How much will this hard winter hurt the birds? Deaths? Move to different ground?
This winter has been very hard on the flocks in the northeast. From my observations the wild turkey is very hardy and adaptable to adverse conditions and will stay near available food sources. Ice makes it very difficult for them to find food especially when it is under the snow cover. I have seen turkeys roosting in apple trees and even saw some jumping up and hitting the squirrel guard on a bird feeder to knock out feed. Adding to the difficulties they face on a daily basis, predators can take advantage of flock concentrations in an opportunistic manner. The only silver lining may be that I have seen no symptoms of Lymphoproliferative disease in any of the turkeys I've photographed lately and it may be that these weakened birds may have succumbed to the adverse conditions of the winter.
Here are some pictures portraying the wild turkeys will to survive
(http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp66/dhodgkins/DSC_0185.jpg) (http://s398.photobucket.com/user/dhodgkins/media/DSC_0185.jpg.html)
(http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp66/dhodgkins/DSC_0322.jpg) (http://s398.photobucket.com/user/dhodgkins/media/DSC_0322.jpg.html)
(http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp66/dhodgkins/DSC_0263.jpg) (http://s398.photobucket.com/user/dhodgkins/media/DSC_0263.jpg.html)
(http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp66/dhodgkins/DSC_0246.jpg) (http://s398.photobucket.com/user/dhodgkins/media/DSC_0246.jpg.html)
(http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp66/dhodgkins/DSC_0480.jpg) (http://s398.photobucket.com/user/dhodgkins/media/DSC_0480.jpg.html)
Those are great shots!. I dont think our turkeys have been hurt but they are fed up and mad as hell:)
wow awesome pictures!