Little known animal facts

Horses: Scared by wild turkeys. *AND* Lizards go "BANG".

I know these things to be true because I have heard and seen them...on my property...within the last month. In fact, I just heard a 5-lined lizard with an electric-blue colored tail come in to visit for a while. I know this b/c I went & investigated after hearing him coming in. Dunno how long he plans to stay, or if the regular brown lizard that came in last week has left yet or not. I always figure if they can find their way in under the door, then they can find their way back out again. Of course, if it's a black king snake that I find in here, I'll be *helping* it back out.

The banging lizard story really isn't a big story.... I was sitting on the couch last week when I saw a brown lizard hanging out between me & my most favorite a/c vent. (Most favored a/c vent status changes depending on what room I'm in.) Anyway, I was just going to get closer to him so I could see him better, but apparently I looked hungry.... for he turned tail & dashed for the door through whence he had entered my living room. Unfortunately for him, the flashing on the underside of the door was hanging a tad lower than he remembered. I heard a definite *BANG* as he shot out under the door. I opened the door & looked for a stunned lizard but didn't see anything. I guess he shook it off & kept going........

The horses vs. the turkey...now that was a sight to behold. If only I had a video camera..... I was driving out about 3 weeks ago & saw the horses hanging out grazing by the edge of the driveway. This is nothing new. Some days they stand in the driveway just for the heck of blocking traffic, but this particular day they were acting strange. Their heads would go down like they were looking at something on ground level, then they'd rear up & shy away a few steps like something was after them. I figured there was a snake out there with them, but no.... when I got far enough 'round the bend in the drive to see, 'twas a wild turkey chasing after them. She'd run at them with her neck all stretched out--looking for all the world like she wanted to take a chunk out of 'em. I thought "she's nuts... the driveway runs along the edge of the woods, she could just run in the trees, the horses aren't much for the woods, they won't follow her"... but she stayed at it, chasing the horses further & further up into the pasture. Once the horses were a 'safe' distance away, she got her 3 little babies, barely as tall as the grass they were (had been) hiding in, to follow her down out of the pasture & back to the safety of the woods...away from the curious snuffling of the horses. Then her actions seemed a lot more sane. :-D

True stories. The truth is stranger than fiction some days... and much more entertaining to experience than to read......