I had a chance to spend a couple of hours in the area I had seen these birds last month. Low and behold I found mom turkey and 1 remaining youngster less than 100 yards from where I had located them previously. Looks like the local predators figured out that young turkey is tasty. I spoke with a nearby resident who was working in her yard and she told me that she had seen at least 2 turkey moms with broods for and that both groups had been reduced substantially over the past month - she had actually witnessed a coyote stalking a turkey family group over the 4th of July weekend, but did not see if the hunt was successful.

As much as I love birds of all kinds I've got to say I hope that there is ZERO success with turkeys establishing themselves here on the west side. They are truly ecosystem destroyers extraordinaire. A combination of introduced Wild Turkeys and Wild Pigs that have invaded the central Sierra Nevada foothills over the past 25 years have caused massive damage that is usually only documented in terms of human disturbance (lawns, water systems, fences, and pet destruction). While in California last fall I personally witnessed the destruction both species have brought including complete elimination of acorn crops (and thereby replacement trees), destruction/pollution of springs and seeps that provide very scarce summertime water for all wildlife, and greatly reduced populations of some reptile, insect and scarce plant species that make the Foothill zone of the Sierras one of the most amazing and species diverse places in North America. I watched a flock of wild turkeys go through an oak grove and open field like huge locusts, snapping up EVERYTHING in site, I know this is happening in SE Washington as well - we can't let that happen here in the west!

Good Birding!Rob Conway Preston / Fall City, WAlatitude 47 32' 20" , longitude -121 54' 42" robin_birder at hotmail.com



From: robin_birder at hotmail.comTo: tweeters at u.washington.eduSubject: BREEDING Wild Turkey - North Bend, King County, WADate: Wed, 18 Jun 2008 02:42:13 +0000


Late this afternoon I found a hen Wild Turkey with 8 small poults working the forest clearing edge along the power lines running across SE 159th Street in North Bend near 451st Ave SE. The hen was quite vocal, keeping her kids in line as they really worked the ground over for bugs and ate greens and flowers while she actually found and gobbled (-: down a small Garter Snake who was probably incredibly sluggish and inactive given the cool temps. Judging from the buff tipped breast feathers and the very obvious white wing edges I'd guess these were Merriam's subspecies. Let's hope that the mother coyote and the four pups I'd judge to just be out of the den who were only about 300 yards farther down the road find the birds and have an early Thanksgiving dinner. I'd heard that someone (a tree farm?) was releasing turkeys in this area but finding an active breeding bird was a real surprise. In the same area there were a number of just fledged White-crowned sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, and a family of Spotted Towhees. Also saw 9 cow elk and 3 polka dotted elk calves. I dipped on my target of Bluebirds (species unknown) feeding young in a natural! cavity in an alder snag which a friend had alerted me to over the weekend (I couldn't even locate the tree). Cheers and good birding! RobRob Conway Preston / Fall City, WAlatitude 47 32' 20" , longitude -121 54' 42" robin_birder at hotmail.com



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