Look closely at this photograph. Yes, that creature walking in the middle of Water Street, in downtown Manhattan, is a wild turkey!
My husband took these photos with his blackberry phone camera early one morning last week, as he was on his way to work. The wild turkey he captured is the legendary turkey named Zelda, who has been living in Battery Park in New York City since 2003.
According to a New York Daily News article, the wild turkey was named after Zelda Fitzgerald, wife of F. Scott Fitzgerald, because the woman also was found wandering in the park after a nervous breakdown. The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation web site states that wild turkey populations live in various parks across New York City, including Van Cortlandt Park and Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx, Inwood Hill Park in Manhattan, the Greenbelt in Staten Island, but independent Zelda may be the only one this far south in Manhattan. Zelda is so famous she even had a segment on All Things Considered on National Public Radio.
Zelda obviously likes the excitement of living downtown. Here she is stopping a bus in its path! I wonder if she wanted to hop on to catch a sale somewhere? Hey, Zelda, wait for me!
I'm adding this post to Jenny Matlock blog's "Alphabe Thursday" event. This week's letter is "T" Please visit Jenny today to see links to all the other blogs participating today with their imaginative "T" posts!
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64 comments:
Pat this is a terrific T post for Alphabe Thursday! A wild turkey in Manhattan who would have imagined! Stopping traffic! Too funny! Thanks for sharing! Hugs Anne
fantastic .... she looks like quite the eccentric bird!!!
This is such a funny story and the reason she got her name made me actually laugh out loud!
Hugs,
Joanne
Oh wonderful! Love it. Can you imagine the hats she would buy?! Perfect name for her. What a dame!
O.K....now that is wierd. I can't believe Zelda has managed to live for a few years. It is a wonder someone hasn't killed her. I can see why it stops traffic!
Have a Great Day!
Love,
MArilyn
xxoo
Pat I absolutely love this! It's truly amazing to me how adaptable wildlife can be in urban areas all over the world. I bet Zelda has fans all over Manhattan who are on the lookout for her each day. How fun that your husband was able to see her taking a morning stroll.
Wow! This is a hoot and a half! The most unique of the T posts, that's for sure!
Zelda is my kind of gal because I often find myself wandering where I don't belong.....
Hi
So Zelda just escapes her Battery Park home every so often and wanders round New York at will?
Does she return home by herself or is she taken there? :-)
Oh my goodness what a wild turkey!! Amazing! I'm like - well good for her, but I'd worry for her safety! But it looks like you lovely New Yorkers have taken her into your hearts and are looking out for her! Yay!
We love Zelda, oh yes we do! Long may she wander around safe and free!!
Take care
x
That is hilarious and Zelda seems oblivious to the BUS coming at her!!! I hope she found her way to safety.
She looks like she has a talent for surviving. I don't think I would tangle with a bus.
Zelda is daring....just not her nature to be a city girl!~ Funny though to see this. Have a great day.!~
I've heard of city chicken, buy city turkey?!
This is one of the funniest things I've ever seen. What a hoot! I love the bus stopping for her. And I can only imagine anyone seeing Zelda after a long night of clubbing - wonder if they go on the wagon after that?:)
Kathy
Thats amazing a wild turkey on the streets of New York. I don't think Zelda is long for this world if she keeps up these dangerous morning walks.
Go Zelda! I love it!
Cathy
OMG--that is HILARIOUS, Pat! Turkey running rampant in NYC--now there's a first... LOL! Hope she stays safe amidst all that traffic though... Thanks for sharing the fun. :o) Happy Day ((HUGS))
Pat I adored this post. I love it when nature stops by and literally stops our world dead in its tracks. Nothing like a wild turkey named Zelda to get everyone to smile. Sea Witch
A NY Turkey! lol Turkey in the City the sequel! lol Grace xoxox
Amazing!! That turkey has been living downtown for 7 years...rent free? You really have to wonder why it would choose such an environment. Great post, Pat..this is so unique.
♥, Susan
While I am accustomed to waking up to turkeys in my yard in Minnesota, I woould be astonished to see one walking the streets of Manhattan. Definnitely a city turkey! I adore that she is named after Zelda F. Actually, I just love that they named her! Cheers to Zelda and her headstrong ways!
Oh the poor THING...lost in the TRAFFIC! I hope someone saved her from herself!
I LOVE IT! This is even better than the wild parrots. Go Zelda.
Hi Pat, Well----putting the words turkey and NYC's streets in the same sentence seems like an oxymoron... How can a wild turkey LIVE in the city??? Goodness Gracious.... That shocks me. But--it sounds like Zelda loves the city---and the city loves Zelda...
Cute post.
Hugs,
Betsy
I love the idea that Zelda is so confident in her city walks she doesn't hesitate to confront buses and other traffic challenges. What a hoot!
love that the turkey is a new yorker :D
Love it! We have geese that enjoy their power to stop traffic in our neighborhood. They are not as high falutin' as Zelda, though. She's a charmer for sure!
How funny....great pictures!
Zelda better be careful crossing those streets!!!!!
lol Zelda in New York. Now that would make a good movie ha! You got people and taxis , why not a real turkey?
This is hilarious Pat. I kieep thinking how can it stay alive in a city like NewYork. So funny.
I'm giving you first prize for the most original entry for the letter T. When the letter Z comes on you can give us some fresh new on him/her. Thanks so much.
Anne-Marie
Zelda is a city girl, that's for sure, strolling along casually in the street.
Just so cute. Hope she stays safe.
Pat! What a totally terrific stop on Alphabe-Thursday!
I loved this! It made me smile! It made me realize that people are really the same...big city or small!
Thanks for linking up. You always help make this meme special!
A+
That is a totally cool Wild Turkey LOL. It must really like NY if it puts up with all the traffic I hear about. This was a Great T post.
Ray and I are sitting here in hysterics! Neither one of us can believe that a cabbie hasn't hit her or a homeless person made dinner of her! How funny!
xoxo Pattie
So funny! So New York! This is the most entertaining city in the whole world!
What a riot! And who'd ever think it. Zelda seems to have acclimated to this wild life in NYC. Always something interesting from you, Pat. :D
what cute Turkey on the street...
awesome t post!
This turkey is 7 years old?!...I hope she has a mate somewhere...this is such an adorable story:)
Apparantly the wild turkey population is exploding...there are flocks of them wandering the neighborhoods in RI...but Manhattan!
I came back to say I saw a pic of you on Kevin and Amanda's blog, her photos from the LA /Bertolli Trip. You are a celebrity and I can tell everyone I know you! You look so sweet!
I've seen ducks stopping traffic in slightly more rural areas, but a turkey in Manhattan is just awesome!
You just amaze me with the stories, interesting facts, and the history behind those facts that you present on a weekly basis, on this blog. T for turkey on Alphabet Tuesday...who would have thought you would choose one from right off the streets of Manhatten. How very interesting!
That is so cute and funny! A wild turkey on Manhattan!
But I hope you haven't used this story too soon. Maybe you could have found another T-word, but what are you going to do for "Z". You could have used this post for "Z"! (Maybe you have more to share about Zelda Fitzgerald!)
Just a thought.
Best wishes,
Anna
Anna's Ts
This adds a whole different dimension to the Turkey Trot marathon! Zelda's story would make a cute children's picture book -- I'm surprised it's not been done!
I've never heard of this! What an amazing funny story!
too funny!
well, i bet you had the best 'z' comment
by far!
what a fun story! it's a miracle it has
not been creamed by the taxis who
seem to always gun for me.
it means a lot to me that you visit my
blog occasionally, because to us, you
are 'the great one.' :)
wild urban turkey! maybe he was out shopping for his wife! something special from the city was in order after their heated fight in the woods the other day!
lol
have a great day!
ciao bella
creative carmelina
Such a cool story...life in NYC...pretty cool...peace and blessings
Wild turkeys stopping traffic in Montana - now that's not unusual. Wild turkeys stopping traffic in Manhattan - unusual.
I wonder what NPR will do when she's dared a bus one too many times!
Oh this is too funny! A wild turkey who enjoys wandering around New York City!! :-) Zelda is a great name for her!!
Hi Pat, well, you just gave me the biggest laugh. I hope Zelda survives the NY streets. Tell your dh he did a great job capturing the moment.
I love this post.
Hugs, Jeanne
This is a terrific post, Pat! I always love to see what you will be blogging about. I went back and looked at passt posts and that country-themed wedding was lovely!! My daughter and I did all the flowers for my niece's wedding 2 weeks ago. That wedding was so unique!
OH this is such a great post,, poor Zelda,,, lol she sure gets around,,, wonder where she was going,,,, maybe she had a lunch date.... thanks for sharing,,, have a great weekend
Hugs;
Alaura
Sale? Did you say sale?
I can't believe your hubby took the photos with his phone. Glad he did, I would have never believed that a turkey was running lose in NYC.
Please, join us on "Mia Monday". Every week is a new theme, and it is always about YOU! Monday we are sharing five photos of ourselves. Any five...could be more or less. Come by link up and join the party every Monday at "Mia Monday".
What a fun story! Who would have thought...a turkey in Manhatten? Good thing you have your hubby on your team...gahering photos for your blog. Good job!
what a funny place for a turkey....I love it....
amazing!!! and to think that Zelda has made it crossing traffic since 2003!!!
...why did the turkey cross the road?
Love this! And how cool that your hubby was able to get her on his camera phone!
Blessings & Aloha!
that's so funny...i knew there were 100 year old turtles but not turkeys!
Zelda definitely is a daring bird who doesn't anticipate a long life span! I can't believe she takes such risks. Perhaps the exhaust fumes have gotten to her and she doesn't even realize the imminent danger. Oh, well, she could easily have been Thanksgiving dinner and she's managed to survive that as well!
Amazing!
How awesome!
Pat, that is just WILD! No pun intended. LOL!
We had a friend in Charleston who used to have a jogging chicken, but I think this tops that story! Although the chicken did have its own high chair and wrought iron cage. Her name was Mary Hancock. I love the fact that this turkey is named after Zelda. I share her birthday and love her work and her husband's, sometimes hard to tell apart since it appears he actually used some of her stories. ;-)
XO,
Sheila
How funny!!!
I met Zelda today! Near the staten island ferry! She has an entourage! Such a celeb.
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