May 5th, 2007
outside my window
This afternoon, after returning from our hike at the nearby forestry center, I happened to look out the window while eating lunch, and noticed this backyard visitor hestitantly advancing out of the pine trees. Of course, I immediately recognized the bird, but I couldn’t help thinking how much its movements, especially its head-rocking motion, reminded me of an ostrich or emu. After it poked and pecked around through the grass, it became more confident and ventured closer to the house. As it switched into prowl mode and began to trot through the tall grass, the Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) took on the appearance of a dinosaur — the kind that nimbly runs on hind legs with head bent forward. After awhile, the bird lurked off into the pines. I’ve seen turkeys around here before, but this is the first time that I’ve seen one wandering through the back yard in such close proximity to the house.
Tags: Wild Turkey, Meleagris gallopavo