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Turkeys at rest

claireplymouth z6b coastal MA

11 years ago

I posted these pics on the New England Gardening Forum but I thought they would be of interest here (and more appropriate, to be honest, although the New Englanders have a very broad understanding of what belongs in a garden).

I often have Wild Turkeys visiting the areas where I spread seed on the ground for whatever is hungry. The turkeys are particularly fond of nyjer seed and there were 12 turkeys feeding today. They're used to me - most of the current flock probably grew up feeding in my yard so they're pretty relaxed here.

Today there was a cold northwest wind in the front yard and, after feeding, the turkeys sensibly moved to the back yard which is protected by the house. Not to mention having chairs to perch on while looking out over Cape Cod Bay. The house is on the top of the coastal bank so the beach is about 45 feet down.

Claire

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Comments (17)

kendra2003
11 years ago
I love your property Claire. How cool to have a house high up over the beach. Fun to have the turkeys visit too.
claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks, kendra2. I grew up here, in the summer anyway, and came back years after I'd gone off to see the world. Those chairs were my parents' favorite sitting spot. I think the turkeys would have amused them.

Claire
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Aurore
11 years ago
Used to have turkeys in our back yard, but the neighbor stopped feeding them and they dwindled away. I was quite happy when I sighted four last month. I was hoping they might be become regulars and maybe come to my new feeder, but they no longer seem to be around.
My sister lives in an area with deer, turkey and bear. She says she loves seeing the turkeys around her house because they eat deer tics. There's a lot of lyme disease where she is.
claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
Original Author
11 years ago
Aurore: We're in lyme disease country too, and turkeys eating ticks is a big bonus. I haven't seen any ticks for a few years now.

The turkeys come and go - they stay here for a week or two then head off on what I think of as "walkabout", probably cruising the neighborhood for other food. I think that's their normal pattern in the wild. Of course, here, the other food is probably in someone else's yard - many people are fond of them.

Claire
tmff
11 years ago
That middle photograph is just beautiful. Turkey are stunning birds; they don't often get recognized for their beauty but your photographs really captured it.
I love how they are resting on the chairs.
claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks, TMFF. I love watching the turkeys - I also have photos of a turkey hen and some chicks on those chairs.

Today the turkeys were back at the nyjer seed. I guess if you can eat little bitty nyjer seeds then ticks are a piece of cake. It seems to take a lot of concentration, though.

Claire (who has many many many turkey photos)

This post was edited by claire on Thu, Feb 7, 13 at 18:10
tmff
11 years ago
Claire,
Amazing photos! Oh, the detail!!!!
brightonborn
11 years ago
A relative of mine has them in her yard and she would be shocked to read your posts.
They have chased her , blocked her from getting out of her car and her driveway, etc. She is scared to death of them.
Different strokes for different folks as the saying goes.
claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
Original Author
11 years ago
Does your relative live in an urban area where the turkeys are more stressed (like people)?

I've read that turkeys can be very aggressive but I haven't had any problem here in my rural setting, and the neighbors haven't complained either. I'm more careful during breeding season when the males are hyper, but even then they seem to display in front of me (look how magnificent I am) and don't threaten me. The hens are always friendly.

Claire
Konrad___far_north
11 years ago
Just beautiful,.. such graceful birds, lucky you, thanks for sharing this!
claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks, Konrad. I miss the turkeys when they go on walk-about for a few days or a week. They were missing the first three days of GBBC but finally showed up this morning, on the last day of the count.

A dozen turkeys today, the day after another snowstorm, and this tom rested in the sun behind some hollies.

I love the sun on the feathers.

Claire
dreamgarden
11 years ago
What beautiful birds and amazing photos.

Have you been able to get any pics of their babies?

I know folks in upper PA. They took us for a jeep ride one summer on their 30 + acres in the mountains.

We saw a mother and her babies. Sure wish I'd had a camera with me.
claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
Original Author
11 years ago
Last year there were only a few poults, maybe a bad spring or maybe predators.

June 2012

2008 was the first year I saw turkey poults and still the most. Two hens combined their broods and there were fourteen babies visiting my yard!

Cute little things:

And off they went to the neighbors' yards.

Claire

This post was edited by claire on Sat, Feb 23, 13 at 11:16
Konrad___far_north
11 years ago
Oh wow...that's so cool!
claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
Original Author
11 years ago
I saw another sign of Spring early this morning when I looked out the window and saw a turkey tom displaying. I just went to Flickr and changed the sizes back to original 640 x 480 since GW fixed the photo size problem.

This hen doesn't look at all impressed.

How can she resist my magnificence?

She noticed me!

The old magic still works....

Claire

This post was edited by claire on Fri, Feb 22, 13 at 18:53
tmff
11 years ago
Claire,

Your photographs continue to amaze me.
claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
Original Author
11 years ago
Just a few more turkey pics now that GW has fixed the scaling issues.

Last March there were two mature toms in the yard who usually displayed together side by side. When they changed direction they would move like a line of skaters, the one on the outside moving faster than the one on the inside so they stayed in a straight line.

One of the toms was definitely dominant; the other would always defer to him and step back if necessary. Several other toms, maybe juveniles, acted very very subordinate. One didn't have the full facial snood.

And one more turkey baby pic.
The mother hen and three chicks resting on a chair in July, 2010.

Claire

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