Home»Bay Area -- Coast to Hills»Green Foothills»11/13/2022 Healing in Nature: Windy Hill»11/13/2022 Raven and Coyote

Raven and Coyote are prominent spirit animals for many Native Americans. They both greeted us this morning -- and a raven had an extended conversation with me before the hike.

Arriving early for our activity, I walk toward the summit. A raven greets the morning and me with raucous calls. Not quite a symphony, but an extended communication. Yes, I agree, this is a nice day and a wonderful place to greet it. As I move up the trail toward the summit, a raven (I feel, the same one) glides silently overhead, dipping a wing, then soaring out over the broad distant view. A gift. I took no photo of this salute.

After the group gathered for introductions and a centering greeting to each direction, we notice coyotes hunting on the nearby hillside. Four of them, moving easily through the grass. Three move on to the ridge overlooking the spectacular view. One pauses, waits patiently and silently -- then suddenly springs straight up in the air, landing with four feet planted. Success! Then comes the process of masticating the prey, breaking the larger bones, preparing it to be swallowed whole.

Sensing this, their three companions return. They each comb the hillside in their hunt.

Reluctantly, we move on, leaving the hillside to the coyotes and the sunny morning.

Then later, as we all gather at the north summit of Windy Hill, a raven -- I like to think the same one -- soars over us and out into the sky above our view, dipping a wing.

Sadly, I miss the climactic moment with the coyotes: the dramatic sight of the coyote pouncing on their* prey. (I don't blame myself too much: the coyote stood motionless for over two minutes before suddenly pouncing, too quickly for me to press the "shutter" release.) Luckily, I happened to catch a coyote pounce about three years ago, near my home in Portola Valley. I append two photos of this leap. From my memory, the pounce was quite similar.

*Note: inspired by my granddaughter, I am striving mightily to use the pronoun "they" as the singular non-gendered pronoun, in place of he/her/it. This does not yet feel natural to me. (I am accustomed, as are most of us, in using the pronoun "you" to refer to both one and more than one addressee.)