wild turkeys in Muskoka

It is a tough time of year for wildlife. I feel badly for the creatures of the forest. A deer was illegally shot last week. The hunter was charged.

But it is survival of the fittest. Our birds are busy. The cracked corn keeps them happy. In the summer I spotted the turkeys on our neighbour's driveway. (see the YouTube video below!) What a hoot.

A recent local paper covered this issue. Apparently, they were reintroduced to Ontario. A 'hearty bird', but one that needs to dig down, or reach up for food.

I was fervently hoping and praying to get a photo of a wild turkey. They appear by the side of the road but our peninsula does not usually receive that kind of visitor. Lo and behold, my prayers were answered. I went out one morning, the sun had just come out between snow showers, to fill up the bird feeders- no coat, no mitts as I knew I’d be quick. I spied a movement down by the barn. Sure enough: one large turkey, as high as my thigh. I ran in, grabbed by coat, mitts, extra shirt and camera and took off out the back door. I stalked the creature the back way, thinking it would have gone north northwest. I moved as quietly as possible, as close to the barn and spotted its tracks. I found that it had headed north. Following the tracks (ignorant white woman!) I ended up tracking it up the neighbour’s road. The tracks went around the barn, back north behind the house and across my driveway, at the back of the house.

Did I feel foolish! I tracked it across the other neighbours driveway, into the bush, down by the water. By now the snow showers began in earnest. I kept following the track, hoping I was going in the right direction. I followed it around a bay, up to another neighbour’s home. It seemed to check out her bird feeder for food. By this time the snow had turned to ice pellets, I came across our neighbour shovelling her front deck and I gave up. We chatted, the sun disappeared, the snow began driving horizontally and I thought to check out the front yard. Sure enough, the critters had crossed rough around our peninsula and had made it to the point. After trudging through half frozen swamp, I went home. One for the turkey, I lost. No photos!

I spotted turkey vultures waiting to play ball last April. What immense creatures. They are sort of creepy, yet fascinating.