Turkey Attack
Bart Hutchinson (2210E@extrusion.ih.navy.mil)
Fri, 16 Apr 1999 11:01:19 -0500
I was birding at work this morning and checking out a stand of trees
that earlier in the week hosted at least 10 Palm Warblers (that was
quite a sight, but that's another story). This morning it was pretty
quiet, so I was just standing there waiting for something to happen
when I saw a Wild Turkey come out of the woods. It was heading
towards me so I just stayed still - I thought maybe it didn't see me
or thought I was a pole or tree or something. The bird kept walking
closer and closer until it was only 3 feet away. I now realized that
he did in fact see me.
It then started bobbing it's head back and forth at me and came even
closer. At this point I started fearing for my life. I began
backing away but the turkey kept following me and occasionally
throwing it's head and neck out at me. I tried to scare it by
raising my arms and waving them and yelling while walking towards it.
The bird was not phased. Much like the Energizer bunny, it kept
coming and coming. Now it was his turn to step up the attack - he
jumped into the air and swung it's wing at me. While it didn't hit
me, it came close enough that I could have grabbed it if was a little
more brave or more stupid.
We went back and forth like this for a minute or two - me running at
it and the bird jumping up and trying to hit me with his wing. I
guess he realized that I was pretty wimpy because it again became
more agressive and ran right at me! I started running and it
followed. I ran around a utility pole and it followed - it was crazy
- I was being chased around a pole by a turkey! I began laughing at
the absurdity of the situation, but I still kept running.
Eventually, the turkey gave up and went his own way - I guess he
figured I wasn't much of a threat.
Other birds of intrest:
Bobwhite - 2
Sharpshin - 2
Coopers - possible
N. Parula - 3 - probably more. I heard a lot of singing
Prairie - 1 heard
Pine - 2 seen, many heard
Palm - 1
Safe in my office,
Bart