A Rafter of Turkeys

Every night last week, Terry told me about all the turkeys he’d seen during the day. I was worried that they would be gone by the weekend, and I would not be able to see them. Not so! They were everywhere all the time. I had to Google the proper name for a group of turkeys, which turned out to be “a rafter.”

Hen on the lookout

Our rafter of turkeys seems to consist of 4 adults and two cohorts of 8 adolescent chicks (20 turkeys all together), one a bit older than the other. They make the rounds of our 5 oaks eating acorns.

Headed for the fifth oak

They hang out under the deck eating bird seed that falls from the feeders above. This picture was taken from our living room window.

Under the deck

They wander through the garden and the grass eating God knows what.

Headed for the garden--note two different sizes of chicks

And even though Terry covered the grapes with netting, they duck underneath the net to eat the grapes.

On the way to the grapevines

This morning I was out doing my chicken chores when I heard a squawk and the flutter of big wings. I raced around the side of the coop, thinking that one of the hens had escaped. It was just turkeys. They do seem to hang around outside of the chicken fences.

Hen and six of her 8 chicks headed around Coop 2's fence

Video montage of the turkeys:

We had game night here Saturday. Hilda worried that the turkeys would not put in an appearance. But they did. I chased them out of the grapes and out of the garden. Pat, who is a birder, was thrilled to see so many turkeys at once. She quite happily took over turkey chasing, and thought it was the best game night ever!

Pat also insisted that I take a picture of her dinner plate, featuring grilled salmon with lemon and dill, Marilyn’s hot potato salad, and green beans with soy sauce, sesame oil, and pine nuts. It was a team effort. I put the salmon in the foil packs, Terry grilled, Hilda made the potato salad, and Nancy made the green beans.

Game night supper

At the end of the evening, Hilda found a baby toad on the front porch. So cute!

Baby toad

In other news, the petunia growing in the patio is blooming its little heart out. I do not understand where it is getting the nutrients or the water.

Volunteer petunia

It has been hot and humid the last couple of days. Just at sunset, a fog forms over the field. I think of fog being more of a morning thing. It is fascinating to watch it form so quickly.

Evening fog