New Arrivals

Check this out- a tom strutting his stuff. It is pretty amazing to watch this bird (not too dissimilar in size from the hen in the foreground) go from one size to being this puffed up. It is the first time that we've had a tom (male) come to the property and court the hens. At different times of the day (at night they roost off the ground) the male calls out in that sound we associate with a turkey. He shows off and poses in front of the females and they always keep their distance. It isn't an aggressive courting ritual, but one of display. I like seeing them, it's like the land is being claimed by the native populations (though the turkey isn't historically native  to our region), I do find them more enjoyable to have on the land than the intrusive blackberries... well, I do really like the berrries (contrary to some myth, there are blackberries that are native to the PNW though not the larger Himalayan blackberry). However, with that said, the turkeys are a challenge because they enjoy rolling in dirt and the mulch around plants. Two years ago Susan spread newspaper and mulch around the trees and soon we had newspaper over parts of the property.

Turkey hunting season ended last Sunday and maybe this tom understood that this is a no-hunting zone. But the hunters around here are mostly really experienced and don't hunt near the houses. However, with that said, it is rare that I actually go out on my bike in the early morning or late afternoon. It isn't so much that I fear being mistaken for a turkey, but that some errant shot will come my way. (Which did happen a number of years ago. It was close enough that I heard the bullet pass by my ear.) I am aware that anytime that I go out that people could be doing some target shooting.

A few other creatures now visiting are a pair of crows, the Evening Grosbeaks in their mottled dark and orange colors, American Goldfinches in their brilliant splendor, and a pair of Western Bluebirds spend time in the lower part of the meadow.

A couple of weeks ago we went harvesting some native plants to transplant onto the property. We found some of these Hooker's Fairybells (Disporum hookeri). In Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast they mention that Hooker's berries was eaten by one tribe, but overall it was considered poisonous and associated with snakes and ghost. We also added some Oregon Iris (Iris tenax)- very purple and showy. Slowly, slowly we are adding more and more natives.


I would be remiss if I didn't show this image of a very non-native species that is sometimes seen roaming the property. The ritual was imported from Scotland and has become endemic. Some people consider it an invasive species. But just like the fruit of the blackberry, there is value in it.