Althouse: Follow my long sunrise shadow....

April 7, 2024

Follow my long sunrise shadow....

The male is so enthusiastically puffing up that his wing feathers (audibly) scrape the pavement.

25 comments:

Aggie said...: Did you hear him 'drumming' too?; 4/7/24, 10:19 AM
Ampersand said...: Those Wisconsin gobblers are far more elaborately feathered and better nourished than their Maine counterparts.; 4/7/24, 10:33 AM
RCOCEAN II said...: I think he was puffing up in a defensive mode "Hey, look at how big I am. Better not bother me or my hens, bi-ped".; 4/7/24, 10:42 AM
Eric the Fruit Bat said...: Magnificent creatures. It ought come as no surprise that it was a crime in Ancient Sumer to imitate a turkey without a license and they even had a god who had the body of a turkey and the head of a slightly different turkey.; 4/7/24, 10:47 AM
Joe Smith said...: Turkeys in our back yard today...haven't seen many for awhile. Coming spring...; 4/7/24, 11:25 AM
Political Junkie said...: He put on his puffy shirt.; 4/7/24, 11:55 AM
Wince said...: For a turkey, puffing is better than stuffing.; 4/7/24, 12:05 PM
Indigo Red said...: As a boy, I lived on a turkey ranch in California. The tom is warning you to stay back. Things get messy when warnings go unheeded.; 4/7/24, 12:06 PM
Ann Althouse said...: "As a boy, I lived on a turkey ranch in California. The tom is warning you to stay back...."

Thanks.

I have to make my way past turkeys quite a bit at certain times of year. I'm not pursuing them at all, just walking the normal path and going slowly so they have time to walk away. The only alternative would be to give up the paths to the birds. I am trying to be respectful and I do recognize that they could attack.

The cranes and geese are also oddly close to the pedestrian routes.; 4/7/24, 12:25 PM
Joe Smith said...: How do you keep a turkey in suspense?; 4/7/24, 12:49 PM
Goetz von Berlichingen said...: Was at at a petting zoo in Germany a long time ago and they had turkeys. I got too close to a hen and a huge tom took a disliking to me and started to attack me. He had huge spurs and was angry. I sidled off but he followed me all over the grounds. I did manage to escape, in case you wondered.

My little ranch is tucked in the Sierra Nevadas. Our front pasture is a favorite feeding ground for all sorts of wildlife. It is not unusual to see wild geese, quail, and deer all at the same time munching away on our grass. A few years ago, we had a couple bucks fighting over some does. As they tangled and tussled, a group of 25-30 turkeys circled the contestants and watched. Looked like they were cheering on the fighters. I have it on video.

Had half of a 400 year old oak fall on our roof in 2014. Super-heavy Sierra snow was more than the tree could bear. That very morning at least 100 turkeys showed up in the front pasture. I guess word got around and they came to assess the damage. A little weird at the time.

I am thankful they didn't attack me.

The coyotes and lions we have here are very well feed. Reports are of a giant puma now feasting on our neighbors' livestock. When I go for a walk I always bring a stout walking stick. And not because I am afraid of irascible turkeys.

Goetz von Berlichingen; 4/7/24, 12:59 PM
SteveWe said...: "The cranes and geese are also oddly close to the pedestrian routes."

The birds are there because they seek the open sight lines for their mating displays.; 4/7/24, 1:01 PM
BarrySanders20 said...: The dinosaurs of old would be embarrassed to see what evolution has done to them. The turkey gangs around here intmiidate certain dof walkers with smaller breeds. Our Springer Spaniel will charge right into them with dogged joy and they quickly lose their swagger. I was surprised the first time when they scattered by flying up into the trees. Pretty impressive. The dude from WKRP was right. Certain turkeys can fly.; 4/7/24, 1:04 PM
Meade said...: Sandhill crane was on down the path the day before:

https://x.com/laurmeade/status/1776562026870923372?s=46&t=VX4S-gjuq5nKM-bW4zL54w; 4/7/24, 1:37 PM
Goetz von Berlichingen said...: Mmmmm Sand hill cranes. That's good eatin'!; 4/7/24, 2:09 PM
Dave said...: Nature's first green is gold.; 4/7/24, 2:14 PM
BUMBLE BEE said...: Who's that I see walkin' in these woods?
Why it's Little Red Riding Hood....

https://www.livescience.com/animals/land-mammals/giant-coyote-killed-in-southern-michigan-turns-out-to-be-a-gray-wolf-despite-the-species-vanishing-from-region-100-years-ago; 4/7/24, 2:37 PM
Rusty said...: SteveWe said...
"The cranes and geese are also oddly close to the pedestrian routes."

"The birds are there because they seek the open sight lines for their mating displays."
Canada geese are just assholes. They know they have the numbers so they intimidate.; 4/7/24, 2:42 PM
n.n said...: Masculine pride parade.; 4/7/24, 3:40 PM
Roadkill711 said...: My turkey season in NW Wisconsin is coming up in early May. Sightings, scratchings, and other sign abound. Hopefully the Toms are still randy (i.e. respond to calls) a month from now.

Wild Turkey reintroduction to the states starting some 60 years ago has been a resounding success. One of the few Government successes during that time. All funded by hunters (of course).

Meade: My duck hunting buddies refer to cranes as "Sirloin of the skies." Not sure if that is accurate, and will probably never know since I have no interest in hunting them.; 4/7/24, 4:58 PM
SteveWe said...: Rusty, I agree about the Canada geese.; 4/7/24, 4:58 PM
Jim at said...: Speaking from personal experience, you do NOT want to mess with those things. They'll eff you up.

Coincidentally - or not - that was the last time I drank Wild Turkey.; 4/7/24, 11:10 PM
MadTownGuy said...: On the drive back from Madison to PA, between Wheeling WV and home, we saw a total of three turkey roadkills alongside the interstate. Not sure why they were in that area, as we didn't see many along the way on the day before, but since that region seems to be a deer suicide zone, the same may apply to turkeys.; 4/8/24, 8:30 AM
BitterClinger said...: Pretty sure all three of those are male. Too much red on the head for females.; 4/8/24, 2:54 PM
Rockport Conservative said...: I found it interesting that most turkeys followed the footpath through the gate, but one took a shortcut. An outside the box thinking turkey.; 4/10/24, 8:07 PM