Nobody Puts Gravy In The Corner
A very exciting afternoon here. I was walking past the guest room when I saw something out the window in front. I took a gander out there and the turkey was there with her chicks at the front feeder. I was able to get some great pictures and video, as they lingered around for quite a while. At one point it even seemed like the mother was going to come up on the porch.
I only counted 11 chicks, which means one of them must have gotten eaten by something. Speaking of, in the early afternoon I went out to the kitchen and looked out the back window and there was a coyote at the bottom of the hill. I'd never seen one around here before, but one of my theories on why Bosco and Derpy both disappeared was potentially being killed by a coyote. There have been more rabbits than ever around here, not to mention several dozen squirrels, so it seems about the time a predator would show up.
The turkeys though, a very exciting moment. We've been trying to lure them to the property since we moved in. Now that they know there's seed in front and back it is likely we will be seeing even more of them. I have no idea how often they are out back, since my office window is in front. But, I figure now they will add this feeder outside here to their rotation.
I need to read up on turkey behavior. I thought multiple females moved in flocks with chicks, but it's just a lone one. Unless, when her chicks mature that will be the new flock that travels around. It'd be pretty exciting to get a tom turkey in the mix. Just to see his behavior close up.
It's a small thing, but this is what I've always wanted. This kind of proximity to nature. This is why I'd love to somehow purchase that property next door and expand on what we have, and create an even bigger oasis for all these animals, so they'll feel comfortable hanging around here. This is by far the biggest year for "nature" in total since we moved in. A lot of the birds and squirrels seem to know the routine now as far as my putting seed out in the morning. The cranes were here in Spring and they'll likely be back at least next year. We've seen the four of them flying around in the area.
We had two wood ducks in the trees this Spring. We were thinking we needed to get a nesting box for them so they may return and stick around. Sooner or later the turtle eggs in the yard should be hatching. Oh, and we've even had this juvenile woodpecker drinking from the hummingbird feeders and eating the jelly I keep putting out for the finches and catbirds. Nature is booming. I just wish I had that camera I've been dreaming of for 15 years.
I only counted 11 chicks, which means one of them must have gotten eaten by something. Speaking of, in the early afternoon I went out to the kitchen and looked out the back window and there was a coyote at the bottom of the hill. I'd never seen one around here before, but one of my theories on why Bosco and Derpy both disappeared was potentially being killed by a coyote. There have been more rabbits than ever around here, not to mention several dozen squirrels, so it seems about the time a predator would show up.
The turkeys though, a very exciting moment. We've been trying to lure them to the property since we moved in. Now that they know there's seed in front and back it is likely we will be seeing even more of them. I have no idea how often they are out back, since my office window is in front. But, I figure now they will add this feeder outside here to their rotation.
I need to read up on turkey behavior. I thought multiple females moved in flocks with chicks, but it's just a lone one. Unless, when her chicks mature that will be the new flock that travels around. It'd be pretty exciting to get a tom turkey in the mix. Just to see his behavior close up.
It's a small thing, but this is what I've always wanted. This kind of proximity to nature. This is why I'd love to somehow purchase that property next door and expand on what we have, and create an even bigger oasis for all these animals, so they'll feel comfortable hanging around here. This is by far the biggest year for "nature" in total since we moved in. A lot of the birds and squirrels seem to know the routine now as far as my putting seed out in the morning. The cranes were here in Spring and they'll likely be back at least next year. We've seen the four of them flying around in the area.
We had two wood ducks in the trees this Spring. We were thinking we needed to get a nesting box for them so they may return and stick around. Sooner or later the turtle eggs in the yard should be hatching. Oh, and we've even had this juvenile woodpecker drinking from the hummingbird feeders and eating the jelly I keep putting out for the finches and catbirds. Nature is booming. I just wish I had that camera I've been dreaming of for 15 years.