I had company while climbing the Morningside Park steps yesterday. For one flight of stairs I was only 4-5 feet from a wild turkey. That's enough excitement for one morning, but then I realized that the turkey next to me is not park resident Hedda Gobbler. This turkey was much younger looking and without wattle. Could there be two turkeys in the park? I didn't have my camera with me so you'll have to pretend this plant in the Central Park conservatory garden is a turkey.
I bumped into the turkey over by the 116th St steps last Friday and took some pix. She looked pretty much the same as the turkey that I took pix of last year.
WHile you're in that area, keep an eye for the Cooper's hawk that started hanging around recently.
Posted by: rbs | 13 February 2008 at 03:48 PM
Haven't seen them yet this year, but I know I will.
Posted by: Melissa | 14 February 2008 at 08:56 AM
Oh, and I think your photo looks just like a turkey ;)
Posted by: Melissa | 14 February 2008 at 08:57 AM
I'll keep a look out for the hawk.
Melissa, you've been seeing lots of animals in plants lately.
Posted by: Joe | 14 February 2008 at 09:37 PM
Not sure how long how the Cooper's hawk will still be around, if it's still there. Ditto the juvenile red-tail that I saw last week along Morningside Drive; there have been one or two of them in the general area.
Mating season for the adult red-tails will start very soon and they may already be in a mood to chase all the other raptors off.
If you're walking through the park and hear what sounds like a 10-second seagull fight in the treetops, it means that the red-tails just had a quickie.
Posted by: rbs | 15 February 2008 at 07:22 PM
Hee hee hee :)
Posted by: Melissa | 17 February 2008 at 10:59 PM
I'll definitely be wearing ear plugs.
Posted by: Joe | 17 February 2008 at 11:17 PM