First, a big west coast thank you to Pat for this ‘super blog’ and for inviting me to contribute. In this first post, I’ll introduce you to possibly our most infamous local birds, the feral turkeys that made news across the country in 2010. Although tourists seem to find the turkeys entertaining, they can be annoying. When my husband, Dennis, and I first moved to Gabriola seven years ago, we were pretty lackadaisical about closing our gate. That soon ended when the turkeys walked right in and plucked every bloom from the hardy geraniums that lined the side garden. We thought we’d solved the problem (hubris!) until one morning soon after when we woke to nine of them checking out the back yard. The gates were still closed. Turkeys, I now know, can fly about 80 feet into the air. Our 6.5 foot fence is a walk in the park.
So, whaddya all think? Shall we just move right on in?
Their story is the stuff of legend in some parts but most people (who aren’t drinking Wild Turkey at the time) seem to agree that these feral turkeys are the hybrid descendants of turkeys that were set free many years ago. Every year their numbers grow. During the 2012 Christmas Bird Count, 46 were counted, although not officially of course. Right now a flock of 14 lives in my neighbourhood where their food of choice seems to be bird seed, blooms, and berries.
Hey, I’m a bird! Where’s my birdseed?
Eating firethorn berries. Yummm …
Snacking in our garden. Photo by Dennis Johnston.
At night they roost high in the trees and on the power lines, safe from raccoons.
On the hydro lines at night. Photo by Alexander Kirschner.
Sometimes they swing on our hammock in the front yard.
Waiting in line for a turn on the hammock?
Or take a nap in the back yard.
Nap time!
During the day they wander along the roads as if they own them, crossing whenever and wherever the spirit moves them. Most cars stop quickly, but at least one turkey has been run over. (This conjures up a dumb chicken joke about crossing roads, but I’ll spare you.)
At least they don’t exceed the speed limit. Photo by Shannon Gresham.
And they’re certainly not afraid of deer, as this video by 14 year old Alexander Kirschner, a Gabriola photographer and videographer, demonstrates: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImsuzfwTB5I&list=UUw2Ln1KP2-EfTK9zG7GjE_g
And now for a closer look at these beauties …
Photo by Shannon Gresham
Up close and personal
Extreme close-up
I like living on an island where turkeys rule. I admire their spunk. These days, whenever they fly over our fence for their early morning stroll through our garden, Dennis hauls himself out of bed, grabs an old broom – something to make him feel like the warrior he isn’t – and shoos them back over the fence. Does this keep them away? Yes, but not for long. But hey, it gives him some exercise (whether he wants it or not) and always makes me smile.
If you’d like to see photos of other (prettier?) Gabriola birds, please feel free to check out my Gabriola Bird Blog here: http://gabriolabirdblog.blogspot.ca
Thanks for visiting!