You will know when you are playing your Native American style flute well because birds and animals will gather to listen.

I first noticed this phenomenon in my backyard when Carolina Wrens came and sat on the fence and started singing along with me while I played my Native American style flute.  This is how I came to name my flutes WrenSong Flutes.

Then, mockingbirds would fight each other to be the one to sit on the bird feeder to listen. They listen by tilting their head to one side and sitting on the bird feeder for about 15 minutes while I play for them. Next, squirrels would come and sit on the fence and just watch and listen.  Now, the squirrels bring an acorn, eat and listen at the edge of the backyard patio.

Deer have ventured close by me in the Great Smoky National Park to listen to the  flute music in the mountains.

One time we played hymns for 30 minutes for a deer who felt quite comfortable munching grass less than 10 feet from us.  No, we did not feed it — only music.

And finally, people will be drawn to the voice of the flute.

A particularly amazing time occurred while we were hiking to Dripping Springs on the Hermit’s Trail in Grand Canyon National Park.

We stopped for lunch with a beautiful view of canyon colors.  It was hot and we were happy to rest in the shade of the Pinyon and Juniper trees.

After eating, I pulled my flute out of my backpack and my friend put some Juniper berries in the empty raisin box to use as a shakir.  We played for at least 40 minutes. I played  whatever came to me — a song for the ravens, a song for the Juniper tree, a tribute to the Pinyon, Amazing Grace …

As I was thinking I had played enough, a National Park ranger came down the trail.  He said, “I’ve been following your music to you for the last half hour.  It’s beautiful.  Thank you for playing.  I really like the hymns.”  We were surprised and asked how he knew where to go in this vast place.

“Oh,” he said, “I heard the music bouncing off the canyon rock over there (he pointed behind us, away from the edge of the canyon we sat at) and have been following the echo to you.”