Natural Chorus

Image by Michale S. Fee

I must admit that second only to meeting with the wonderful COASSTers along the Pacific Coast during my travel, I have thoroughly enjoyed finding seldom visited and slightly hidden spots along my journey where I’ve been able to sit with the sounds of nature. So many intriguing noises, faint sounds, and harmonious melodies to explore. Being surrounded by a chorus of wildlife opens up the world around you, so much so that it often feels you have transformed both time and place. Sitting this morning listening to the sounds of western Canada Geese, Great Egrets, Gadwalls, and Western Gulls, it wasn’t hard to imagine why the late citizen scientist turned field biologist Ted Parker was so enamored with bird vocalizations. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology recently remembered the untimely death of this dedicated ornithological conservationist and the tremendous effort he dedicated to bird preservation during his short life in this blog post and NPR story. Contributing over 11,000 wildlife recordings in his life to the Cornell MacCaulay Library, Ted’s efforts have allowed countless individuals to experience the dynamic calls of the wild. As someone who has found great solace and hope in such sounds throughout my own lifetime, I raise my glass for Ted.

Some of my favorite experiences along this journey have been in the early
morning hours of daybreak when the sounds of nature fill the air. Here,
a group of western Canada Geese gather at Bandon Marsh before sunrise.