Visitor today

[Fred Voorhees]

A few months ago, this turkey was almost a daily visitor. Then it disappeared for months. Today, out of nowhere, it returned. It seems to love the bird feed, peanuts, suet and kernel corn that we leave out for the birds and squirrels.

[Lee Schierer]

It appears to be a hen and chances are it was unsuccessful in hatching a brood, which is why it disappeared for a couple of months and now has returned.

[Jim Becker]

Yes, I agree...looks like a hen, although the pictures are small. Regardless, they are magnificent birds to watch and they also eat things that you don't want around...like ticks...in addition to other fodder like acorns and yes, your discarded bird seed.

I really miss the 5 males that used to visit and feed just outside my shop windows. Fascinating at about 5 feet away. And the one big male loved the chrome bumper on the Tundra I used to drive. But the development in our immediate area has completely disrupted the turkey flock's daily travels and they just don't come by anymore. We've seen them twice in the past year, rather than daily as in the past. :(

[Joe Chritz]

Hens disappear in the spring (late April to mid May) to establish a territory and breed.

She most likely is done breeding and is now feeding again.

I spent more than a couple hours in the woods early this month looking at those critters. They are way tougher to hunt than one would imagine. Someone said they don't have eyes they have radar and I tend to believe it.

Joe

[Lou Ferrarini]

Just pick up some stuffing and cranberry sauce and you'll be all set!!!

[Gary Herrmann]

Saw one in my front yard a few weeks ago. I do not live out in the country.

[Jim Becker]

Gary, turkeys and other wildlife are living more and more in urban and suburban areas...out of necessity. Central Park in NYC has quite an assortment of fauna! How about that coyote that was in the mid-Chicago deli case not long ago...

[Mike Wilkins]

This sounds a lot less harmless than the bear that came through my neighborhood last year. Daughter was inside sleep and scared the neighbor.
Like many others, local development has disrupted their natural habitat and forces them out of the woods and into residential areas.
A disturbing trend everywhere.

[Fred Voorhees]

This sounds a lot less harmless than the bear that came through my neighborhood last year. Daughter was inside sleep and scared the neighbor.
Like many others, local development has disrupted their natural habitat and forces them out of the woods and into residential areas.
A disturbing trend everywhere.

Mike, I have had a black bear walk right across the patio in that first picture. That was maybe ten years ago. Our son and I were in the family room, just off of the patio, watching television and out of nowhere, here is a black bear, fair sized one (but any bear would be a surprise in our area) and just mozied across the patio and through the yard and into our woods at the back of the property. I really wish I had grabbed my camera instead of panicking and calling 911. They are becoming more and more of a problem in New Jersey.