This should go in a newsletter somewhere, it's so humorously written without seeming to be trying to! Fred Fallon Andy Rabin wrote: > 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