(Yet Another Local News Story about animals going wild. And pretty badly written, as well)

Mon Mar 10, 9:53 PM ET
Ann Notarangelo

Some people in the East Bay are crying foul over the exploding wild turkey population. The birds are running rampant in some areas, creating problems for residents.

Dusk is about the time of day when the wild turkeys roost for the night. It will finally be quite in one Danville neighborhood — until the dawn of a new day.

It’s a call of the wild Danville residents know well. They start early in the morning — 5:30 in the morning. Some love it, some loathe it.

“They wake us up every morning,” said resident Anne Wyap. “They just run around all day.”

Some gobble along with them.

This intimacy with a 25-pound bird comes from living in their midst. For nearly 10 years the number of wild turkeys has risen steadily across the East Bay. And there are times when more than a 100 call Danville home.

“They seem to have a path coming down the street through our yard and into the other yards,” said Wyap.

Which conveniently answers the question why did the turkey cross the road? All this was once a novelty but for half the neighborhood the amusement has worn off.

“I wouldn’t mind a few but I sure don’t like 30, 40, 50 turkeys walking around messing all over the place,” said resident Raleen Gjerman.

“We try spraying them with water, but then you have to take the hose around,” said Wyap. “We chase them.”

The turkeys rule the roost.

“They’re a nuisance,” said resident Anita Gatti.

The Gatti’s home is a safe haven for the turkeys. A least a dozen hiding in plain sight.

There were 128 turkeys here two years ago and Fish and Game tried to trap them.

“They told us they were going to catch them and take them up to Sacramento, but the turkeys were smarter than the Fish and Game — they only got 28,” said resident Carol Gatti.

The National Wild Turkey Federation is willing to pay to relocate the birds but right now the birds are more interested in mating than eating. Hunting season is just around the corner, but not in this part of the Bay Area.