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Update on my neighborhood turkeys: A couple of days ago I stepped on the deck and they were right there in my yard beside the deck. The cat was on the deck steps begging to be let in. No telling how long he was victimized by mama turkey who seemed to claim the territory. The babies are growing big, still couldn't really count them but it looked like most of them are still there. They flew a short distance and she casually strolled after them, clucking in a relaxed manner.
Had a deer wander into the front yard recently, too.
Update on my neighborhood turkeys: A couple of days ago I stepped on the deck and they were right there in my yard beside the deck. The cat was on the deck steps begging to be let in. No telling how long he was victimized by mama turkey who seemed to claim the territory. The babies are growing big, still couldn't really count them but it looked like most of them are still there. They flew a short distance and she casually strolled after them, clucking in a relaxed manner.
Had a deer wander into the front yard recently, too.
My wife and I watched as one big doe walked up to one of the wild turkeys and kicked it like a football! On the other hand; we also watched as one big male turkey spurred one deer.
Normally they get along fine. They give each other some personal space (usually the turkeys give the deer more space that the deer give the turkeys). I think all animals and especially humans have bad hair days. We really do not know if they are in pain or they just drew a line in the sand (lawn).
I always liked skunks; at least they give you a warning! Deer do to sometimes if you look at the position of the ears and their 'attitude'. I am not too sure about turkeys. I have watched them chase down other turkeys. However; I do not know if there are subtle signs warning other wildlife that trouble is coming?
SD has a spring turkey hunting season, so the flock that lived near me is reduced to one lone bird. It's so sad to see him out in the fields all by himself! He still follows the same daily route as the flock did. I keep hoping he (or she, I don't know) finds a mate or another flock to join. Baby turkeys are so cute!
The flock liked to play chicken with cars on the road, though.
SD has a spring turkey hunting season, so the flock that lived near me is reduced to one lone bird. It's so sad to see him out in the fields all by himself! He still follows the same daily route as the flock did. I keep hoping he (or she, I don't know) finds a mate or another flock to join. Baby turkeys are so cute!
The flock liked to play chicken with cars on the road, though.
PA also has the Spring turkey season; but it is limited to only gobblers and only the use of shotguns. Our flocks have continued to multiply - every year there are more.
When I was young, in the 1950's and 60's; I never saw one turkey in PA. Most of our turkeys had disappeared years before I was born. They claim that that disappearance was caused by over hunting and lack of forest land. Many of our hills were stripped of trees as the major metropolitan cities were being constructed and also as a primary heating source from the 1800's and into the early 1900's.
Hmmm - I hope it's not the virus. What is described is on your side of the country - don't know if it has made it's way here or not. They do say that bird flu has been eradicated from the domestic flocks in this area, but I don't know about in the wild.
Of course, there are plenty of coyote. And I wouldn't put it past the nasty old raccoons to go after turkey - they're certainly big enough.
There has been a big resurgence of turkey in MN/SD/IA just in the last decade, so they must be pretty hardy. Last year there was a family of Mama, Daddy, and 4 babies that passed through my property every day - the babies were successfully raised to young adulthood - then winter came and I don't know if they survived that.
Hmmm - I hope it's not the virus. What is described is on your side of the country - don't know if it has made it's way here or not. They do say that bird flu has been eradicated from the domestic flocks in this area, but I don't know about in the wild.
Of course, there are plenty of coyote. And I wouldn't put it past the nasty old raccoons to go after turkey - they're certainly big enough.
There has been a big resurgence of turkey in MN/SD/IA just in the last decade, so they must be pretty hardy. Last year there was a family of Mama, Daddy, and 4 babies that passed through my property every day - the babies were successfully raised to young adulthood - then winter came and I don't know if they survived that.
Thank you! Great picture of parents teaching the young to grow up to be road runners!
By the way; did you use Photo Bucket? I have been trying to use them but they changed the format - I don't know how to post pictures anymore!
Have you ever watched or saw one large flock of turkeys roost for the night? For a while, a few years ago, we had 50 to 75 turkeys roosting on one ridge overlooking our house. Probably, because of evolution, they prefer their own tree (sometimes there can be more than one in the tree depending on how many good roosting trees are available). They liked the high large oaks on the hillside up from our property and they would sometimes be spread out for one quarter mile.
If you ever watch deer bed down they usually do not lay down together. They spread apart and watch different directions.
I presume that evolution has taught these wild animals and birds to not put all their chickens in one pot/tree, or knoll. It would be harder for a tree climbing predator (like a raccoon) to check out every tree.
We have a mama turkey and 6 babies visiting our yard regularly. The babies are very young and stay stuck to mama like glue!
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