I happened to be in the botanical gardens adjacent to the QUT campus at
lunch time and had the pleasure of watching a turkey [let's call him
Stan] move a load of grass clippings and pine needles about 15 metres to
an ambitious mound [it appears to have a 3-4 metre diameter] at the base
of a bunya pine.
Stan's scratchings were in a 8 metre long strip which he was
progressively inching towards the mound. He ran off when I sat down to
watch the proceedings from a picnic table - to chase away a pesky
interloper.
When Stan returned, there was a set pattern to his scratchings. He
would jog to the mound, check all was in order, then start at the end of
the strip closest to the mound. Stan would toss each foot load about
1-2 metres backwards, while steadily working his way up the strip. When
he got to the far end, he would scratch more dilligently to make sure he
hadn't lost too much, before jogging back to the mound and starting the
cycle again.
Stan appeared to be ambidexterous, throwing as much material with the
left leg as the right. Over the 15 minutes I watched him, I would say
he moved the strip front by about 4 metres.
Fascinating stuff.
Regards, Laurie.
.
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