Tuesday, April 2, 2019

Dueling Toms

It seems the "banger" did not like the rival he saw reflected in the door. And the fact that said rival wasn't backing down really riled him up.

And his birdbrain got even more addled.

'Banger' has been visiting the yard for over a week now, displaying to the mostly indifferent female turkeys, and young males, that visit our yard every day. Today was no different, and while on conference calls in my home office I watched as Banger and his entourage sauntered into the yard. Banger displaying not twenty feet from me, the entourage indifferent as usual.

Banger

I was briefly distracted by work. And when I looked up I saw that Banger and flock had moved off to the far corner of the yard.

And what was this, out behind the fish pond? Another displaying male!

The Rival

Yep, all alone came in another male, displaying at the still indifferent group.

But Banger had taken notice.

And I was hoping for some serious head banging.

In this corner ... Banger:


And in this, The Rival:


But it was not to be. The two pretenders approached to about 25 feet of each other, with The Rival taking the initiative, but that's as close as they got. And after a bit of posturing, Banger and flock exited into the woods.

The Rival then spent about twenty minutes displaying to no one in particular.

Perhaps just practicing?

🦃  ðŸ¦ƒ  ðŸ¦ƒ  ðŸ¦ƒ  ðŸ¦ƒ

Later as I was cooking dinner, sautéed salmon and rice pilaf (yummy!) I heard a knock at the front door. It was Banger. I tried to get a picture but he must have seen me and moved away. Back to the kitchen. I hear a softer "bang". It's him at the sliding glass doors. I again unintentionally frighten him away. The cats, used to this now, pretty much ignore him.

(Patty is off to find a Townsend's Solitaire. She does.)

He and his entourage start sauntering off toward the back of the yard. But who should appear but The Rival. Banger is having none of it and chases The Rival about the yard. Turkeys scattering all about.

The Rival is defeated. He wanders into the feeder garden. Banger and the entourage head off into the back woods.

To be continued ... ?

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