Four Feathers Studio

One of the most magical things about living in Wonderland is that your shadow is almost always in the form of a chipmunk. It feels as if chipmunks are everywhere, or at least everywhere I am. (Change “Central” to “Chipmunk” and you’ve got the Wonderland C.I.A. ready to report my position at any one time.) Perched upon rocks, logs, tree branches, tree trunks, popping out of stone walls or perfectly circular holes in the lawn, Wonderland chipmunks are masters at the art of surveillance. They always let you know that they know you’re there, watching your every movement, just in case you thought you could quietly slip into the morning coffee hour uninvited. With three distinct alarm calls: chipping, chucking, and trilling, chipmunks utilize the first two calls to communicate whether a predator is terrestrial or aerial, while the third “trill” call is vocalized as they escape the pursuing threat. I’ve heard all three calls, often in connection with my presence, but I am happy to report that their alarm calls subside once my threat level has been assessed and downgraded, making me feel that if this was a real coffee hour, I had finally been invited in and directed towards the baked goods table.