Turkey flock 1

For the past few weeks we've been enjoying watching an extended family of wild turkeys make themselves at home on the farm. The group includes a number of hens and their youngsters, which have been cruising across the fields, through the orchards and around the pond. (You may need to click on the photo for a larger image to get a better view.) They tend to be very skittish and wary about people, but seem to have grown quite a bit more comfortable being near us and the house, as you can tell from these photos I took from the back deck one evening.

Here's another view of them the same evening as they headed out around the pond:

Turkey flock 2

We've counted up to 18 little ones, though it's hard to get an accurate count because some are so small you can't see them in the grass, and they are constantly moving. But it's quite a sizeable flock. It used to be that if an adult turkey was down by the pond and even heard us open a door up at the house, they'd turn and flee into the woods. Now they just look up and seem to say, "Oh, it's just them again."

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12 responses to “Wild Turkey Flock”

  1. Janet in Cambridge Avatar
    Janet in Cambridge

    They’re not shy at all down here in Cambridge MA! They walk right through densely populated neighborhoods and stop traffic at intersections, if they’re in the mood. They peck away at car bumpers and will jump on the hoods and look at the mirrors.
    Say “hey” to them from their city cousins.

    Like

  2. Anne in FL Avatar
    Anne in FL

    Even the wild turkeys are realizing that the “oh, them” people are fellow earth dwellers and ones that mean them no harm. Like AnneAndrew did. Ones with the earth and a love of all the critters that inhabit our world. Rolling Dog Farm calms my soul just knowing you are there and even the wild ones trust you.

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  3. Linda Murphy Avatar
    Linda Murphy

    We just have doves and quail. The quail have their little ones and they are so much fun to watch. The quail parents are such nervous nellies – I hate it when I count their number of babies, and if there’s 8 and two weeks later there’s only 6, I get upset. Life in the wild, even in the urban wild, is hard on the wildlife.

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  4. Shirley * James/Portland, OR Avatar

    NEVER a dull moment on the Farm!

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  5. Ann Avatar
    Ann

    Even the wild turkeys know that all animals are loved at RDF! 🙂

    Like

  6. Mary H./Washington state Avatar
    Mary H./Washington state

    How in the world do you folks get anything done with all the very “kewl” distractions you have at RDF?
    Between watching the residents and the wildlife I am afraid I would be useless!

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  7. Margaret Avatar
    Margaret

    Very cool to see! Can we trade you some Canadian Geese? 🙂

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  8. Laura. Levi & Timmy Avatar
    Laura. Levi & Timmy

    Way cool!

    Like

  9. Kathleen Rivard Avatar
    Kathleen Rivard

    It looks like you have at least 2 families?? It’s a wonderful place to live for all living creatures! 🙂

    Like

  10. Nancy Kelly Avatar
    Nancy Kelly

    Wonderful! A nice Thanksgiving dinner for you and all the dogs, there are a lot of them!
    (ha! just kidding!)
    Nancy

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  11. Jan in Winnipeg Avatar
    Jan in Winnipeg

    The pictures are great! We have wild turkeys here in our neighbourhood in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Like Cambridge, they are oblivious to cars and don’t get upset at dogs being walked in the neighbourhood. The only complaint by homeowners is that they leave evidence of their passing on the lawns!

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  12. kathy Avatar
    kathy

    I have lived on same property for 26 years in CT & we see flocks of wild male & female turkeys just about every season of the year, BUT they have never come thru with babies that we have ever seen! Lucky you!!

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