I'd like to say that Thanksgiving dinner walked up to my back door yesterday, but it's illegal to discharge firearms in my neighborhood.
So I discharged my Nikon.
Marin County has had wild turkeys (nonnative) since the 1920s, when several subspecies were introduced for birdwatchers' and game hunters' pleasure. Another flock of turkeys was established in Napa County in the 1950s, and either by migration or because, in at least one case, a rancher brought in some of the birds in 1988, they've been increasingly seen on the loose in Marin County.
Some are ugly. All are loud. They're dumb and fearless, and will waddle right up onto your porch.
This is the first time I've seen them so far south in the county, though. I wonder what the folks in wealthy South Marin are going to think when they get invaded... and they will.
The pair I saw yesterday was plump and shiny and actually kinda pretty, though their screeches sounded like a cheap car alarm gone amok.
Too bad I didn't think to grab the camera until they had turned their backs and wandered off. (That's them on the driveway; click on the picture for an enlargement.)
Posts
8 comments:
I gotta a whole herd behind my house.. 22 at last count. One charged my car the other day. I honked my horn and she retreated.
G.
Do you hate them? Or can there be a peaceful coexistence?
If only that would happen here! Do you think a pellet gun could dispatch one? We're allowed. ;-)
I called a small organic turkey producer in central Georgia and she regretfully told me that she'd had a bad year and there were no turkeys. *sigh*
Jamie: You could probably lure these birdies into your oven with sweet talk and a bread crust.
(What the heck is a "bad" turkey year? That's so sad.)
We're almost out of wild turkeys here. Hunters and poachers have eaten them all! We do usually have one or two hens lay eggs and bring up her kids at the edge of one of our fields, and it is wonderful to watch them, especially when it's time for flying lessons. But of course this is where they're supposed to be--not downtown! : )
Bad turkey year = other pressing emergencies, plus the forage failed. I felt really bad for her.
I have to admit that's been my experience with almost every single small organic producer I've contacted in Georgia--either their number is disconnected, or nobody returns my call, or I get a sad story on the other end of the line. It doesn't exactly give me a hopeful feeling.
Uh, ya know there's more than one way to poach yourself some holiday snacks. A nice bow and 1 well placed arrow would do the trick, without a sound. THWUP !!! How's your cleaning skills?
Biggles: A bird I could clean; a deer, probably not. We got them, too. (Hm. I *am* a pretty good shot.)
Post a Comment