Bird watching

[TwoCrows]

How are your birdies this morning?

Yes, I have often wondered about these older Toms and the younger Toms....they all seem to hang out together peacefully.

We had a winter storm over the weekend, dropped 4 inches of snow on us!!

It was bitter cold too and I had to keep warming the hummingbird feed to keep the hummers alive. They weren't flying all that well and were shivering at the feeders! But I think I got them all through.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Most of them were out there this morning!

Yesterday it seemed to just be one younger tom and 2 girls but I think I did see and hear the older one once.

Anyway, I was in a hurry today so didn't approach but they seem to be doing well. They have gone back to flying/running away though. Yesterday they were in the garden and ran across the yard. Didn't come back for BOSS.

BUT

I went and got some more and went up the hill rather than directly approach the tom, who was watching from behind some trees, and threw some down, making sure he saw me, and sure enough, he came running over and then his girls, who had fled further in the woods, came over. Well, one of them. The other was too scared. Came over eventually but stayed away from the BOSS and ran off again. But the others stayed and ate even when my dad came out and i was talking to him. They got a little spooked with my voice, sure, but stayed. They only fled when I was dumb enough to try to throw more at them lol

Sooo yeah.

I make some progress, lose some.

I was thinking of going out at the same time every morning.

And yeah, I find it weird. Maybe they stay and learn how to be a good Tom for a while? Lol

And awwww wow good for you for saving the hummingbirds!!

 

[TwoCrows]

With the Turkeys, I usually approach them in the exact same way every day, so they know what to expect. I rattle my can of seeds and repeat the same words every day, "I have seeds"....I never look at them as in the bird world this is an act of aggression, LOL (quick glances only) and once I get to the area I throw out the seeds in the exact same spot. Usually once they see me throwing seeds, they will run toward me to get their first. LOL The Toms are always leary of me, the hens are more tame.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Thanks! That's really helpful! Especially the looking at them, explains why they spooked when i looked back at them after looking away lol

And oddly my toms are pretty bold and approach first and the hens spook easy lol but in some aspects they're more tame like sometimes they don't run or not as far even if the tom does.

Anyway, the geese at the little pond down the road had their babies! I only saw 3 but there could be more, idk. They are so TINY!! lol last year they had a whole troop of them aha

 

[TwoCrows]

Yes, definitely never look directly or stare at them. They think you are being aggressive. There were 3 Toms and 4 hens in the yard today! I heard them coming too this morning. They sleep in the big Pine trees a ways away and walk here each morning. Toms were gobbling all the way up here! LOL

 

[ShrekDawg]

Wow I had no idea! I like looking at them because they are pretty lol but I will definitely stop! But would they eventually get used to it? Just wondering ha

And wow! So is that why I sometimes hear them gobbling? Lol I always wondered where they slept

 

[TwoCrows]

No I think it's an unwritten law in all of the bird world....a direct look in the eyes is an aggressive action. LOL BUT...over time as they trust you, you can look closer at them. For now they aren't sure of you.

Try this next time the Toms are around or anytime really....clap really loud or gobble at them (don't do any of this when you are too close or you might scare them)....loud noises always make the Toms gobble. LOL It's funny, if I go outside and make a really loud noise of some sort, I will hear them gobbling in the distance. LOL Yes, Turkeys roost high in tall trees at night.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Oh that makes sense, I think that's a rule in really all of the animal kingdom lol so is it just in the eyes or looking at them at all? Cause i would more look at like their body/general area than direct. But you make a good point, I hadn't thought of that. I will stop and see if they become more social

LOL that's hilarious! I will try that!! Oh that makes sense. We definitely have plenty of trees. Huge pine trees

 

[ShrekDawg]

https://www.thespruce.com/what-do-turkeys-eat-386553

https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-attract-wild-turkeys-386267


Found these articles and also Google kept giving more questions amd answers and i learned a lot lol

Also i googled turkey feed curious what domestic turkeys eat/if i could buy them turkey feed and the results were a mix of actual turkey feed and turkey flavor dog food... :/ but btw i decided they wouldn't recognize it as food anyway and I don't want them to become too dependent and there's plenty of natural food

Which btw stupid question: even if they're not in my yard, does this mean they're just off foraging in the woods or elsewhere? Which likely has more food anyway?

And how come I've never seen babies? Well, last year I did right down the street but still

 

[ShrekDawg]

The turkeys were in the yard when I got home, moved up the hill away from me (but slowly, the toms stayed and stared at me lol). Went inside, got some seeds, walked down the driveway. The 3 toms were on the hill, 3 girls were in the lower part. The girls were gonna run but I tossed some seed and they came running over. Walked up a path towards the toms but not too close, tossed the seed down. They came over too. I looked to make sure but only glances, I tried to look away more ha anyway, this time I just tossed it, looked to make sure they were eating and hadn't run away, and walked away and went back inside. But it's funny cause the 3 girls are eating their seeds in one spot and the 3 toms are eating theirs in another