Mmm... Turkey... Uhhh...
Yeah, this isn't the mostly politically correct of posts, but given the season, it seems only fitting that you get to see the popular banquet in the flesh if you will...
The photo above reminds me of the lyrics of an old jazz/blues tune by Johnny Mercer,
The next pics were taken of a gobbler that was standing on the railing of our deck..
The two photographs above should give everyone reason to give these creatures a wide berth. (And that's to say nothing of the wings!)
So where's that gravy? Just kidding, just kidding. Truth be told, the turkey hunting season has come and gone in Massachusetts. Consider also the ever shrinking hunting grounds, and this Thanksgiving will no doubt be fueled by store-bought bird. And I'm not saying that that is necessarily a bad thing, but I am saying that I can understand why some folks might prefer to harvest their own toms and/or hens.
No, I'm not a hunter, but consider this... The average adult wild turkey weighs between 16 and 24 pounds. On the other hand, a commercially grown turkey may weigh up to 40 pounds. Hmmm... I can see why people might think twice about buying a dinner that has been so hybridized that it can't even mate and the hens have to be artificially inseminated... Ummm... Yeah, that would make some think twice. There's something to be said for the good old fashioned way. (Why do I get this feeling that there "frustrated female gobbler" jokes and "masculine avian feelings of inadequacy" jokes starting to simmer?)
Time to go...
See you by the feeders,
CapeCodAlan
Cornell Ornithology Laboratory: Inside Birding
Cornell Ornithology Laboratory: All About Birding
