Fred Homer of Williamsville, Vermont, has been a licensed bird rehabilitator for 42 years. At 87, he’s still at it, and his backyard has served as a recovery room for more than 4,000 birds over the decades. Among his most memorable residents: Jasper the crow and Stella, a Barred owl blind in one eye who has been known to spend time in the family kitchen.
The story behind all of it goes back to Homer’s childhood in New Jersey, when he was told not to leave a hay wagon to help an injured bird in the road. That small refusal stuck with him. So did a habit of remembering his own mortality: 20 years ago he built his own coffin, a daily reminder that life is precious and the time to help is now. As Homer puts it, injured birds seem to bring out the best in people.
Here on the Suncoast, where we share the shoreline with wildlife and keep one eye on storm season, his story feels close to home. The version of Fred Homer here might be a volunteer at a wildlife rescue, a neighbor who rehabs pelicans, or someone on your street who quietly shows up. Do you know someone like that? Tell us about them in the comments.
