Turkeys in the Dust

This morning I saw a huge flock of turkeys dusting themselves in some dirt I tilled yesterday. There were only a couple of adults, the rest were adolescent chicks. It looked like "dusting class". I love to watch the way the adults protect and chaperon the chicks, and teach them about life and survival. I counted 26 in all.

There was a little faun in the yard a couple of weeks ago. It was spectacular! It was making little bleating sounds like a lamb. I think it was way too little to be out exploring. It was probably two and a half feet tall to the tips of it's ears. I got to within about 8 feet of him before he ducked back into the pine trees, thank goodness. I suspect that is where his mother wanted him to stay.

We have the ideal habitat for watching wildlife on our seven acres: we are surrounded by tall grass fields ; and our land has wooded areas and pine tree islands, set in a mostly manicured, mowed, park-like, wildlife friendly haven (except for our cat the bird and bunny hunter). He ate one two days ago, naturally it was right outside the front door. I hate to see the ghoulish remains of his hunting on the door stoop. But he must hunt, it's who he is, a cat.

Last night he brought a baby bunny to the porch. He seems to have been gentle with it, there were no wounds. The bunny was very little and I worried about where I should release it. I had no idea where his mother could be, so I just took him to a place between the woods and an unmowed field and left him to choose his path.