Turkey Courting Time
I posted back in February when the wild turkeys began showing up in my backyard. It is now breeding season when old Tom Turkey turns his thoughts to the girls. This is the second year in a row I have been able to witness the spring ritual. Back in February about twenty-five hens would pass through the backyard. The last time I saw that group was March 21st and they were accompanied by two gobblers. I took the above photo of a gobbler in all his puffed out feathered finery this past Friday morning.
On Friday I counted only about fifteen hens and the one gobbler. He strutted and gobbled and was quite interested but I don't think he got any takers. :)
I took this photo of a hen Sunday. She comes by almost daily all by herself and eats the birdseed the birds have knocked from the feeder. I'm wondering if she has a nest in the nearby woods. We saw the same kind of behavior last year. The past two years we have been fortunate to see baby turkeys. I hope this will be year three.
(click on images to enlarge)
Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday.
Isn't he a real buck!! Great series Carletta. Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.
ReplyDeleteVery nice captures, Carletta. The last one is so expressive. Beauties all.
ReplyDeleteso great that they are so comfortable in your yard. beautiful!
ReplyDeleteNeat. I think you have them trained to pose for you. :)
ReplyDeleteLucky you Carletta! Wild Turkeys are so beautiful aren't they? And quite skiddish as well. I hope you get to see the youngins again this year.
ReplyDeleteOur turkeys here too are really at it. I did a post on them a couple weeks ago but didn't have a shot of the male displaying as you did. Well done.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful that you can see them from your window! It is always a treat for me to see them...not too many running around here in the city!
ReplyDelete"Holy Jumpin' Josephrates" or whatever that cartoon character came up with!
ReplyDeleteYour American Wild Turkeys just look like our Australian domesticated ones! Our bush turkeys are totally different!
Somehow Carletta I am getting the impression that you possess a 6th sense. This morning on the early news, what should be shown was none other than a prized Turkey strutting himself in readiness for the Sydney Royal Easter show! (Oh! add this Carletta for your "must sees" when and if you visit! - mark down Easter time for trip).
Anyhow the TV turkey was expected to win the Grand Champion last year but enroute to the show broke a couple of tail feathers! Obviously tail feathers are VERY important. The proud owner this year has ensured all feathers are intact - ha ha. So your blog report may be a good omen for the TV turkey and owner?????
Great photos Carletta of your wandering American turkeys.
Cheers
Colin (Brisbane. Australia)
Weather report: Well at last Brisbane is living up to its name, the Sunshine Capital of Australia.
The weather is fantastic.
Beautiful--Nice Tom too!
ReplyDeleteJ
Oh, I'd love to see the babies! Hope they come by.
ReplyDeleteHI Carletta, Those hens are paying no attention to that old man!!!!! ha... Wonder if he ever got any takers???
ReplyDeleteWE are in North Carolina tonight... Had an awesome day today at Biltmore and seeing some waterfalls.
Hugs,
Betsy
Betsy
ReplyDeleteOf course he did! Carletta is too modest to show the pictures - ha ha.
Great photos and how good to be able to watch that show out of your window!
ReplyDeleteThat's so cool you can photograph those from the house! Watching a tom in full strut is so fun! Great shots, Carletta!
ReplyDeleteThat big gobbler is struttin' his stuff!
ReplyDeleteGreat shots!
ReplyDeleteHappy WBW to you!
Hi Carletta, these are awesome photos. How cool to see these turkeys in your yard. I hope you have a great day!
ReplyDeleteHello Carletta,
ReplyDeleteGreetings from Oman!!!
Nice images.
Shantana
I have yet to see a turkey with his tail display. Perhaps I am only seeing females in my area.
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome display, Carletta! How lucky you are to have all this in your back yard!
ReplyDeleteYou got a great picture of Tom doing his thing. I hope you will be able to see some chicks again this year and will have some more wonderful pictures to share with us.
ReplyDeleteGreat captures, Carletta!
ReplyDeletethat would be something to see! love the pictures.
ReplyDeleteThey are so cool! I never seen one in real :) Great photos!
ReplyDeletethat is really big birds.
ReplyDeleteWild turkeys? The insomnia that I blogged about back in February is still plaguing me. Someone suggested a hot toddy before going to bed. I asked someone to recommend what to put in there, and without hesitation he said, "Wild Turkey." Whew! I only had a little, but that stuff's rough. I like your wild turkeys much better. That one in the bottom pic even has pretty eyes.
ReplyDeletethanks for a lovely series Carletta; look forward to the little ones ..
ReplyDeleteWhat a display...and all for love!
ReplyDelete;-)WBW!
How fortunate you are to have these turkeys come so close to your house! What fun! I hope you get to see baby turkeys again this year! Wow!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your well-wishes about my eye. I go to the opthamologist tomorrow. All my best to you and yours for a wonderful Easter!
Wonderful shots
ReplyDeleteThese are great and I sure hope to see some too around here...hoping to anyway!
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter season~
I count on seeing your updates! (Makes me wonder how the ones we see in Oregon are doing ...not this many and not this close even there though!)
ReplyDeleteWow..he's really struttin' his stuff!
ReplyDeleteI would love to have that sort of a view from my windows!! But then there are the dogs...
ReplyDeleteA couple of weeks ago, a customer came in to say that she had seen a big turkey walk across the road, and fly over a house to get to the back yard! People have been feeding the deer less than half a mile from that road, and the turkeys have found the food.