Wild Turkeys

Hunting season for the Wild Turkey ended June 1. No hunting is permitted in the preserve which joins our back yard, but there is no prohibition on several large tracts of privately owned land nearby. Although native over much of North America, the Wild Turkey population crashed during the 19th Century due to over-hunting and loss of habitat. Thanks to improved wildlife management and active relocation, along with hunting restrictions to protect hens, their population has rebounded and their range has actually expanded to all 48 contiguous states, Hawaii and interior Mexico.  

This morning MaryLou spotted a female which suddenly appeared in our yard with 13-15 poults. (Normal clutch size for this species is 10-14 eggs}. They approached closely and allowed good views as the flock moved slowly across the property from the north side of the house to woodlands to the south. Our daughter and granddaughter spotted a second adult turkey associated with the group and also counted 2 more than we did, so the large number of offspring may have represented a blended family. I saw this one first before it disappeared shortly before it or another adult emerged from the wooded area:

Could this be the second adult? It has a "beard," although some females may develop one and seems to have darker plumage. Possibly it could be a "Jack," a lesser-ranked male.

The female Eastern Bluebird appears to be incubating eggs. She is inside the box for long periods and the male is nearby, watching the nest continuously from any of several  favored perches:

The female bluebird pops out occasionally and then returns inside the nest box:

We have three baby Cottontail Rabbits who emerge from the underbrush around the lawn. They act rather tame, not a good sign for their ability to survive. This little bunny actually kept moving towards me:

The bunny stopped to stretch very casually:

The swimming pool is now open and casts nice reflections of the sunset:

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Linking to:

Garden Affair

Nature Thursday

Skywatch Friday

Weekend Reflections

Saturday's Critters

BirdD'Pot

All Seasons

Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday)

Wild Bird Wednesday

My Corner of the World

Timeless Thursday

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Please visit the links to all these posts to see some excellent photos on display
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