While watching and recording birds this morning during the Southwest Allen County Christmas Bird Count, I was freshly aware of wildlife going about its existence despite humans being nearby. They have learned a coexistence strategy with us, but, I, wonder, have we done the same in return?

Some of us, the birders and naturalists, celebrate birds for their beauty and tenacity to live lives despite the perils around them.

But do people in general appreciate birds as we should? Or are birds more of a nuisance to be endured? The splatter on a car windscreen, the noise when we’re trying to nap, the fret of one landing on our head.

As for me, give me birds. If they care to land on my head, I’ll reward them with a snack. If they need to poop on my windscreen, I get to go through the carwash again.

As for napping, the chittering of birds helps me doze knowing that more than humans—who are often messier come to think of it—are willing to coexist with me.

I've rehabbed the woods in the common area behind my house. It had been a thicket of honeysuckle in which only some small birds could maneuver. And robins gorged on fermented honeysuckle berries in late fall and made a mess of our birdbath area in their drunken stupor. It was gross. The project started just 11 months ago when I couldn't take the invasive spectacle out my back windows any longer. I am grateful to my naturalist friends who helped me get to this point:

Yesterday, in the early morning hours, our efforts were rewarded by this unexpected vision.

The juvenile red-shouldered hawk sat about 3 feet from the ground, twisting its head, scouting for breakfast. The mice and v(m)oles were apparently very still because after about 15 minutes, the youngster, unfed, flew deeper into the woods for another hopeful breakfast spot.

For photographers in the group: 600 mm from kitchen window (served as a blind and I was dressed in black), f/5.3, 1/125, ISO 12,800, handheld.

For native plant lovers, the reclaimed/rehabbed woods' edge now contains 53+ different...