The last few days have seen some really amazing sights. Having a camera with a really good zoom lens has helped to capture some spectacular pictures of our regular visitors. Often I am unable to grab the camera fast enough to get good photos of the visitors, but this week was a banner week. First, early one morning the turkeys came by, this time the two males had joined the female flock, and they were showing off. I love it when they fluff up and strut, and this particular morning was one of those very rare instances where they gave a magnificent display.
The two males seemed to be in competition parading around the females.
They both puffed up their feathers, spread their tail fans and strutted their stuff for quite a while.
The funny thing is that the females seemed unimpressed, they kept pecking at the acorns, and didn’t pay a lot of attention to the poor guys.
Marvelous, aren’t they? They would fluff up and stand for a moment, then slowly turn in a circle in order to show off from all sides. Then they would take a few steps in one direction and turn again.
It was like they were in a pageant!
Poor boys, doing all they could to get the attention of the girls and not being very successful. Look at me! Look at me!
After a while, the whole flock moved off to the woods, with the boys still strutting their stuff as they went.
Then, one of the four foxes living nearby made an appearance. I first spotted it walking on the driveway circle, and it strolled over to the meadow. I was in such a hurry to take photos, this one was between the railing on the porch from inside the house. I was afraid to go outside as I thought the noise would make the fox run away.
Magnificent, isn’t it?
It sat on the edge of the meadow for a minute….
scratched under its neck…
looked around a bit, then wandered off to the forest.
It is wonderful to live with all this wildlife. Mountain living at its best! I saw on the news that the black bears are going to be later in hibernating this year because it is still so warm, and there have been more sightings in residential communities north of us. I haven’t seen any here lately, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t around.
What’s happening in your neighborhood?
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Val’s Tuesday Archives – Turkeys
From My Carolina Home 
With Thanksgiving approaching so quickly, those turkeys are taking a big risk. 😉 Nature is a beautiful sight.
My neighborhood, specifically my back yard, is replete with 5 little poodles and 1 little pom who fiercely guard the perimeter and pretend to slay dragons. At the bottom of the back yard lots of leaves have collected and they rumble through them to bark at the horses in the meadow behind the fence. Since my largest is 13 pounds and the rest much smaller, the horses are not at all intimidated, nor are the dragons. I go out w/ them to try to scoop the poop that is invisible during leaf season!!
Very cool!
Great captures!!!! I love living in the country too where I get to see the local wildlife on a regular bases. My good camera is starting to fail me 😦 No long taking as clear photos as it used to, especially in zoom mode. So I may be in the market for a new one soon. Have to do some thinking on what kind I want this time around.
OMG! Marvelous indeed! Your story of the boys made me laugh. but it was wonderful to see them all fluffed up! This is definitely a post to rejuvenate for TA Turkey theme on the 23rd. (I love when you share these pictures btw) Poor little fox…looks like he’s getting his winter coat.
Magnificent photos! I live in the woods as well in NW Pennsylvania and have seen lots of wildlife, but never have a camera ready. Love the fox!!
What a hoot – a turkey pageant! We don’t get such a fine display, just a few back in the woods. Wonder what this year will bring, as the neighbors who own the “woods” behind our house had 300 mature trees harvested, & it is a lot lighter & brighter back there, maybe not enough camouflage for them. Enjoyed the photos!
Love this posting and your story telling! Lovely photos of your wildlife.
Good Morning Carole! Absolutely love your pictures and your stories about them. Living along the Applegate River like we do and nestled in amongst the mountains, like you we see and hear the multiple varieties of wildlife. Hubby is the camera person, my pictures usually turn out blurry or something; but he has taken some wonderful photos of our foxes and our new possum family. I seldom go out and sit on the porch during this time of year, the cooler temperatures and rain are fabulous and much needed, but I prefer to be inside sewing and or crafting. Thank you for sharing and have a fantastic creative day!
Oh my- a whole family of possum? We have one, (only) that comes to eat our cat’s food at night!
I really enjoy your blog and the wonderful pictures. Thank you for sharing. Diane
Enjoyed the great pictures of the wildlife around you.
Better then city living I’m sure!
Great photos. I always find it interesting that in the bird world it is the male species that has to primp and preen to snag a mate as opposed to humans who seem to make it the female’s priority.
We have grey fox – several pups try sneaking up on the front porch, looking for cat food in the evenings. We are serenaded by coyote late at night (from a distance across a canyon) then just before sunrise (much closer) as they greet each other. No turkeys at our elevation but coveys of quail are abundant. We enjoy living amongst the wildlife.
Wow! Love the photos! We live in the suburbs where we see very little wildlife.
From the car, we saw a young deer get confused about jumping a fence this morning. We were about 1/4 mile from our house. He crossed the road in front of us, fell back at the fence, and jumped back on the road after we passed. He was scared, and we were thankful that he didn’t jump onto our car.
Thank you for sharing your “yard visitors”. The females were a bit “stand-offish” weren’t they? The best we have is a possum that eats our outdoor cats food ! The occasional skunk wafts by as well. Our property is wooded in the back, and there was a “deer trail” that was active until about 15 years ago. Before we built the big garage (and sewing room) I would often drive in the driveway in the late afternoon and see deer “munching” on our lawn. Too much development around us these days !
Nothing as exciting as what’s happening in yours. =) Thank you for the great turkey and fox pictures. The fox looks very different from western varieties I’ve commonly seen.
great photos of the fox we love to watch them too when we can spot them as they are quite private and love the wild turkeys-it has been so warm here and with loads of acorns this year we are seeing much wildlife up by the house so far-miss them
Gorgeous pix. We too have been seeing a lot of turkeys. We have had fox in past years but have not see any for a couple years at least.
Not much happening here, still unseasonably warm, although snow on the peaks we can see west of us. I live in suburbs, so mainly rabbits and raccoons! Some red fox, but I haven’t seen any in my neighborhood. Here on the Denver Federal Center, we have our all year Canada Geese residents, some leave, but quite a few stay. We don’t have as many rabbits, because we also have coyotes! I don’t see the doggone prairie dogs on the fed center (disease-ridden rodents!) but elsewhere they are starting to disappear underground. I missed going up to Rocky Mtn Nat Park this year, so didn’t see the elk herds, beautiful animals, and north in Wyoming the bison. We do have deer here on the Fed Center in the winter, but we don’t usually see them, just their tracks as they head over to the foothills. Love your space! I need some elbow room for sure…
sharon in colorado
A banner week indeed! Love all the great shots of the turkeys and that little fox…oh he’s just adorable.
It has been so mild here in the south of the UK that the little flocks of garden birds have yet to return to town. We don’t see red foxes often in this town but my family in London regularly have one snoozing away the day under the shed in their garden!
Great shots, Carole. Our resident satin bower bird has been showing off to his female friend and the tawny frogmouths have two little ones, just about ready to take off on their own