Re: Turkey Attack

Harry Fisher (fish8553@dpnet.net)
Fri, 16 Apr 1999 12:58:42 -0400 

Bart- thanks for sharing your hilarious encounter.  I could vividly
picture the turkey vs. human scenario!!  Glad you escaped unscathed,
Leslie Fisher
Cecil Co.

Bart Hutchinson wrote:

> 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