Wild Turkeys

My father loved to take rides in the country and, though I got car sick when I was very little, I enjoyed these rides when I was older. He would take "the long way" to the farm where we bought fresh eggs straight from the farmer's wife. I loved to visit her because the family had a very large and friendly black Labrador dog.

One fall day as we neared the farm, my father suddenly halted the car. Now it must be said that we were on a back road that was sparsely used, so we were perfectly safe in doing this. His sharp, experienced eyes had spotted something in the field--Wild Turkeys--a whole flock of them were eating in a "shaved" corn field. I watched from a hundred feet away as they strutted and pecked their way along the edge of the field. My father told me that I should be happy to see this because people who were not hunters usually did not see these birds. Turkeys have very keen hearing and eyesight, but we were sufficiently far enough away and so we watched for as long as we wanted. But, we had to get eggs and so we reluctantly drove on down the road to our destination.

I never saw another wild turkey until my husband and I took my mother for a drive in lower Lancaster County and happened upon a flock of wild turkeys who thought they owned the road. Evidently, the whole neighborhood was feeding these birds and they refused to budge until we honked at them. Then, the old Tom turkey took offense and attacked our car! Windows were rolled up quickly! That was an exciting adventure for all of us!

Yesterday, I had another exciting "turkey adventure"-- in my backyard! In the 32 years that I lived in the Boro, I had never seen a wild turkey. The good Lord urged me to raise my head to look out the kitchen window and into the back yard and there was the most beautiful wild turkey, a hen, grazing in our long grassy lawn She was strutting boldly back and forth, stopping only to peck at something in the grass occasionally. I couldn't take my eyes off of her and my chin remained on the floor. As she strutted out of my line of site, I grabbed my camera and ran to the bedroom window where she continued to strut and graze contentedly. Then, as I moved to take her picture, she looked at me. The camera failed. I became frustrated and the turkey decided she had better take cover and ran to crouch behind a small patch of mint growing beside the cellar doors. She popped her head up to look at me warily, then slowly decided that I was no threat and came out in the open again to feed. I gave up on taking her picture and just enjoyed the magnificent bird that the Lord chose to show me this beautiful fall day. When she finally disappeared into the long weeds and grasses that grew down the hill to the creek, I thanked God for his wondrous world and beautiful animals. It is doubtful that I will ever see a wild turkey in my yard again. I will treasure those few moments forever!