Wild Turkey hen foraging in autumn grasses, West Desert, Tooele County, UtahWild Turkey hen foraging in autumn grasses – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

Yesterday morning on the way to the West Desert I said “Maybe there will be some Wild Turkeys to photograph” and I found them! I was trying to take images of a few White-crowned Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos when I spotted the turkeys moving towards me while they were foraging. I started taking photos of the small flock within a second of seeing and pointing them out.

First fall Wild Turkey hen up close, West Desert, Tooele County, UtahFirst fall Wild Turkey hen up close – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2500, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR, natural light

What I didn’t expect was how close the turkeys would come to the “mobile blind” and that I’d soon be taking close up images of them with my 1.4x teleconverter removed. If I had left the teleconverter on all I would have been able to photograph is their heads. I like that I was able to include the ground and their feet in some of the photos.

Those are some strong looking feet!

First fall Wild Turkey close up, West Desert, Tooele County, UtahFirst fall Wild Turkey close up – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/3200, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR, natural light

The small flock of Wild Turkeys included some hens and some hatch year birds enjoying their first fall. I could tell that some of the first fall turkeys were hens because I could not see any spurs on their legs. Usually by now the young males that are called “jakes” have formed their own flocks. Young female turkeys are called “jennys”, I don’t know how either of those names came to be.

Close up of a first fall Wild Turkey hen, West Desert, Tooele County, UtahClose up of a first fall Wild Turkey hen – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2500, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR, natural light

The turkeys ignored the vehicle I was sitting in and went about the business of finding food. They didn’t seem to be bothered at all by two cameras firing away.

Foraging Wild Turkey portrait, West Desert, Tooele County, UtahForaging Wild Turkey portrait – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2500, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR, natural light

Most of the time they kept their heads close to the ground while they searched for something to eat. I kept my eyes on them through my viewfinder and tried to take photos of them as they lifted their heads slightly while they shuffled around in the dry, dusty earth.

Wild Turkey portrait in fall, West Desert, Tooele County, UtahWild Turkey portrait in fall – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/3200, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR, natural light

There were a few times when the Wild Turkeys stood upright and looked right at me as I photographed them and I took full advantage of the opportunity to take portraits of the large birds.

Wild Turkey close up in autumn, Stansbury Mountains, West Desert, Tooele County, UtahWild Turkey close up in autumn – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2500, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR, natural light

The turkeys were not the only birds or animals I photographed yesterday. I was so thrilled though to have the Wild Turkeys as close as they were to me that I wanted to share some of the images here today.

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of my Wild Turkey photos plus facts and information about this species.