Those of us who live in an urban setting find it strange to be in a place where there is no background noise at all. You sleep in and wake feeling unusually relaxed. You go out for a walk and the world is utterly quiet. When the peace is broken by the noise of a bird’s wings flapping overhead, it’s startlingly loud, as is the echoing crack when the bird breaks a branch off a tree. Then the bird flies noisily off to build its nest and peace descends once more.