Jed Wolf

Rather like having a cat or dog around, the presence of big birds is reassuring. Unlike cardinals, jays, titmice, woodpeckers, mourning doves and wary crows who frequent our leafy backyard feeders, osprey, vultures and owls hang out for hours too. Hawks strut around on the dock. Osprey drop dissected fish. Great blue herons squawk like circus clown bicycle horns. Occasional turkey or black vultures come in to rest their wings, stiff from soaring I imagine.

These trees were never cut and the pond below provides a bucolic setting to preen and shit. Luckily guano easily washes away with hose water, baby sharks don’t smell bad and the goldfish have smartened up – a small price to pay for truly honorable company.