SOUND IN NATURE
Issue 21, Autumn 2023
When waves wash ashore, they create sounds that characterize this region. photo at Old Man House Park by John F. Williams
SOUND IN NATURE
Issue 21, Autumn 2023
John F. Williams
Guest Managing Editor
(Table of Contents is below this intro)
When I was living in a city, there were occasional bits of nature that I could hear: the sound of a hummingbird or a clap of thunder. But most of the sounds I heard outside were from human sources: airplanes flying overhead, lawnmowers, cars on the freeway a mile away, kids playing, construction, a radio, etc.
But nature is still making sounds. You can hear some from the inner city, the suburbs, widely-spaced rural homes, parks, and beaches. A couple of our articles will explicitly invite you to listen. The others will, perhaps, inspire you to listen, whether for the sounds of birds, fish, trees, waves, mammals, or even mystery sounds.
Pileated Woodpecker. photo by John F. Williams
Last quarter’s poetry collection was illustrated with a coyote and a barred owl because those creatures appeared in the poems. Coincidentally, those same creatures appear in this quarter’s poems.
And the fact that water is such a key part of the Salish Sea region is reflected in the number of items in this issue which relate to the water.
Throughout the rest of the Autumn we will add more content.
This is the beginning of our sixth (6th!) year of publishing Salish Magazine. Since its beginning, we have put a high priority on incorporating strong visuals into our storytelling. That is a challenge for this issue about sound, since we don’t really see sound directly. So we were prompted to find visual ways to suggest sound — and it also gave us an excuse to include audio files in some of the stories.
Please send us your thoughts. Our Subscribe Page has a form you can use to contact us.
And if you’d like to submit content to future issues or help us in some other way, the Volunteer page has a form for that.
Happy Autumn!
Issue 21, Table of Contents
Silent By Nature
by Tom Doty
Autumn 2023
Harbingers of Spring, amphibians in Kitsap County include both frogs and salamanders. The frogs are familiar, but less well known are their quiet brethren, the salamanders.
Listen To Salish Sea
by Gordon Hempton
Autumn 2023
Go to the edge of the Salish Sea. Each place will sound different. Position yourself about 10 feet from the water line facing the sea. Now listen — all sounds at once.
Sound Mapping Nature
by Micaela Petrini
Autumn 2023
Do you ever spend time outside with the intent of listening? Closing your eyes, opening your ears, and taking in the sounds around you? Here’s an example of Sound Mapping
Singing Bullhead
by Andy Lamb
Summer 2023
The life history of the plainfin midshipman, a marine creature who makes sounds which are quite audible to us. They can sometimes be seen by beachgoers in shallow water.
Atmosphere
by Renee Gastineau
Autumn 2023
Here is a poem and a two minute video which inspired it — a view from the bluff overlooking Ebey’s landing, Whidbey Island, looking west toward the Olympic mountains
Poetry-21
by multiple poets
Autumn 2023
Sound comes from many places — as large as the wind, as small as a bee; from the splash of a water drop to the call of a coyote. These poems visit some of these sounds.
Counting Thrush Songs
by John Neville
Autumn 2023
Counting songs of the Swainson’s Thrush on Salt Spring Island, BC, in the early days of the COVID pandemic. These birds have distinctive calls but tend to stay out of sight
Salish Magazine
Publisher: John F. Williams
Guest Managing Editors: John F. Williams
This magazine is a nonprofit project of:
SEA-Media
P.O. Box 1407 Suquamish WA 98392
www.salishmagazine.org
Copyright SEA-Media, 2023
All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without consent of copyright owner is strictly prohibited.
SEA-Media is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation
Extra special thanks to:
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Thanks so much for your interest and your support.