Yes, the turkeys are still hanging around the neighborhood. If decades of Thanksgivings haven’t scared them off, a few coyotes aren’t going to do the trick.

And besides, there’s safety in numbers. That is, after all, why birds flock and herbivores herd.

And the turkeys have it down to a science: we’ll often see a few birds hanging out away from the main flock, keeping watch. Human miscreants do the same thing, assigning a member of the group to keep an eye out for the authorities while the rest of them get on with their anti-social activities.

That made this seem like just another day in the neighborhood.

Until I looked again.

No sign of the rest of the flock. No other lookouts.

This lone turkey seems awfully well positioned to watch our house. Was he casing the joint in preparation for a future prank? We have had mass turkey landings on the roof before (they’re not graceful fliers or landers; it sounds like a box of bowling balls being dropped on the shingles). And Halloween is coming: the traditional time for tricks.

Still, the bird was on public ground–or, more precisely, public tree–so it’s not like I could chase him away.

And it’s probably just as well I didn’t, because a little later, I found this charming little scene.

That’s Watanuki, head of our internal security force, trying out a new role as an in-home recycling adviser.

I’m still not sure if ‘Nuki is having a mid-life crisis and trying out a new career or if he’s just bored and looking for new challenges.

But either way, it seems he’s more responsible than we thought. During this time of transition, he’s obviously contracted with the turkeys to keep a skywatch on the house.

Now that’s security done right.