Thankful for the Birds

"All the good birds are at the tops of the trees."

These were the words I said the other day on a walk as my husband and I watched a hawk survey our neighborhood. Because it's true. The biggest and the best ones seem to be in plain sight, yet often, we don't see them because we aren't looking up. 

My husband told me to write down those words, that they would make a great title for a book. And he's right, it would. It feels like a middle-grade/ young adult book by John Green, or even a thriller by James Patterson. Regardless, I said it because it's true and because it's taken me almost fifty years to figure this out.

Looking for a bald eagle? It's probably going to be at the top of a tree. We have them. They're rare, but such a fun sight to see. They hang out by the river and occasionally come inland (a few hundred yards to our house) searching for food. Looking for a hawk? Well, that's what we found, sitting all by himself, watching us walk along, his eyes piercing through the distance.

Looking for a group of vultures? (Also known as a committee). They live in our neighbor's backyard too, especially in the evenings, up to ten of them, and all toward the tops of the trees waiting for the next meal to show up, maybe on our street, or the next street over. Who knows.

I was lucky to spot a pair of beautiful barn owls the other morning at the top of two sequoia trees next to our house. They were hooting to each other and probably heading to bed. But there they were, just as I woke up, and the phrase rang out true again: All the good birds are at the tops of the trees.

Now, can I say this of turkeys? Well, as it turns out, yes. We have a ridiculous number of wild turkeys in our neighborhood. Rafters of them. And they take turns in groups, trotting through the neighborhood, messing up our lawns and sidewalks, only to act shocked that we might run them over as they nonchalantly cross the street. The toms are the worst, fluffing their feathers and acting tough - as though the car were just another turkey to fend off.

These turkeys also sleep in the trees! I've seen them morning after morning cawing out something that sounds like a dying duck, as they take turns flapping out of the tree to the road to take control of the roads again. They're not smart, yet they're rather noble. And also happen to make a good meal.

Where am I going with this? Only to make sure you enjoy your turkey dinner. Truly, enjoy it. They won't be missed (too much). And two, next time you take a walk, look up. There's a host of wildlife perched at the tops of trees. If you're not paying attention, like I haven't, you'll miss a simple thing that's been going on for thousands of years: All the good birds are at the tops of trees.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. Slow down and enjoy it all.

-Heather