He said they where so tiny that if they hadn't been in the open area,and moving he wouldn't have been able to see them as they where just tiny balls of fluff !!
So I started keeping and eye out for them!! Sure enough a few days later I saw them next to the woods of the recently cut hay field next to my house!!
At first I knew there was a female turkey, but after a look through the
binoculars ,and a few cropped photos ( still hard to see as they where at the far end of the field) I was sure!! I counted 12 on this occasion, some not visible here!! There is a count of 8 if you can see them!!
The babies are called poults, but I like to call them baby turkeys : }!
The eggs usually hatch in May or early June, so it is unusual for me to be seeing them this late in the
season,and I couldn't find any information to tell why...I was told by a guy who hunts turkey : { ... that
it they lose there first brood they may have another ... another question for Steve ???
A couple of days later I was able to get these as they came from the field onto my mowed lawn!!
Mom has a big job keeping these little guys close by as they get excited chasing after bugs!!
She seems to keep them close to the woods as much as possible !!
They are a easy target for animals, and birds of prey looking for a meal !!
They are even more vulnerable at night as it will be awhile before they
will be able to roost in tree's !!
Mom found something good , and they come running !!
On this day I only counted 10! : {
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It was early evening when I saw them this time,and they where heading along the tree line toward
the road...I was hoping she wouldn't try to cross, because there was quite a few cars!!
A couple of times I tried to make her go back into the woods."but no way" !!
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Her mind was made up.......
"She was crossing the road and that was all there was to it"!!
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I found myself holding my breathe as she lead the little ones across, expecting a car to
come over that knoll at any minute.. eeeek's!!
Some of the little ones seemed to hesitate " hey Mom are you sure this is safe" ...!!
*Note she is down to 6 now!! : {
"Hey... wait for me"!!
At this point I had to turn my head ,and listen for cars...I didn't want to see it ...if it happened!
If you noticed the black marks on the road ..that is "not" where people have braked for
turkeys...the guy who lives there is a" bit of a turkey himself"!!
He does burn outs with his motorcycle in the road!! : }
"Whew"..... I turn around,and they have made it safely!!
Mom seems all cool,and collected about the whole thing,and I was a wreck..!
I wonder how many times she did this without me worrying : }!!
I have not seen the little family since ..I hope they make it !!!
Phew, I can see that you had a nervous time, run, the ambulence is coming!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteso vulnerable! such cuties, though! i hope several make it to maturity!
ReplyDeleteNice to see the turkey and little ones enjoying freedom in the wild... Despite the dangers an all. The baby turkey looks like he just done a gymnastic tumble finishing with a perfect landing.
ReplyDeleteThey sure are cute. I hope they can grow up to live another year or more.
ReplyDeleteAlmost as tense as the ladies football match tonight,
ReplyDeleteIVE never seen young wild turkey, some that are older yes, but never that size..so cute. HOPE they do make it they are so vulnerable...There is a flock spending time in our area the old Tom has a bad leg and limps pretty bad,,,,hope he makes it, NOT good that Hunting season is around the corner!
ReplyDeleteHow cute, what a neat sighting Grace! The poults or baby turkeys are adorable. I hope they all make it and stay safe. Wonderful series of photos.
ReplyDeleteHi Grace. You're right about the turkey hens renesting. If the first nest is lost, they'll try again. Sometimes two or three times. The little guys can fly at ten days old, so they should soon be heading into the trees at night.
ReplyDeleteOoooooh!!! So sweet Grace :-) Wonderful captures! I would have been completely stressed about them crossing the road. They look so odd to the English eye as we don't have wild Turkeys here!
ReplyDeleteOh my, you had me on the edge of my seat for a while!! We saw a mamma turkey and little fluff balls like these a few weeks ago while on our way to town. Where was my camera... at home~~
ReplyDeleteWhat a treat for you to get to see Mom out for a stroll with her babies. I would have been a bundle of nerves too as she crossed the road. Life in the wild is not easy for babies. Love that last shot, partly because it's a great photo but also because they all made it across the road!!
ReplyDeleteTo get out of the Syrian border,
ReplyDeleteor was it to stop the young getting Histomonas meleagridis.(blackheads)
Thanks Bob..lol your to cute : }
ReplyDeleteThanks Teresa : }
Thanks Debs...lol : } I think so!!
Thanks Ruth : }}
Thanks WAW.. lol : }}!
Thanks Sondra.. : }}
Eileen Thank you : }
Steve.. I knew you would have the answer..thanks.. : }
Jan thanks..I was ready to stop cars..lol : }!!
Thanks Muffy..need a camera at all times..lol : }
Thanks Elaine....Believe me I was glad for that last shot, because I new they where safe!! : }
WAW..huh!!
Wow, eine klasse Fotoserie...
ReplyDeleteHerzlichst Hans-Peter
Hi Grace, that's a great story you've told there, the huge struggle for survival that the youngsters face from day one and the way that the parents (no mister turkey?) try to look after them...[;o)
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame that the hunters gun is just around the corner!...[:o[
Great series Grace. They've certainly had a tough start to their little lives; and tougher to come, by the sound of it.
ReplyDeleteI was holding my breath too. What a neat set of pictures Grace and a thrill to see this mother turkey and her not so little brood. She certainly has her work cut out for her doesn't she? I watched several young Canada Geese cross the road the other day, most people are very patient and kind but I noticed this one car who did not give a darn and was 'worrying' them to get across. Okay, so maybe he was late but I think that quote of showing a person's true character by the way he/she treats animals, is very close to the truth. A fun post to look at and read, thanks so much.
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteuhhh this photos are spectacular and great! Wonderful moments!
Regards Senna
that was a close one, for sure!
ReplyDeletei have been known to stop traffic to let ducks and geese cross with their little ones. it is nerve wrecking indeed...and the hubs gets a little peeved!!
oh and men are a tad over rated!! except mine, he's good!!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteGrammmie. turkey is on the syrian border and at the moment the turkeys are having probs keeping the syrians out, you see the answer is not always to get to the other side. I am doing a lot of blogging as mostly these days I am housebound, (bored). I do try and get an hours walk in each day.even if it is only to the surgery and back. but it really does tire me out,menai bridge and st mary's is the first time I have blogged from archives. next blog will be on the royal welsh show, aren't you glad i did not go to the olympics.
ReplyDeleteHow cute! A very nice size family. Love the photos.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Han-Peter!!
ReplyDeleteTrevor thanks..ya the Dad gets to run with the boys!!s : }
Thanks so much Keith : }
Thanks Denise..Yes very true statement for sure!!
Thanks for stopping by Senna,and for your comment!!
Debbie thanks ...you are to cool lol ; ] !!
WAW...thanks I think..: ] yes I get it..certainly not to that
side ; }!!! thanks for explaining your situation!!
Grace, this family kept you quite bust taking their photos, posting about them and worrying about their safety too...WHEW!
ReplyDeleteBTW, I deleted a recent comment on our blog only because it was the second same comment.
Oh, Grace, what a great series of pictures and dialogue! I have nesting willets that cross the road with their babies, and I know just what you went through! Thank you so much for sharing!! ~karen
ReplyDeleteGrace, they are aDORable! I especially like the pic of the little guy flapping. I would call them baby turkeys, too. ;)
ReplyDeleteLive long and prosper, little ones!
Oooh that was a tough time, and I could even feel the tense over the ocean to my place...Hope they make it!
ReplyDeletePhew, indeed. Love the photos, as always. Two friends here have seen baby turkeys with their moms lately. Must be second broods, which is kind of sad.
ReplyDeleteHieno Kuva-Sarja - kerrassaan mainio.
ReplyDeleteKauniita ja kertovia kuvia Äidistä joka paimentaa isoa perhettä.
Hyvää jatkoa kuvauksille.
Eko
Suomi/Lapland/Kuusamo
Very nice- I see lots of adults in my back yard- especially in winter- but have never seen the young .
ReplyDeleteOH they are SO cute!!
ReplyDeletei sure hope the little ones don't keep dwindling. :(
LOVE that shot of them crossing the road!!
Glad they made it GG, what a lovely story. Are male Turkeys like male Pheasants, they have no part in the upbringing of their offspring and just B..... off.
ReplyDeleteI would never have thought chasing turkeys around could be fun ... but with babies in tow and photos to be taken ... changes the whole picture! Glad they made it safely across.
ReplyDeleteHope these little ones will survive the traffic! Beautiful set of pictures!
ReplyDelete