The stillness of this Mill Bay neighbourhood was shattered by an unusual call of the wild in late November: a flock of turkeys sauntering through the Mill Springs neighbourhood.
Roger Anderson was out at his community mailbox when he saw wild turkeys.
“I walked down the street, and they seemed to follow me,” Roger said.
These free-ranging poultry followed Roger all the way home and all the way to his wife, Gail’s, prize-winning garden. To her consternation, they sauntered right in.
“There are about a dozen wild turkeys roaming around in front of our house. Hey, I don’t want you in my yard. Hey! Shoo! Shoo! Oh my god, they are not the least bit afraid of me. Hey! Go on! Go! Go! Hey! Go! Go!,” Roger yelled at the feathered flock.
In their wattle walk, these hens, and toms got around this Mill Bay neighbourhood. They took a gander to Hal and Marie Adam’s yard and even perched on top of their car.
“We’ve never seen them out here,” Roger said.
Thes turkeys may be the permanent wild residents who reside at Shawnigan Lake, roaming a little far from home. Neighbour Jim Harrop said he saw what could have been the flock north of Mill Bay.
“Well, I saw them two days ago. Outside of Shawnigan Lake. There was eight,” Harrop said.
This turkey trot continues to be the talk of this small community.
“It’s polarizing. Everyone is chatting about it. And like I said, it’ll go down in history as the Great Turkey Debacle of 2019. Remember when turkeys came through Mill Springs? Oh my god!” Roger said.
As quickly as they arrived, they left.
Mary Griffin
