A very different college of cardinals -- this one poops on your car

Months ago my brother Herb told me that one or more cardinals were attacking his car. One male cardinal, or perhaps more than one, saw themselves in the outside rear view mirrors, thought they saw a rival bird, then pecked at and pooped all over the mirrors, the doors, and the windshield.

Frankly, I thought Herb was losing his faculties. I've never heard of such a thing.

Then, last week, Herb had a heart attack. I'm in town to be with him. (Thankfully his best friend Julian and others are giving Herb much needed care and attention.)

The last two nights I've stayed at the house I grew up in, which Herb now owns. And I now know that in fact the cardinals rule the roost. I came out to my rental car yesterday -- and it had been pecked and pooped upon exactly as had Herb's car.

Here's the fake owl that Herb bought, which doesn't scare the cardinals away:



Here's what the cardinal(s) do to Herb's car:



Here's the license plate for Herb's car, if you care to track the cardinal sins:



And here's the Mercury Grand Marquis grandpamobile I rented for this visit:



And here is the corresponding bird poop that the cardinals adorned the rental car with:



I do not have photos of me screaming at the two male cardinals I saw in the back yard, but they know that a crazy guy did just that. Next trip we'll see if the college of cardinals are as keen on adorning GM or Chrysler products....