Sometimes, it's hard to believe we live in the most densely populated state (that's New Jersey, for first-time visitors here). Especially when our house backs up to a forest and we have all manners of wildlife parading through our yard on a regular basis. We just never know what creatures will pop up looking for their next meal--it's like our own personal petting zoo, minus the petting part! After all, these are wild animals we're talking about here: A little red fox curled up for a nap in our back yard; a red-bellied woodpecker knock-knock-knocking at a tree for a buggy breakfast; a large herd of white-tailed deer making its daily commute between the forest and the neighborhood yards, munching heartily on our poor shrubs. (Yes, I know the deer have to eat, too, and my goodness, they're the picture of grace and beauty. I just wish they wouldn't gorge on my lilac bushes.)
The "Parade of Animals" is a bit like a traveling classroom. Whenever I start to wonder things like "what are those gigantic brown birds sitting on top of our house?", a Googling session ensues...
...and pretty soon, I'm learning that turkey vultures (so that's what they are!) eat almost exclusively carrion (elegant word for "roadkill"), and glide through the air on thermals (warm air drafts), sniffing out their next meal. These scavenger birds play an important role in the ecosystem, stemming the spread of disease--we've taken to calling them "Nature's Clean-up Crew." Some cultures believe they are sacred animals that release the soul from the body of the deceased animal, which is a rather poetic way to look at it, don't you think?
My Birds of New Jersey Field Guide tells me the turkey vulture is generally mute, making only the occasional grunt or groan. (Personally, I haven't heard any grunting or groaning emanating from the roof, but I'm glad I'm prepared for it!) I also learned that the reason our turkey vulture friends can stand for long stretches of time on the roof with their wings spread out wide is because they're drying themselves in the sun--a behavior that often happens after a cold and rainy day. I highly recommend getting a bird guide for your state or region, preferably one that groups the pages by feather color (such as the one linked above), so you can quickly figure out what's having a snack at your birdfeeder or sunning itself on your roof. (Kids, especially, love this little detective game.)
City-dwelling friends occasionally ask us if we're nervous about living in "black bear country", in a neighborhood where I fought off a coyote that wanted to eat my dog for breakfast. Yes, living in close proximity to wildlife has its (rare) heart-pounding moments, but mostly, it's immensely interesting and gratifying. And the heart of the matter is this: I'm much more nervous that my great-grandchildren won't know what it's like to live in such a place, with a large array of wild animals roaming freely through the back yard, making their way out of the wonder-filled woods.
Your turn: How frequently do you see wildlife where you live? What's the most unusual animal you've ever seen outside of a zoo? Please share in the Comments section below. If you are reading this post via email subscription or mobile device, click on the title or go to www.JoyfullyGreen.com from a computer to see the comments and leave one of your own. (Don't forget to click the box for subscribing to comments so you can follow the conversation.)
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