Saturday, January 1, 2011

Peace and plenty

A flock of wild turkeys at rest in a hemlock grove

A flock of wild turkeys has stayed on to help usher in the New Year. Watching them preen their iridescent feathers and soak up the sun as temperatures reached 60 degrees did my heart good.

In winter the flock must spend most of the day in a relentless search for food. But today they were able to enjoy a peaceful interlude in between foraging among piles of leaves I left standing in the garden. Many insects can survive the winter in these leaf piles and are an excellent source of protein for turkeys and other wildlife.

This is the first winter for some members of the flock, but a bounty of bugs, a bit of corn and a warm sunbath in a peaceful place where they are safe from predators can help them make it to spring.

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