Now that we're onto birds (creeping softly, silently, they slipped from the bonds of the thread into the netherworld beyond, knowing they might never again see their own world...)

We had turkeys who inadvertently got somewhat imprinted on us and when we would stretch out in the grass they would come tower over us quite gently and come eyeball to eyeball as if looking for a clue of some sort. We were clueless, we thought, but they would take our lead and stretch out too. "Oh, is this the coolest/softest/safest spot, let's all be turkeys in the grass."

When you lead geese you're sublime. In the company of ducks--who are intelligent enought to joyously rediscover water, anew, each day, with much noise and fanfare--you are raised to a new level but when you can lead turkeys...

Now that's the top of the heap!