wake up, it's a turkey morning...

It started with some wild turkeys coming to our backyard

to eat dropped seed around our birdfeeders.

 

One day, I saw a turkey jumping up

and pecking at one of the corn cobs

we have dangling for the squirrels...

 

When we discovered that they love corn,

 my girlfriend began tossing cobs of corn all over the back yard.

 

She tries to spread them out "so that they don't fight."

 

It seems the turkeys have been telling their friends,

and the gossip, or gobble, is out... 

 

What started out as 4-5 turkeys is now over 15!

They come every morning and are starting to come other times, too...

 

This is a typical view from the kitchen window in the morning now.

Turkeys everywhere!

 

To our delight, they hang out and take their time, for probably half an hour

until they've either eaten everything we put out for them

or until our old dogs see or hear them and start barking.

 

Sometimes that doesn't even scare them off anymore.

It's like they know the dogs are behind the walls of the house

and can't get to them, so they continue to enjoy their buffet...

 

Smart turkeys!



We had only ever seen female turkeys until a couple days ago.

Maybe because it's almost spring, some Toms are coming around now.

 



 Three of them came and made quite the debut the other day.

It felt like we were being visited by royalty!

 

 They came and as soon as we spotted them, they began what seemed like a ritual.

Not a dance per se, but more like a performance...

strutting, weaving in and out around eachother.

fantastically displaying their tail fans,

every move was dignified and regal.   

 

  The three Toms operated as a unit.

Their performance was in perfect sync, and a truly mesmerizing sight.

 

 Check out the snoods and caruncles on these two Toms!

 

 And the spurs!

 

 Their feathers are absolutely stunning.

It's no wonder Ben Franklin wanted the wild turkey to be our national bird.

 

 Having a wild creature look at you with more curiosity than fear is such a great feeling.

We're so thrilled that they enjoy visiting us, and that they accept our offerings. 

 

 One of our resident crows got brave today

and decided to try to eat suet droppings at the same time as the turkeys,

who are easily 5x their weight.   

 

If this turkey was in Kindergarten, 

she'd probably get a 3 on her behavior report card for sharing so nicely.