Oh my~! Lying in bed on Sunday morning I kept hearing a noise outside that was not familiar. Kind of like a small dog bark but not quite. I was still half asleep and not really wanting to get out of bed just yet. Then I heard the familiar clucking noise of the turkeys. TOMS! I thought right away. I sprang out of bed and looked out the window. Such a sight beheld my eyes. Two tom turkeys all puffed out with tails spread wide, along with 16 hens, all in my front yard.

Rick, Rick! I screamed in a whisper, it’s the Toms! Quick, come look!  I tore down the stairs to get the binoculars and my camera. Darn, the camera was in the car where I had left it. Okay, back upstairs to head for the bedroom with one window without a screen. I hand off the binoculars to Rick. Double darn—the camera battery is dead. Back down to fetch a freshly charged one. Finally I take my place at the window and open it about 3 inches or so so I can get my zoom lens out. Our oak tree is kind of in the way, but I do the best I can. Out of nowhere comes eBay (our cat in case you don’t know) and she’s halfway out the window before I grab her by her back and pull her back in. Good grief. It’s a wonder I got any photos at all.

Here they are when they aren’t all puffed up. They look pretty normal! Pretty amazing how they can make themselves look so imposing.

We watched them for a long time. They seemed in no hurry to leave our yard. The two toms seemed to perform a kind of ballet together. When they moved they did it in unison. They strutted around looking important and watching over the “girls.”  It was really a treat to watch. Finally they moved on to our neighbor’s yard.

I went outside to spread some more seed and there were a few turkeys in the side front yard. I didn’t know if they were “my” turks or part of the other band that were skiddish. I rattled the food in the bucket and did my turkey talk. They perked up and started running at full speed right over to the place I feed them. My turks—all six of them! My heart swelled with pride. Silly, I know, I know. But they came running right up to me making their little clucky noises. Who wouldn’t feel a sense of accomplishment? I was just so glad to see them as they hadn’t been around in a long time. I was hoping something hadn’t happened to them. Like ending up as someone’s Thanksgiving dinner! I’m glad they’re fine and that turkey season is over until the spring. Hopefully they will all come again.