Re: Turkey Attack

Andy Rabin (andyrab@wam.umd.edu)
Fri, 16 Apr 1999 12:19:03 -0400


Bart,

 Great story!  One question- How did you celebrate Thanksgiving this past
November?

Andy Rabin
andyrab@wam.umd.edu


-----Original Message-----
From: Bart Hutchinson <2210E@extrusion.ih.navy.mil>
To: MDOsprey@ARI.Net <MDOsprey@ARI.Net>
Date: Friday, April 16, 1999 11:23 AM
Subject: Turkey Attack


>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