In my attempt to try new and different things to explore the world around me, I attended the inaugural “Sounds of Nature” event held in the Spring of this year at the Warner Park Nature Center.
They hope to host this type of event quarterly — one per season. The next event is scheduled for July 27 from 7:30-9 p.m., It is free to the public, and all you have to do is register to attend online.
Rachael Carter who referred to herself as a “naturalist” meaning she “celebrates species of all sorts,” began the session by asking, “How often do we take the time to listen to nature?” Speaking for myself, if I’m honest, I’d have to say almost NEVER!
She continued with some relaxation/meditation techniques including a breathing exercise.
Next, she encouraged participants to focus our senses especially on the things we hear and see around us. Then it was on to our breathing and our pulse until we achieved a restful calm state. It was all very Zen!
As various nature sounds serenaded participants in the background, she talked about how every species has a unique sound that is their way of communicating.
We were given pen and paper and encouraged to listen and draw things based on the sights and sounds we heard. She wanted us to translate the sounds we heard into a visual representation of how they made us feel.
I DID NOT do very well on this part of the exercise. I can’t even draw a straight line with a ruler — even my stick people/animals are seriously flawed!
In spite of this fact, I learned A LOT during my outing! Here are just a few examples:
- Did you know that there are 3 different types of cicadas? I didn’t! There are actually annual cicadas known as Dog Day Cicadas that appear every year, then there are periodical cicadas that come out some every 13 years, others every 17 years! The temperature of the ground lets each type of cicada know when to come out. Some make sounds like screams, others make pulsing sounds, while others sound like crashing waves.
- Did you know there are different levels of sound, i.e. surface level sounds we can hear and others we can’t hear. Many occur under water, and 90 percent of insects make sounds we CAN’T hear as a way to communicate.
- Crows are REALLY smart! They can replicate a complex eight step process without instruction, and they can even recognize faces! (This fact made me smile! When I was young, I once told my mom she reminded me of my FAVORITE bird —a crow! She DID NOT take it well. Perhaps if she had this information she might’ve taken it better!)
- Humpback Whale songs helped keep them from going extinct, and only the males sing.
- The Sperm Whale has the largest brain of ANY animal on Earth weighing up to 20 pounds!
If, like me, you love to learn obscure facts about the world around you, this might just be worth a look!