a bullfrog and a "regular" frog, by the sounds. I can identify countless birds by their calls, including being able to discern between a crow and a raven. I can pick out a Great Horned owl from a barn owl from a saw whet. I can tell you if the coyotes are hunting or on the move, and if the wolves are calling to each other or teaching their pups to howl.
Once, I even heard a moose fart as it stood across the road watching me.
I love your drawings. Keep 'em coming!
Wonderful.
Where we live is rural. Sadly, we no longer hear our evening frog chorus from the pond, we don't know why they've stopped coming.
What we do hear now, when the breeze blows gently from the east, is the faint whoosh of the wind turbines a mile or so away.