George, the turkey, is on the run.  He has delighted some residents and frightened others at the Stoneybrook Mobile Home Park, a 55+ community in Seabrook, New Hampshire.

Residents who live there don’t know what happened to George’s flock, nor do they know where he stays at night. However, from about 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day, George appears. He struts around the manufactured home community and its adjacent streets and has also been seen at Staples Park, which is near Stoneybrook.

Residents at Stoneybrook say that George keeps about 12 to 15 feet away from people, but he is otherwise comfortable with those who live in the community. He’s known for looking at his reflection in the fenders and tire rims of parked cars, as well as chasing some cars.

Seacoast Online tells MHProNews that some residents think the 20-pound turkey is aggressive, and they are afraid of him.  This has prompted complaints to the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, as well as to the Seabrook Animal Control.  “Fish and Game will likely put the turkey down if it can find him,” said Seabrook Animal Control Officer Jeff Baillargeon. He’s hoping to find the bird first so he can capture him and move him to another area.

“Most people think George is harmless,” said Dwight Souther, who does contracting for the community and is frequently in the area. Souther has never heard of any damage to cars, nor harm to humans. “I haven’t really met anyone who doesn’t like him,” Souther said. “The people who encounter him get a kick out of him. They call him the community mascot.”

Norma Oullette-Iannalfo, a resident in Stoneybrook, said she sees George every day. She said he keeps his distance, but appears friendly, and she finds him to be “charming.”

“I’ll go out and say, ‘Hey, George, how you doing?’ and he’ll gobble at me. Then I’ll get in my car and he’ll chase me,” Oullette-Iannalfo said. “I think there are more people that like him than complain.”

While Souther and Oullette-Iannalfo are fond of George, some find him a nuisance.

On the Seabrook Watchdogs Facebook thread, commenters said the bird was “aggressive,” and that he was known for “preventing slow-moving folks from getting into their cars.”

Mark Preston, who said he knows some of the park residents, said George will start pecking at cars, even while people are still in them.  “He is big,” Preston said. “I don’t think I would get out of my car with him ticked off.”

Officer Baillargeon said he first heard complaints from residents about the turkey in November. When he first saw George, he said the bird ran away. However, he said it looks like the worst George will do is bounce his beak against the cars he’s curious about.

Having found him to be quite harmless, Officer Baillargeon suspects that the issue is elderly people being nervous around him. “We don’t want anyone going out and getting scared and falling down because they’re trying to get away from the turkey,” he said.

Officer Baillargeon said he has a place in mind to move George to if he can catch him. “He’s a little more brave than the common bird,” he added. “Not that I’m looking forward to taking him out of his community, but we want to do what’s safe for him as well.” ##

(Photo Credit: Seacoastonline).

 

Article Submitted by Sandra Lane to – Daily Business News- MHProNews.