The rafter of turkeys (22 of them) marched down the mountain for a visit early this morning.
I was surprised at how calm they were. They did not display their usual wary attitude. After close observation, it became clear to me that the reason for this was the absence of the gobblers. So-- they have now separated for the winter. This time of year, the tom's become rather solitary. They are not attracted to the hens, and so go off to themselves or to keep the company of other gobblers. Come springtime - they will assemble their harems.
I noticed how the hens are at ease, much like my chickens are without a rooster to keep them in line. They allow me to photograph them.
The early morning sunlight brings out the color blue in their almost bald heads. Their eyes are very large. Turkeys have very keen eyesight.
And a face only a mother could love.
8 comments:
Wow! Look at all those turkeys. Your photographs are wonderful. Very interesting about the gobblers. You sure were able to get a close look. I kinda like that face "only a mother could love"...sweet.
Will you eat any of them?
How neat to see all those gals come down for a visit. Great pics!
I just love those little faces!
Are you, perhaps, drawing a parallel with human society? :D
The faces may be ugly, but aren't their feathers beautiful - especially the wing tips. They have a rather Victorian look to them and I want to say 'bombazine', but I don't really know what that is!
From Wikipedia: Bombazine, or bombasine, is a fabric originally made of silk or silk and wool, and now also made of cotton and wool or of wool alone. Good bombazine is made with a silk warp and a worsted weft. It is twilled or corded and used for dress-material. Black bombazine was once used largely for mourning wear, but the material had gone out of fashion by the beginning of the 20th century.
The word is derived from the obsolete French bombasin, applied originally to silk but afterwards to tree-silk or cotton. Bombazine is said to have been made in England in Elizabeth I’s reign, and early in the 19th century it was largely made at Norwich.
Brigid and Jessica-
Thanks for this definition! I shall forever think of queen Elizabeth now, when I look at the hens!
(and the collars of black bombazine around their necks!)
You get such wonderful shots of your local wildlife!
Funny, for such homely faces, they really have very pretty eyes.
-Sarah
http://www.slaphog.com/sarahblog/
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