Chukar in Racine County Wisconsin on September 26, 2019

The Chukar, a Eurasian species introduced here in the US is considered a released game bird here in Wisconsin. I found this adult feeding along a roadside in Racine County this morning eating seeds. It put on a nice show eating seeds as I watched it at a distance. I am posting this as some birders have never seen one so it is for educational purposes I would say. It was a gorgeous fall like morning with sunny skies, temps around 60 and very little wind. Images were taken on September 26, 2019.

The Chukar as I found it…

The close-up, a beautiful bird…

Here the Chukar is finding seeds and eating them…

Eating seeds…

Getting that seed!

Just looking…

Looking for seeds, it is what they eat…

Looking for seeds and getting some…

Those colors!

Looking pretty!

Just looking around…

Wild Turkeys at the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center in Milwaukee Wisconsin on November 30, 2018

One of my birding stops today was the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center. It was a quiet day there birding like most places this time of year. The highlight was a flock of Wild Turkeys back in the woods near a ravine. I stopped on the opposite side of the ravine not to disturb them for a few shots. A flock of 6 and one of them remained perched in a tree while I was present. One displayed the whole time I was there too. A couple wandered around feeding, a couple just rested around the area they were in. It was nice to see them just doing what they do. It was a gloomy day, temps around 30, low winds out there, not bad for the end of November. Images were taken on November 30, 2018.

Wild Turkey, adult male displaying…

Moving about, this one always showing his beauty…

Resting under a spruce…

Perched high up in a tree near the ravine…

On the lookout…

Wild Turkey nest with eggs Marquette County Wisconsin May 24, 2014

While doing some birding in Marquette County today I accidentally flushed a Wild Turkey from its nest. I did not realize the nest was there with a turkey sitting on eggs. It was well hidden unless you were standing right in front of it. Interesting that the nest is in an open field with little vegetation other than this patch of native grass in an 8 foot circle, grasses 3 feet high. The nest was made of dead grasses. I quickly took a few images of the nest and eggs and left the area. This nest contained 13 eggs. In some images near the bottom of this post a came across a Wild Turkey nest back in May of 2011. This was on the same piece of land, but a heavily wooded area, nest was in a broken off older tree top laying on the ground next to a log. That nest also held 13 eggs but was made of leaves. The size of Wild Turkeys eggs are 1.6″ -1.9″ wide by a length of 1.9″- 2.7″. Typically Wild Turkeys build their nests on the ground, in a 1″ deep scrap made of material in the area of the nest site.

Wild Turkey Nest with eggs Marquette Co. WI. May 24, 2014

Wild Turkey nest with eggs Marquette Co. WI. May 24, 2014

Wild Turkey Nest with eggs Marquette Co. WI. May 24, 2014

Wild Turkey eggs in nest Marquette Co. WI. May 24, 2014

Wild Turkey Nest with eggs, more distant shot, Marquette Co. WI. May 24, 2014

Wild Turkey nest with eggs, more distant shot of nest site, Marquette Co. WI. May 24, 2014

Wild Turkey Nest with eggs Marquette Co. WI. May 24, 2014

Wild Turkey nest with eggs Marquette Co. WI. May 24, 2014

Wild Turkey Nest with eggs Marquette Co. WI. May 24, 2014

Wild Turkey nest with eggs Marquette Co. WI. May 24, 2014

Wild Turkey eggs in nest, Marquette Co. WI. May 24, 2014

Wild Turkey eggs in nest, Marquette Co. WI. May 24, 2014

Wild Turkey head

Wild Turkey head, image taken August 23, 2010 in Waukesha Co.

Wild Turkeys, image taken on January 31, 2010 in Waukesha Co.

Wild Turkeys, image taken on January 31, 2010 in Waukesha Co.

Wild Turkey nest with eggs Marquette Co. WI. May 27, 2011.

Wild Turkey nest with eggs Marquette Co. WI. May 27, 2011.

Wild Turkey nest with eggs Marquette Co. WI. May 27, 2011.

Wild Turkey nest with eggs Marquette Co. WI. May 27, 2011.