Happy Walkin' Bird Day From Your Friendly Neighborhood Trailblazer!

In anticipation of the coming Holiday, I figured I should post the best camera trap picture of a Walkin' Bird (Meleagris gallopavo) that I could ever hope to get.  Some students and I obtained this picture in the spring during a class exercise.  We didn't get any photos of hens on this occasion, so I'm assuming they were behind the camera.  This is the pose one would expect from a Tom on a greeting card for Thanksgiving (which is ironic, seeing that they usually adopt this posture in the spring, during the breeding season, and not in late November).

Also...have a look at this rafter (look it up :)  ).

Happy Walkin' Bird Day!

I know it's cliche and all that jazz....but why not show some pictures of Walkin' Birds to celebrate how delicious they taste?  AND to celebrate Thanksgiving with family and friends, of course!

Below are some recent pics of the rafter that's been hanging out behind the house all year.  I'm assuming these are the poults that were hatched on-site this summer (see here).  It's interesting that despite the resident Red Foxes and Coyotes in the area, most of these poults are surviving.

One morning last week, I took the dog outside for one of his daily evacuations and heard the unmistakable sound of turkeys clumsily flying through tree branches.  I looked up and the group of them had been roosting in the pine and oak trees right behind the house the night before. 

I saw the same rafter again this morning as I walked behind the house to check my cameras.

I was able to count 15 of them.

I, personally, can't wait to tuck in to some juicy Walkin' Bird....sweet potato souffle....maple pudding...sunshine corn bread....mashed potatoes....green bean casserole.....rice pudding.....pumpkin pie........and etc.

Happy Walkin' Bird Day (and a Happy Thanksgiving)
to Everyone!!