This Mama turkey hen had her eight chicks about three weeks ago. She was fetching food for them for the first 10 or so days by herself. Now she is more confident, she escorts them to where food is and teaches them table manners as she guards them when they eat (image above). Taima thinks that they are ugly, but I see them cute. When I tried to photograph them when they were still little, Mama turkey hid them in the tall grass (and I guess asked them to be quite too) and revealed herself to me as she walked away from the site. The farther she was from the site, the closer she would allow me to approach her. Finally, I was about a foot away from her admiring her graceful body, beautiful feathers and big eyes - it was an awesome experience (silhouette image below). She is so smart. No wonder Ben Franklin objected to the bald eagle as a choice for the US Great Seal instead of the turkey. He wrote to this daughter: "I am on this account not displeased that the Figure is not known as a Bald Eagle, but looks more like a Turkey. For the Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America . . . He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on." See more on http://www.greatseal.com/symbols/turkey.html Houssam
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