My life as a turkey

I had a presentation and viva yesterday about my honours project, accounting for 25% of my degree mark this year. I was rather nervous about it but in the end it all went very smoothly, and I came out the other side feeling rather content. As a treat I took the evening off and watched a programme called My Life as A Turkey.

The title made it sound quite bad; some stupid overhyped channel 4 documentary. My assumption could not have been further from the truth. It was stunning. I was so moved by it!

This guy spent over a year living day and night with a clutch of 16 wild turkeys whom he had reared from hatching. It was a fascinating insight into the life cycle of these turkeys. The part I enjoyed particularly was how this man became integrated into the local woodland wildlife. It seems that as he was integrated and accepted as at one with this brood of turkeys he was also accepted as one with all of the other woodland creatures. The whole programme was so captivating! So many delightful shots of the turkeys being fascinated with tortoises and their innate ability to know which snakes were dangerous and which animals were harmless. I was so touched by how attached this man became to his turkey family; and how much he felt he learnt from them. I really can't find words to express how charmed and delighted I was.

I would really, really love to have an experience like this at some time in my life. The chances of that happening are slim. But probably only by my own obstacles. I imagine it would be very hard to give up your comfortable and material driven life for on win the forest. But at the same time I think it would be incredibly liberating and invigorating. Maybe when I'm having a mid-life crisis at the age of 40 and want to reinvent my life.... I can't wait. http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0133r58/Natural_World_20112012_My_Life_as_a_Turkey_Natural_World_Special/