Wild Turkeys on a cliff – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/500, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited or called in
Finding a flock of Wild Turkeys close enough to photograph in the Promontory Mountain Range of Box Elder County yesterday was exciting and challenging too. I have seen the turkeys in the area but had only had one chance to photograph them and a fence was in the way that time. This time the turkeys were out in the open and had walked to the top of a cliff face.
Box Elder County Wild Turkey – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/800, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited or called in
It seemed quite perfect to have a flock of wild turkeys with the dried grasses of autumn and the earthy colors of the rocks below and behind them. As they moved in and out of the grasses it was a challenge to photograph them without the dried vegetation in front of their faces.
Wild Turkeys in the Promontory Mountain Range – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/800, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited or called in
There were about 6 to 7 turkeys in this small flock and as I photographed them I could hear other turkeys in the distance but I wasn’t sure where they were and I didn’t want to spend much time trying to locate them while I had these birds within focusing distance.
Wild Turkey on a lichen covered cliff face – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited or called in
This turkey seemed to be the one keeping an eye out for any dangers that might be present and when it moved the other turkeys followed.
After these turkeys moved down the cliff and under a tree I saw the other turkeys I had heard earlier walk down a hillside and they appeared to join the other group under the tree.
It was fun photographing these Wild Turkeys on the lichen covered cliff faces of northern Utah.
Life is good
Mia
Click here to see more of my Wild Turkey photos plus facts and information about this species.
Love the see them – and loved Patty’s story about their protective nature too.
Bird brain is another of those common myths.
Really nice to see wild turkeys,like the texture in these photos. I know where there are some but never had the fortune to see them for myself.I found Patty’s story quite interesting, too..
These are interesting birds to watch. We have a flock of them in Maine. They like to cross what has become a narrow but now busy road in front of our house and I always worry about them. They are heading for the vet that lives over there. She either feeds them or they are scrounging feed from some of her many other animals. I’m always afraid they’ll be hit, but they’re very smart about when to cross safely. My falconer friend, Jim, claims that if one of them is attacked by one of his birds, the other turkeys come rushing to the victim’s aid and beat the bejeakus out of his bird until he can rescue it.
Beautiful photos, Mia. Turkeys are a real treat this close to Thanksgiving.