Nature's Notebook


here was a parade in Salisbury last Monday, but I am afraid I was the only spectator.

I was on my way into town for a Housing Trust meeting when I spotted some wild turkeys in the Belters’ fields east of Farnam Road, about halfway between the road and the Salmon Kill brook. Seeing turkeys there is not an unusual experience — I once actually counted a flock of 58 in the same field.

But the turkeys last Monday seemed to be following something. I stopped the truck and got out, with my binoculars. There were five turkeys in a straggly line pecking at something on the ground — and leading them was a great blue heron.

The heron, with head held high, stepped gingerly along the ground, looking carefully around. The turkeys followed in a ragged single file. They were probably looking for grasshoppers, since Allen Cockerline had recently mowed the field, making the insects easier to find.

I watched this strange assemblage for a few minutes until the heron grew bored and flew off a couple of hundred yards to the creek. The turkeys seemed unperturbed by the departure of their grand marshal and continued their grasshopper quest.

I was going to be late for my meeting, so I resumed my drive to town, enchanted by this brief wildlife tableau.

 

 


Carl Williams of Salisbury, a longtime observer of wildlife, is guest Nature’s Notebook columnist this week.

 

style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: times italic"carl williams of salisbury, a longtime observer of wildlife, is guest nature’s notebook columnist this week. >

 

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