Wild Turkey in a canyon – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR, natural light
I photographed a small flock of Wild Turkeys yesterday in the West Desert of Utah, specifically in a canyon of the Stansbury Mountains. I just never know when turkeys will show up and I am glad they did yesterday because I didn’t photograph many other birds. Â Allaboutbirds.org doesn’t show them as year round residents in this area on their range map or in other areas of northern Utah where I find them but I know they are here because I see them all year round.
Did you know…
That the English name for Wild Turkeys may be what it is because shipping routes passed through the country of Turkey while on their way to deliver Wild Turkeys to European markets?
That male Wild Turkeys have nothing to do with parental care?
Or that Wild Turkeys can swim by tucking their wings close to their bodies, spreading their tails and using their feet to kick through the water?
That male Wild Turkeys can weigh more than 16 pounds and have a wingspan of 64 inches?
And that Wild Turkey chicks can fly just a few days after hatching?
Just click one of the six images below to start a slide show of some of the turkeys I photographed yesterday morning.
I believe that most of the Wild Turkeys I photographed yesterday morning where hens and some of the young from this year. I sure didn’t see any beards on the birds I photographed.
The turkeys were foraging on both sides of the gravel road and they crossed over the road several times. Before they took off they exhibited some behavior I had never seen before where they flew up onto the tops of some fruit bearing bushes and fed on the fruit while balancing precariously on the thin branches, it was kind of funny to watch these large birds trying to stay upright on such skinny branches. Unfortunately they were in heavy shade at that point and none of my images came out well enough to share.
Two Wild Turkeys in the Stansbury Mountains – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/800, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR, natural light
It was exciting to photograph these large upland game birds yesterday morning and I took so many photos of them that I’ll need to spend at least an hour going through them all but who cares? I don’t.
Life is good.
Mia
All images were taken using my Nikon D500 with the 500mm VR lens attached at ISO 640, my shutter speeds varied.Â
Click here to see more of my Wild Turkey photos plus facts and information about this species.
You see (and document) some wonderful things. Thank you.
Just this morning (!!!), I, reluctantly and sadly, finished Wildlife naturalist and wonderful wildlife artist, Joe Hutton’s book, ILLUMINATION IN THE FLAT WOODS, A season with the wild turkey–which chronicles his imprinting of two seperate batches of wild turkeys in the flatwoods of northern Florida..it is a delightful read, a mixture of scientific observation, art, humor, love, and above all, respect for these amazing birds. Get it, read it, learn from it, enjoy it!(I know you will)…
I haven’t seen as many Wild Turkeys this year as I have other years in the Niagara Peninsula. Sad.
Turkeys have moved North in Canada and are now found in Algonquin Park north of Ottawa, so into the Boreal Forest. They are very adaptable and tough birds.
Gorgeous photos and dialogue, Mia we occasionally spot them at Palo Duro Canyon