Birds love the wind, at least falcons, hawks and owls seem to. In my dream last night, it was as though my hands became the wind. A small owl hovered and darted in the air, brushing against my fingers. I wasn't holding it, my hands and the bird were in a kind of dance, interacting in a graceful, gentle and sensuous way.

I woke from my pleasant dream to the usual morning sounds of the birds that inhabit this area; the roosters begin their calls back-and-forth on the hillside, the mynahs their boisterous chattering, this morning there were also the voices of the occasional visitors, the pheasants. After a while, the doves chime in as well as the chirping of the latest brood of chicks. It's a symphony. The morning sounds that greet me as I slowly stretch my limbs and wake my brain to this earthly reality.

This morning, while pondering my dream, recalling the events of the past few days and listening to my bird friends, it occurred to me that there had been something very important missing from Sunday's walk into the back rim of Waipio Valley. I don't recall hearing or seeing any birds! Except for one solitary white bird that soared on the currents above the pastureland, there had been none others! This area should be teeming with wildlife! The valley is scarcely populated (i hear there are fewer than 60 residents) and the forest provides canopy and undergrowth for nesting and food source. The wind currents through the valley were ideal that day for soaring above the treetops. Where were the birds? Something is up in the highland forests above the valley of the kings......