Thursday, April 7, 2011

I live with a bunch of turkeys

A hen considers the attentions of two Toms in full display

This post begins a series on Wild Turkeys with whom I have the privilege of sharing my property. I so enjoy their company and the wonderful distraction they offer with all that's gone wrong in the world, especially the havoc we are wreaking on our environment: the massive amount of radioactive water that has poured into the Pacific Ocean; the damage to marine life still to be fully realized from the BP Oil spill, which happened almost a year ago; and the plight of little brown bats, whose demise is all but being ignored even though the natural pest-control services these insect-eating creatures provide save the U.S. agriculture sector as much as $57 billion a year.


This is mating season for wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) and in between the gobble-gobbles and incredibly beautiful displays of iridescent plumage, there are dust and sun baths, viscious fighting among immature Toms and fancy dances performed by outlandishly colorful mature Toms flush with the passion of the season.


This land is theirs, too and their presence helps usher in another miraculous spring.

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