Attacked by Wild Turkeys

So, for my post birthday, at the invitation of Kim Foscato, I go out to Skywalker Ranch for a delightful karate class taught by the incomparable Derek Bentley.  Thankfully my Yoga Fairfax classes have gotten me back in shape enough to keep up.  As I cruise back to my car with lunch in hand, I'm attacked by two wild turkeys!  There were three Toms courting a Hen.  I made the mistake of stopping and making eye contact.  When they saw me watching them two Toms veered off and started after me.  I threw ice water at them to no avail and ran to my car.  Like the Velociraptors in Jurassic Park (which, according to this article were, in fact, just scary turkeys) they split up and came after me from the front and end of my car.  Swinging my fanny pack and lunch at them, I scrambled to get into the car as they huffed and puffed and jumped and moved in closer.  Once in my car, they tried to stop me from leaving and, after finally getting by them, I could see them in my rear view mirror chasing after me running 10 miles per hour.  Phew!  Turns out there are a lot of Wild Turkey attacks out there these days if the YouTube turkey attack videos are any indication.  But guess what - they are not all attacking Mail Persons.

The photo pictured here was taken last Spring at Skywalker.  It seemed appropriate since the weather today was very Springish.  The turkey is from the beautiful book "Birds - The Art of Ornithology" by Jonathan Elphick and is one of John James Audubon's hand-colored aquatints.  The book is well worth having.  The turkeys are not.  Let's all eat Turkey for dinner this week!