Wildlife in the Yard

Wild Turkey tom (Meleagris gallopavo)

Yesterday afternoon I noticed a wild hen turkey near our feeder and as I drew near the window right below me was a tom strutting his stuff! Like the iconic Thanksgiving bird, he displays heightened mating season color and stance – blue skin on his head and bright red wattles, fanned tail, lowered striped wings and ruffed up iridescent back feathers. I love the way the hens virtually ignore their amorous advances, almost bored and seemingly unimpressed.

Relaxing his feathers and stopping only a few times to peck at some tidbit on the ground, he resumed his full mating stance, vibrating his tail as he stalked her across the yard and into the woods. Fascinating to watch!

Then today, our dog alerted me to another surprise visitor in the driveway – a bobcat! By the time I retrieved my camera he or she was beating a hasty retreat…