Huge black shapes were under the feeder on the weeping birch that sits on the east side of the wee church. Turkeys! They'd found the corn and sunflower seeds on the ground. I laughed... we'd been discovered.
Once again I ran for my camera and caught them as they scratched up the snow and then marched off. They'd noticed my shape moving behind the window and moved under the apple tree at the front corner of the yard, thinking they'd found cover..
It took about five minutes as these five wandered around in the windrow and under the apple tree before one finally regained its courage and came back.
They enjoyed their feast tremendously. Then suddenly they realized I was watching.
How I wish I could have heard what they were saying to each other.
And then once again, in a line off they went.
What an amazing sight yesterday afternoon. But wait! What does this mean for my wallet if these turkeys bring their brothers and sisters to feed underneath my feeder? There were about 24 or so in the field two days ago! Holy smoke being discovered might not be so great after all!
We are lousy with wild turkeys around here, but none yet near a feeder! It probably says there isn't much food in the woods. Yes, it could be expensive if they take up residency!
ReplyDeleteFortunately they've not done that so far - there are a lot of them here this year... but we have lots of bean fields around and as long as the wind blows off the snow, I suspect that's where they'll be. Hope so. Thanks for stopping by Bill.
DeleteWhat a great sighting. Down in my neck of the woods, turkeys have been reintroduced into areas where they had pretty been gone throughout the last century. In the 1990s, for example, they were reintroduced to Long Island, and have taken hold there. I recently saw a small flock grazing by the side of the Long Island Expressway about an hour outside NYC. And NYC itself has a resident turkey, Zelda, who has been living down in Battery Park since 2003. She's quite old for a turkey, but she seems to have withstood Hurricane Sandy just fine. I've gone downtown a couple of times to look for, but haven't yet had the pleasure of seeing her. Your post reminds me that it's time to try again!
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