NEED BIRD ID HELP

[1DIRTBALL]

Didn't actually see the bird myself. I'm just going by the description as related by someone else and it's got me stumped. There was a flock of 7 or 8 of these birds spotted out by my garden area. They were described to me as having a mostly white body and gray wings. Approximately the size of a turkey. They were seen to go into my garden area and eat seeds from the weeds in there. Then they flew up into a tree in my woods and roosted there. Doesn't sound like anything I've seen since I've lived up here in Warroad,MN. I realize that it's a very sketchy description but does anybody have a clue? 1DIRTBALL

[Jackpine Rob]

Could have been a flock of meanders. Look out, they're vicious buggers. Been known to take in after fishermen, hunters and even vehicles...

The only other possibility would be the rare Tamarack Turkey, also known as the Varying Turkey. Their plumage changes color with the seasons, like a hare or an ermine. Known to exist only in a few remote areas, and sightings have come mostly from folks who "tuned in, turned on and dropped out" in the 1960's.

[The_Duckslayer]

Dirtball, for your sake and the sake of your family and pets I hope that they were not meanders! I was abducted by a bunch of them a while back! Some very mean birds I am here to tell ya. Hopefully it was just turkeys. Whacha think Dotch? U spnd lotsa time watching our feathered friends. Have a good one and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo

[gspman]

My guess is semi-domestic turkeys. Seems like they wouldn't be able to survive a winter up by Warroad though.

[Gissert]

Guinea Hens, perhaps?

[SCUMFROG]

Those are wood chickens, very mean. I wouldn't make them mad or leave your dog outside for to long unattended.

[M.T. Bucket]

If they aren't domestic turkeys, I don't know what they are. We don't have anything that big in MN that eats seeds and perches in trees.

[Dotch]

Sure sounds like it might be a meander Duckalyser altho if there were no tires punctured or windshields smashed, would tend to cast doubt on that theory. Jackpine's onto something tho. The phenomenon he refers to can also be caused by eating bread with too much ergot in it...same active ingredient.

[Pops']

There were other small turkeys developed to fill the "small turkey niche." The Jersey Buff, White Midget, and the midget Bronze are a few familiar varieties which experienced popularity, although never as strong as the Beltsvilles did. Unless there are a flock or two of Beltsvilles hiding somewhere, the only known flocks that are left in existence right now are closed experimental breeding flocks; none of these birds are available to the public, as they are being studied for the higher degree of parthenogenesis they posses (hens can produce some fertile eggs without exposure to a tom). ALL SMALL WHITE TURKEYS that are being shown and sold as Beltsville White turkeys can be traced to the flock of (Wisconsin) White Midgets. The Midgets are a good quality small turkey which are fine eating birds, but there are some slight differences between these and the Beltsville of old days (which were broader breasted, squatter birds).

The White Midget was developed by Smyth at Massachusetts in the 1950s for the smaller turkey market. An adult tom weighs 18-20 pounds and hens about 10-12 pounds. They can be shown in poultry shows as Beltsville Whites, they are a little smaller and not as broad breasted as the Beltsville.

[1DIRTBALL]

Very much appreciate all the replies. Since several of you mentioned turkeys I wanted to report that last fall, I did spot a flock of wild turkeys out on Rocky Point Road.

Duckslayer, Is your avatar a P-47 Thunderbolt?

[1DIRTBALL]

ttt

[The_Duckslayer]

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Duckslayer, Is your avatar a P-47 Thunderbolt?

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Kind of looks like it dosent it? It is the only plane that they have on the default avatar's and since I am retired Air Force I picked it.

I wish we could determine what the birds were. All kidding aside something big and white flew in front of my truck this morning. Had it been a milisecond slower I could have told ya what it was as it would have been imbedded in the right front headlight! I only missed it by inches. Take care and N Joy the Hunt

[1DIRTBALL]

JACKPINE ROB & THE DUCKSLAYER

Are you guy's serious or am I just having my leg pulled? Did a search on Google and can't find anything about meanders. Nothing about tamarack turkeys either. Don't mind having my leg pulled. Sometimes that's half the fun of posting. 1DIRTBALL

[Jackpine Rob]

Us? Pull your leg???

One of my son's buddies came over last week to hang out, and because we were eating late, he was invited to join us. I had taken out a package of boneless venison chops, and was marinating them.

He asks what we're having, my son says "steak" the other boy's eyes get wide and he says "snake???" and I quickly jumped in, before Jr. quit laughing.

"Yep, got this when I was out West" I told him, "its pretty darn good - better than beef."

He was one brave youngster, and finished his meal off truly believing that he was dining on snake, before my wife finally let the cat out of the bag. My kids rated that little prank right up there with the infamous "spruce monkey" caper that had the neighbor kids walking wide berths around the evergreen trees for several days.

[SCUMFROG]

Jackpine Rob

Ok I need to hear this story for the "spruce monkey".

[The_Duckslayer]

Dirt Ball, yer right there is not much on the web about the meanders. I don't know why either. The only place that I have ever seen a picture of one was on the old DNR boards, but alas they are gone now. Dang I wish I had saved it. They are a very large and a very mean bird. You don't want to cross one... and if you kill one it is much like getting close to a baby bird in your back yard, the entire family will be after you. The difference is the meanders will not let up until you are hurt. Watch out for them. I'll look around and see if I can find that picture again, Dotch you didn't happen to make a copy of it did ya? Have a good one and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo

[Bobb-o]

[SCUMFROG]

Bobb-o

That's a turkey vulture. Those things are huge and they look very much like a turkey when they are on the ground. I see about 30-40 of them every day by my house.

[The_Duckslayer]

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Bobb-o

That's a turkey vulture. Those things are huge and they look very much like a turkey when they are on the ground. I see about 30-40 of them every day by my house.

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Way to go scumfrog, we'll never gettem out snipe hunting now! Sheesh.... ;-)

Hope your ice houses are all still atop the ice come Monday morning! Take care and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo

[Bobb-o]

i know its a turkey vulture, cuz thats what i typed into the google search i was just trying to find the scariest looking bird that resembled the infamous meander.

[Jackpine Rob]

Next time type in "pterydactyl, ostrich and falcon". Melt 'em together and you're getting close to a meander. The problem with the buzzard is that its beak and talons are NOWHERE NEAR the vicious instruments of destruction found on the meander. Also, the meander has highly developed legs that enable it to outrun its prey on the ground, which complement its incredible aerial abilities.

[1DIRTBALL]

JACKPINE ROB & THE DUCKSLAYER, You are guy's after my own heart! Have I ever told you the story about the Infamous Sidehill Gouger? 1DIRTBALL

[Munk]

Dirtball,

Don't get those two going or we'll soon be hearing about their "sasquatch" encounters. I've heard a few of these and they're down right scary.......

[The_Duckslayer]

I have it on good authority that a meander was seen carrying off a small sheep one time. They are a bird to be recokned with. This time of the year they get ornery and mean as they have to search harder for food. The good thing that they do is lower the ferrel cat population! U will want to keep an eye out for them and if you throw your fish on the ice outside your fish house beware! Take care and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo

[Dotch]

Correctamundo, Jimbo. I keep the 45-70 handy in case those meanders get close enough to the flock so's I can get a quick round off. Also, caught a gigantic eelpout on Mille Lacs a few years back, the kind most sportsmen take home to mount or at least put under someone elses car seat. After untangling all the lines in the house and rebaiting, I took a little snooze. Much to my chagrin the last I saw of my prize when I opened the shack door, it was airborne clutched in a meander's talons!