A Haven for Vee

Saturday, October 12, 2013

A Vulture Story and More



Who could possibly imagine the excitement that goes on behind this front door at this unassuming home on a quiet street in a sleepy village well into October?



Okay, my son doesn't look too excited. Lamb Chop? Comatose.



John has joined Lamb Chop in coma land. Michelle is still awake, though!


Even the birthday girl was relaxed. It was all so very dull that I suggested to the grandsons that we go out and scare off the vultures.



Just the day before I had seen that vultures had been encroaching once again. See them? 



There! To the right of the roofline!



Tree killers!



So in the early evening, while it was still a little light, I had taken my camera, set the flash, and had gone down to disturb the vultures roosting. I have proof that they were mightily disturbed; unfortunately, it might also reveal that I am mightily disturbed as I was doing a regular Mexican hat dance down there at the forest's edge. I'd show you the video, but you'd be ill in seconds with all the stomping, flailing, and swishing about. Swishing...remember that word.


No evidence in this photo that they were there, but they were definitely there...fifty or a hundred...freaky vultures!



Back to the night in question — the grands couldn't wait to join me! They were all for going out after dark, way after dark as you can see above. 


It was pitch black out there. No amount of flailing, Mexican hat dancing, or taking flash photos could rouse those vultures. After a few minutes, Sam whispered, "I can hear someone swishing and it isn't us." 

We stopped to listen. Sure enough, there were footsteps on the lawn above and beside us. I thought it must be my neighbor out with his dog. Sam said, "I'm going to go see." I took another photo or two when Sam said, "There's a man dressed in white and he is staring at me."

Now that got my attention. Jake had decided to go in so I went up to stand beside Sam where I peered into the darkness. Sure enough! There was a man dressed in light clothing all softly outlined against the night.  I said, "Well say 'hello.'" 

Sam said, "hello." Nothing. The man stood perfectly silent not sixty feet away. I don't think he was my neighbor. 

Creepy. We decided to go in ourselves at that point. When we tumbled through the patio doors, telling our story, John 
said, "Shhh...Don't talk too loud. The window is wide open." Ackkk!

 Needless to say, we won't be out chasing the vultures away any time soon.

*~*~*

A Blessed Thanksgiving weekend to my Canadian friends!

44 comments:

  1. While the turkey's cooking in the oven, and before I vaccum the house, I decided to peek at a few blogs. This story makes for a scary halloween one Vee! Was John out there trying to scare you out of your wits? That's just weird if it wasn't him. I guess the birthday party went well and all were well fed. Maybe the vultures were looking for some leftover scraps. Enjoy the day.

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  2. Looks like a successful birthday party. I'm with Pamela -- perhaps the vultures were looking for leftovers! Happy Halloween! ;)

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  3. Yikes!! I was waiting for the mystery to be solved, but to think that it wasn't...creepy! (As the baby in the State Farm commercial says, "Fah-reaky!")

    Just stay inside after dark. I'd rather take my chances with the vultures than a staring, silent man dressed in white!

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    1. I got quite a chuckle over comatose Lamb Chop! :D :D

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  4. Yikes! Now that's a creepy story... hope you figure out who the man in white is soon!

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  5. Eeek scary man ... I think I definitely would have been more comfortable with the vultures !

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  6. You are a GREAT!!!!!!!!!!! Grandmother..that story will be told for years to come. Such a wonderful boy thing..and just one you would see written by Mark Twain
    Let us know if you discover who it was!

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  7. A great story for a dark October night that includes vultures and a man in white...

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  8. Hi Vee,

    This is going to be a long comment, so here goes. First of all, I LOVE, LOVE your twig wreath. Will you show us your whole door next time so I can get a better look at the wreath? It's wonderful!! Secondly, what a story for the Halloween month. I can't believe the man in white never spoke -- how creepy!! I thought you would surely find out who he was.

    And now about the vultures -- are they really tree killers? Our little neighborhood is a development that was built on what used to be a large farm. It's full of mature trees and has creeks running through it. We are always seeing what my husband calls "soaring birds" in the sky over our homes. Sometimes they're hawks, sometimes they're vultures. Two days ago I was driving home in the middle of the day, and I noticed on my left there was a HUGE bird sitting on the fence of someone's yard. It was the biggest bird I've ever seen closeup, and we've passed hawks sitting on power lines many times. I stopped the car to look; the bird had his back to me, but he turned his head so I could see his profile. Yuck!! It was a turkey vulture; do you have those in your area? I couldn't imagine why he was on this fence right amongst all these houses, but then I saw a dead squirrel on the street next to my car. He was waiting for me to drive off so he could eat, I suppose. I think this bird was bigger than our MacDuff. He wasn't a handsome bird like hawks are, but it was still interesting to see him up close.

    Well, that's it for my long comment. :) Great story, as always Vee. Have a wonderful weekend!

    Denise at Forest Manor

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  9. Never a dull moment at your home Vee. Like Pam, I've got the turkey in the oven at our daughter's house and am taking a blogging break.
    I've seen way too many scary movies to go poking around outside at night. I'm wondering if your neighbour has a statue in the back yard? Or, was it a real human lurking and swishing in the leaves?
    My way of dealing with a flock of crows in the backyard is banging something loud that sounds like a shot, and they take off like one!
    Somehow I think there may be a sequel to this post?
    Judith

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  10. love your vulture story! Too cute! That's a story that will get told again and again.
    Hugs,
    Patti

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  11. That is creepy!

    We get turkey vultures in our area but we don't have any that live on our property. Maybe it is the large horses, dog, cat or noisy, busy children running about that keeps them away. We do have a Great Blue Heron that lives in the neighborhood. Last week he was sitting on the neighbors roof and yesterday I saw him fly off over our horse pasture! We like him!

    Be careful!

    Deanna

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  12. From comatose to heart-pounding all because of your innocent suggestion! You really know how to live it up, Vee! Freaky!

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  13. My goodness...I am waaay too scared to go out in ANY woods at night. Ya'll are sure brave souls.

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    1. I wouldn't like to be in the woods either, BJ. I was on the edge of my lawn, which does border the woods.

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  14. Really creepy. I would have been scared to death. Do you think it was John? A good ghost story for Halloween and I'm sure it will be told and told again in Octobers to come.

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  15. Interesting post Vee. Yes, I bet the grands were up for a nighttime adventure such as that. Wonder why there were so many vultures all at once there. And the guy in white..... I would have gone in the house too. Good idea. The family pics must have been after the meal. Thanks for sharing the great adventure with us.

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  16. Vee!!! Who was that "man in white"????? Too late for an ice cream truck, isn't it??? Wow. Be careful!! Even with those vultures!!! xo

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  17. A very scary encounter. Both with the vultures and the strange man dressed in white.

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  18. Maybe twere a ghostie out and 'tabout whilst ye were chasin' they carrion birds from their dree roost...and that is exactly how my Scottish Great Gran would tell it....but really, no idea who it could have been? We have am old house on the property next over that is falling in and they roost on it that way at times...couldn't say why but I hate it....
    hugs
    Sandi

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  19. The lamb chop comment made me giggle. And then the super-dark photo made me giggle even more! I didn't see the video. Did you forget to post it? I'm glad you had a little excitement with the grands!

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  20. Oh, no! The vultures perch on top of the tallest house in my neighborhood, and yes it is creepy! My mom had a similar story. She couldn't sleep so went and sat on her porch in the dark about 2 am one night. Someone walked right by the side of her house in the trees. They didn't know she was on the porch, but it was still alarming. Be careful out there!

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  21. I love this post!
    I could not sleep one night at our old house. I opened the window and from the top of the house swoops a vulture at my head!!! He and his "friend" were doing their mating calls!!!!!

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  22. Hello Vee, Now I am not sure what to say about all this in the comment box :)
    I do not like Vultures and I think the person in white sounds strange, so I will wait for the next post and say something worth reading!! LOL
    Blessings, Roxy

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  23. Man oh man... you know how to liven up a party, Vee!
    I'm curious to know what attracts all those vultures to your area? I had never seen a vulture until I moved to NC and now I often see them (I think they are turkey vultures) eating roadkill. Ugh. Do they kill the trees too?
    The man in white sounds very sinister. Did the grandsons have trouble sleeping after this encounter?
    I think they'll be talking about this night for years to come.

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  24. Vee
    I guess outside was more exciting than what was going on inside, but that kind of spookiness I could live without!

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  25. I'm with Denise... I love your twiggy wreath on your front door! As for the vultures, all I can think of is what great memories for the grands! I loved it and I know they'll remember that night, too. xo

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  26. Dear Vee
    you had me in stitches with the flailing and mexican hat dance - just the sort of thing I do to chase off the neighbours cats (where their owners are at work and can't see me)!!!! The cats look befuddled - I can't imagine why?

    The second part was was eerie though - it seems we can't even have a bit of fun outdoors after dark now - it's the same where I live, I'm always watchful - my husband thinks I'm over the top....

    Happy Sunday
    love
    Shane

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  27. Oh my goodness, I got goose bumps on my arms :) We've been having turkey vultures hanging around here as well, must be something around they want to get at.

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  28. Now that's spooky! A great tale for your grands to tell. There's a place in Ohio that the vultures flock to also. They're pretty creepy looking. Do they make a lot of noise?

    Love the creative wreath on your front door, nice touch of nature. Have a grand week!

    Blessings, Edie Marie

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  29. Creepy man in white who doesn't speak, all we get to chase here is fruit bats.
    Merle.......... .......... ...........

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  30. I was going to make some suggestions for getting rid of the vultures. It's what I did when we had a problem with starlings. After reading further ~ the man in white ~ I am going to suggest that you do just as you said and stay inside. Scary!!

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  31. What an adventure!!! A perfect one for this all things creepy month of October!! I saw in your photo a black old fashioned telephone! How cool is THAT!!!? Loved seeing your 'people'! We call our 'comatose' a stupor around here! Same thing! Love it!

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  32. A good Halloween story!!! I thought you were going to say that it wasn't a man after all but a scarecrow. : )

    That is a lot of vultures. Didn't realize so many of them were around you!!

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  33. Vee,, those turkey vultures look so creepy! I can't imagine fifty of them in a tree--they must make a mess if you get my drift. The man in white is creepy too! It's an early Halloween at your house!!!!

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  34. This is so priceless!! Love the story! That Sam is one brave lad!! ! Always a joy to stop by.

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  35. What a story. That will be a fun one to talk over with the kids. I thought there was going to be a resolution at the end about the man in white .... but I guess he remains a mystery ? Actually I thought maybe it was John.

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  36. The vultures are one thing...but silent stalkers in white are totally another. And you think you live in a dull neighbourhood? Now this is an October story that will live on!

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  37. Creepy vultures and creepier stalker! But otherwise a wonderful day!

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  38. That was a little creepy. Wonder shy he didn't say hello? That's the creepy part!

    I don't think that I've ever seen a real vulture...

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  39. That's really creepy! I do love the photo of your house with the lights shining. Everything year those boys will have this spooky story to share.

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