Whenever Michael Valenzuela, a man of many talents including photography who lives in the high hills west of Healdsburg, visits Shell Beach, this gorgeous raven shows up for a bit of conversation. They met on July 13, 2015 and the friendship continues today. He–Michael says he is pretty certain it is a bull raven–preens and croaks and burbles and calls during these visits. If you visit a place where ravens live often enough, one may befriend you. I’ve been followed by a raven on the Joe Rodota Trail but do not go often enough to know for sure if the raven remembers me or not, but I’m hoping.