If you've been following my blog for a while, you know that I often talk about watching the little squirrel family that lives in the ceiling of the porch roof of the house right across from the window where I sit each day at my desk to write (and sometimes just daydream). I would imagine it is some pretty prime real estate because there are nice pockets in between the joists and beams to build a snug nest and stash food. In fact, at this time of year, I usually watch her carrying in nuts from the trees out back or whatever else she's managed to find. Then in late winter and early summer, she nests and brings forth her babies. This year, however, things are not going well for the squirrel family. There is a nasty turf war going on between them and what I refer to as "the bullies" of the neighborhood, namely, a flock of grackles that have decided to move in and take over.
Grackles are fierce-looking birds that look like crows only not quite as large. They are loud, and travel in large colonies. They are particularly disliked by farmers because they are their #1 threat to the corn fields. There are corn fields all around my town only a few miles away so our neighborhood is a nice, safe place to hide from the angry farmers. Although they usually live in warmer climates, they move north during the summer. As it has been unusually warm here in upstate New York, they have not made much of a move to fly south with the rest of the birds yet. They usually travel in packs like gangs and, when threatened, can be very aggressive. A neighbor of mine was out walking her tiny dog and one of them made a dive for her head. They must have passed to close and felt more threatened by my neighbor lady than her dog. Anyway, they have been watching the comings and goings of Mother Squirrel very closely lately and have been doing their best to scare her out of her home. They invade it when she is out foraging, and chase her when she comes near it. They usually leave at least one bird on guard during the day and it is not unusual to see this poor furry creature making a run for home when his back is turned. She will hide out there for hours until the coast is clear and she can venture out for food.
Personally, I can't wait until the gang gets tired of the cold and moves on but I know they will be back when spring comes and it will start all over again. There is a part of me that does not wish these birds kind thoughts because, as a mom and a grandma (and a great-grandma), my sympathies lie with Mother Squirrel. On the other hand, as someone who is a staunch supporter of animal rights and preservation, how can I wish harm to come from creatures that are just trying to survive just like everyone else? Perhaps what we've done to the environment has turned these birds from just a normal bunch of folks to angry, hungry, scared creatures whose only thought is for survival at any cost?
This whole thing puts a whole different perspective on what is going on in the world with humans. For the most part, people are just trying to survive. They all want the same things: a safe home, security, food, and love. Anything that threatens those things will sometimes turn perfectly nice people into folks who will do whatever it takes to get what they believe they need. If someone were trying to take away your home and security, wouldn't you do the same?
Perhaps it's time we stopped fighting over what we perceive as lack of and start working together to make more of what everyone needs. We need to do more to clean up the water and air, build safe, affordable housing, make sure everyone has access to a decent way to earn a living, and preserve what is left of our natural world before it is all gone. Humans need to remember that the Mother Earth will survive just fine without them, but they cannot survive without her. It's time to stop being the neighborhood bullies and start being the neighborhood heroes.
And so it is.
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