Though the Cranes have definitely left, the Wild Turkeys are going to be around the area for the duration of winter. The grain field is still attracting them as you can see. And as usual when I stop they don't high tail it out anymore but they do start a mini-migration for the woods.
But things aren't dire enough that a pause isn't made for a drink of water from the rut puddles in the dirt road.
At least for most of them anyway. Look carefully to the left just this side of the tree trunk and you'll see a small hen or poult heading for the woods no matter what the others have decided to do.
Those who are taking their time particularly are the large Toms. They're big guys with definite beards. Beards not being on their "chins" as even if they had chins their heads are naked, but rather the long feathers mid-breast.
Soon everyone is heading north towards the woods except one guy. Who seems to have decided the proper direction is east towards the woods. Is this a sign of independence?
And even as the last of the others head east, Mr. Independence is still going north. I guess he's sick of following whoever is leading.
I'm told by those who've watched turkeys for many years that the hierarchy of the flock is rather strict and the secondary Toms don't really like being secondary all that much.
I mean, who wants to be bossed around ALL the time, right?
So if something untoward, like a turkey hunter, takes out the head turkey it isn't unusual at all for a secondary Tom to run back and hop up and down on the corpse of the former leader.
Something to think about when one catches oneself being bossy, isn't it?
Donegal Browne
P.S. And there has likely been another sighting of Charlotte, mate of Pale Male Jr., of the southern Central Park territory, perched on an overlooking building. More on that in the next post.
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