Thanksgiving Turkeys

As I was driving down Joyce Road this morning I had to stop and let a flock of turkeys cross the road. I had an unsuccessful fall turkey hunting season this year and with the hunting season currently closed (season reopens tomorrow for three days) I think the turkeys may be mocking me. Maybe this is their own version of a Thanksgiving parade.

Why did the turkeys cross the road ... Because hunting season was closed.

Grouse

I was driving around our cabin property in the late afternoon checking out our neighborhood deer when I spotted this grouse at the edge of the brush. Grouse are a somewhat elusive bird to see and photograph since they spend most of their time in the thick brush. Grouse are very good at camouflage and will stay motionless, as this one did, until you walk past them and then take off with a thunderous roar of its wings as it flies to the next hiding spot.



Grouse do not fly much and spend most of their time walking through the thick brush looking for food. This grouse may have selected this narrow section of field as a crossing point between two patches of brush.



As a side note; Grouse are very tasty to both humans and wildlife such as foxes and hawks.

Ticks

The weather is getting colder and some ticks in the neighborhood are looking for a warm blooded "Bed & Breakfast" to attach to. This tick on my fingertip is still looking for a host and hasn't attached and filled up yet.



This tick is engorged, filled up with blood from a warm blooded host.