Photo by Stella Hamilton
Long, long, long time hawkwatcher Stella Hamilton is back and took a trip uptown to see how the Divine's eyass on the Cathedral Nest was doing. When it comes to flapping at this age there is no place better than St. Andrew's hand.
Photo by Stella Hamilton
She looks at the camera and the camera finds her looking alert and well fed.
Photo by Stella Hamilton
More flapping and hopping! The next step, and often the place where the first flight is started, is the top of St. Andrew's head.
Photo by Roger Brown
A Tom Turkey decked out in his brilliantly colored Spring best. I must say that unfeathered folds of skin in pinks and purple and aqua look ever so much more attractive to us and to the hens obviously than plain ole usual colored skin.
Photo by Roger Brown
Jackie and Roger Brown live a couple hours north of Milton in the woods. They have a large corn feeder on a timer which automatically spews corn each day and therefore have seen many flocks of turkeys going about their daily Spring business.
Photo by Roger Brown
But this year something rather unusual happened with a pair of Toms.
Often in Spring the Toms will come out into an open area to display for the hens. And the Toms are not only displaying for the hens they are also competing with each other aggressively about who is biggest and strongest. Fights are not unknown and it isn't unusual for one of the Toms to retreat from the field after these aggressive competitive displays.
Photo by Roger Brown
But this year two Toms appeared who appeared to be buddies. Walking around together even seemingly synchronizing their displays.
Photo by Roger Brown
Strutting together.
Photo by Roger Brown
Switching who went first. Really quite amazing with all that testosterone flowing.
Photo by Roger Brown
And hitting peak display at the same time. No fighting over hens. Everything was perfectly balanced--until a third cock appeared. A mixer as it turned out and suddenly all three were fighting each other.
One aggressor and suddenly everyone is at war. Suddenly the pie is too small. Balance is a fragile thing.
Photo by Jackie Brown
And then there is temptation. The plant on the table obviously looks particularly tasty but is it safe? Note the pulled back ears.
Photo by Jackie Brown
Perhaps it is wiser to nibble the grasses further from the humans as certain appetites can prove dangerous later in the year.
Donegal Browne
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