Blue Ridge Postcard: Wild Turkeys

I woke wondering what kind of bird was making the soft chuckling in the woods.  When I looked out the window into a foggy half lit morning, it wasn’t one but a dozen. The wild turkeys that frequent the low field across the creek had crossed the footbridge and were strolling on the lawn between the tool shed and the house.

I counted them as they walked by in the light fog- twelve in all. Four were larger adults and eight smaller birds, likely the ones we’d watched cross the bridge with momma turkey on a day back in spring as tan-colored poults the size of bantam chickens.

Today they were making soft cluckish noises to each other as they walked along, craning those long necks to look here and there in the grass. Several immediately noticed me watching from the window and kept one wary eye in my direction as they passed, relaxing once they’d moved a certain distance away. Over in the coop Rex and the hens lined up to quietly stare at these really big… chickens?…that walked so stately out of the woods.

The turkeys continued their promenade undisturbed under the chestnut trees and into the field beyond, peaceful neighbors in quiet conversation on a foggy morning walk.