Autumn Wild Turkey Hen Portrait

Autumn Wild Turkey hen portrait – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 800, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

I’ve had my best luck finding and photographing turkeys in the fall and early spring in northern Utah. My best opportunities have come during the fall when Wild Turkeys move down from higher elevations. I usually find toms and hens with their young of the year foraging in separate flocks during this time of the year. The turkeys use the forest for cover and when they are actively foraging they are typically out in the open but that isn’t always the case.

Listening for the calls of turkeys is often a great way to find them.  There are times I hear turkeys before I see them and other times I see them before I hear them call. You might think that with as large as Wild Turkeys are they would be easy to spot but I know that is not always the case. Some people miss seeing them until they are right up on them. To be fair turkeys do blend into their habitat quite effectively.

There have been instances where I have been focused on photographing smaller birds high in nearby trees that turkeys have moved into the area so quietly that I didn’t see them until I caught their movements in my peripheral vision. Paying attention to what is happening outside the camera viewfinder helps with that.

I found this Wild Turkey hen last autumn as she walked out of the shadows of the forest and into the bright morning light. The golden glow of Box Elder leaves added a punch of fall color to the photo.

I saw but wasn’t able to photograph a small flock of Wild Turkeys a few weeks ago in the West Desert and I’ve been watching for them out there since then.

Life is good.

Mia

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