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
May 5th, 2007 at 5:51 pm
RUN! It’s a Velociraptor!
May 5th, 2007 at 5:56 pm
Cathy – Yes, doesn’t it look like one! (-:
May 5th, 2007 at 7:54 pm
Bev, it does look like a dinosaur…well, it looks like I imagine some dinosaurs to look. Thanks for your good wishes on our brief vacation. I’ll blog a bit about it when I get home and have a bit more time. Thus far, we’ve spent far more time in the countryside than in the city, a delight for me.
May 5th, 2007 at 9:12 pm
What a great observation, bev, about the bird’s movement and how much it looks the way dinosaurs have been depicted. It is quite an image. How cool to have this wild turkey turn up in your yard, and move in a way that conjures an ancient past.
May 6th, 2007 at 9:11 am
Joh – Nice to hear that you’re having a good time on your small vacation. Also glad that you’re spending some of the time out in the countryside. Probably more relaxing!
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robin – It was fun being able to watch the turkey patrolling the yard for several minutes. That’s the most extended period of time I’ve had to watch one of these when it’s on the move, and they do move quite differently than a lot of other birds – and definitely resemble how I imagine certain dinosaurs to move.
May 6th, 2007 at 10:49 am
Didn’t Rurality — the Queen of all Blogs — have a post about seeing a turkey out her window too. That’s not likely to happen to me here in suburbia, but maybe when we finally move to Roundrock.
May 6th, 2007 at 11:59 am
Dinosaur indeed! The second photo captures it perfectly!
We have caught sight of the occasional flock and once or twice a singleton, but they don’t spend a lot of time around here. It’s something of a wonder when they do show up. The ones here are very cautious, very smart, and very quick to slip away if they see you.
May 6th, 2007 at 6:57 pm
Here in the Berkshires of Western Mass we have many flocks of these guys. There are two places on Creamery Road where they cross each morning and return the other way each evening. About 30-50 birds in each flock. They stop the traffic. Once in a great while a few actually take to flight when they get too nervous to trot across. When the low light gets thru the trees and hits their feathers some great colors flash at ya.
May 7th, 2007 at 6:08 am
pablo – Well, I hope you will get to see turkeys outside your window when you move to Roundrock! (-:
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Wayne – We do see turkeys around here from time to time too, but that’s the first one to venture into the back yard.
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David – Yes, you would have plenty of turkeys down there. We never did until recent years after they were reintroduced. I think that was in the 70s. Now, we do see some large flocks around 20 to 30 birds or so. They don’t go onto roads too much, but we see them in farmers’ cornfields in the autumn. Pretty neat!
May 9th, 2007 at 4:59 am
We had lots of turkey tracks all over the property all winter and they actually came in to clean up under the bird feeder next door but I’ve not been lucky enough to see one as close as yours. Great photos and observations!
May 9th, 2007 at 11:01 am
OW – Thanks! We’ve seen their tracks around our farm too, but never in the yard before. I thought it was pretty neat!
May 9th, 2007 at 11:16 am
Your post reminded me of a story my sister told of my nephew as a preschooler at a time when they were visiting my parent’s home in Mendocino County in California. He was looking out the window and suddenly called out, “MOM! Come look! There’s a dinosaur outside!” She looked out to see a Wild Turkey.