The Forlorn Tom

We've had a single male turkey hanging around the house for days now. We saw other turkeys doing their mating dance a month ago, several toms together chasing after hens. I thought they were finished with their spring mating.

However, this poor guy seems to be out of rhythm. He stands in the front yard and struts his stuff, and then lets out a wild gobble that makes me jump if I am not aware he's so close to the window.

This morning he was out back again, gobbling away. A hen across the hill answered him once, then dismissed him.

Apparently he doesn't measure up, but he seems a handsome bird to me.

Friday he strutted in the rain. Three hens nearby simply ignored him while he did his best to gain their attention. He was at it for over an hour.

I shot these photos through a window with a screen on it, so they're not the best. Don't you think he's handsome?



To show you how close he was to the house as I looked out the window.

Photos shot with a Nikon Coolpix B700.