March 29 Outdoor Column

At Woods Edge
The Morning Sun
Pittsburg, Kan.
March 29, 2008

Last Sunday evening, Older Son and I were traveling home to Woods Edge when we spotted a flock of wild turkey across the highway from Four Oaks Golf Course. Peering out the window, Older Son asked, "Dad, why are those two turkeys all puffed up like a balloon?"

"Because they are showing off for the girl turkeys," I quickly replied.

With the innocence of only a 7-year-old, he then inquired, "Why do they make themselves look fatter if they are trying to get a girlfriend?"

He did make a good point. Unfortunately, the biology, anatomy, and physiology of the wild turkey are anything but normal, at least by human standards.

Spring is a great time to view these majestic birds as the large flocks of winter disperse into small groups of hens, bachelor bands of young males commonly called "Jakes," and mature males, or "Toms" who often roam their home range alone.

As male wild turkeys actively seek female companionship for breeding, they commonly travel outside of their normal home range, which creates more viewing opportunities for birders.

This week as I ventured out each morning to the kennel of our Wonder Labrador, I heard the crisp gobbling of a few Tom turkeys in the woodland near Woods Edge.

If a nature lover never has had the opportunity to hear a male wild turkey gobble in the woods on a crisp spring morning, I would highly recommend adding it to your "to do" list. Recruit the assistance of a hunter or local Audubon club member to guide you to the spring turkey woods. You will not soon forget the experience.

The gobbling call of the male wild turkey is used to broadcast the male's location to any hen within earshot. Wild turkeys roost in trees at night so their elevated platform projects the sound of a male's gobble call much farther than when they sound off on the ground.

Once that vivacious Tom turkey completes his spring morning ritual of roost gobbling, he flies to the ground and immediately begins a quest for the female of the species.

Wild turkeys are polygamous as one male may breed with several females during spring mating season. So, in spring, Tom turkeys have only three things on their mind: breeding, breeding, and breeding. Male wild turkeys often lose five or more pounds of body weight as they frequently skip feeding for, you guessed it, more breeding.

Once they locate a hen or group of hens, Toms will "strut" by puffing out its feathers and fanning its tail in order to display for the hen or hens. This is the behavior that Older Son witnessed on our recent drive.

Toms will often strut for hours on end during the peak of the spring mating season. Muscles involved in puffing out the male wild turkey's feathers consume vital nutrients, thus compounding the effects of reduced food intake.

Increasing day length primarily triggers this breeding behavior in spring, but warm or cold weather events also may accelerate or slow breeding activity.

Now, go set your alarm for 4:30 a.m., tramp into the woods in the pre-dawn darkness, and await the raucous gobbling call of one of America's most unique birds. You could also Google "wild turkey gobble sound" on the Internet and hear it in your easy chair, but it really is not the same!

I dedicate this column to my good friend and hunting partner, Chris Miller, the biggest turkey (hunter) I know. I expect he'll be calling soon to schedule his annual spring turkey hunt in southeast Kansas, which ought to provide fodder for a future column. Meanwhile, may his woods overflow with the sound of wild turkeys.

March 8 Outdoor Column

AT WOODS EDGE

'Lost in translation'

By Brad Stefanoni | SPECIAL TO THE MORNING SUN

One evening this past week, the Woods Edge Boys and I enjoyed a "boys only" supper while Mrs. Woods Edge was out instructing her Zumba fitness class. Supper-time conversation included a debate on which Star Wars movie is the best and a lecture from Dad on why eating a single green pea does not exactly meet minimum daily requirements for vegetables.

Suddenly, we heard the raucous honking of Canada geese as they glided in for a landing on the Woods Edge wetland. Younger Son inquisitively asked, "Daddy, why do the geese talk so much when they land on our wetland?"

Over the past month or so, anywhere from two to a dozen Canada geese have been visiting our little wetland each day and night. Sometimes they stay the day and leave at night. Sometimes they arrive in the afternoon and have "sleepovers," as the boys like to call it.

Being the Tall Tale Teller that I am, I seized the opportunity for a teachable moment and disguised a simple lesson about communication in a yarn about goose talk.

"Well, boys, when the geese come in for a landing what they are really saying is, 'Help, I can't stop, I'm flying too fast now get out of the way before I run you over,'" I said without so much as a upward glance from my dinner plate.

They both immediately peered out the window and listened as the geese made their final approach and landed in a chorus of goose babble. I could not hold back a grin as I imagined the gears turning in the boys' minds as they pondered the validity of that.

I knew the had taken the bait when Older Son said, "Yeah, those other geese did swim out of the way right before the other ones landed."

Now it was game on for the storyteller.

"And boys, when the geese walk up on the bank to eat the corn you throw out for them, that murmur sound you hear them make is actually them burping," I instructed, "just like when you eat too much too fast."

Younger Son quickly piped up, "But they don't say 'excuse me' when they burp like we do."

Older Son then queried, "Daddy, what are the geese saying when one tries to get on another one's back out in the water?"

Oops, a backfire! This line of questioning teetered dangerously close to the edge of the Canyon of The Birds and The Bees!

Luckily, a squabble broke out amongst the dozen geese just then and they chased each other around the water clucking noisily with outstretched necks and wings. This caused both boys to drop their silverware and run to the back door for a ringside seat.

"What are they saying now, Daddy?" shouted Younger Son.

"Well, you see boys, geese have recess just like you do at school and now they are playing a game of Dodge Goose, kind of like when you play Dodge Ball. The only difference is that they bite each other on the rear-ends instead of throwing a ball at each other."

"That tall goose is the P.E. teacher just like Mr. Mahnken at your school at Lakeside," I stated, finishing off what I thought was quite a masterpiece of a tall tale.

As we finished supper that evening, the boys and I discussed how animals communicate with each other just like people do. Their communication may sound and look different from ours but, nonetheless, they must communicate in order to survive in their ecosystem.

As the boys carried their empty plates to the dishwasher, Older Son commanded to his younger brother, "Come on, Jack, Daddy is done making up goofy stories about the geese, let's go take our bath."