A Turkey you can't catch.

The wild turkey has been somewhat plentiful in the area for over 10 years now. Yet I still don't have a photo of one that I really care for.

I had another chance yesterday. Driving down a back road in the mid morning, I came across a small flock in a field just off the road. The male was in full display with his tail feathers in a wonderful arc. There was a small berm that I hoped would allow me to get somewhat close without them becoming aware of me. Hopes were soon dashed. I pulled the car over, and opened the trunk. I had my 100-400 zoom and my camera with me. I left the trunk open, so I wouldn't slam it shut and started walking down the road, quietly or so I thought. All of a sudden I saw a head pop up on top of the hill and look at me. Soon two of the turkeys were in flight, flying across the road to the woods that were close to the other side. The rest took off running soon after.

For such a maligned bird, the wild turkey has excellent hearing, runs very fast and of course flies. I've never seen them fly very far, never more than a few hundred feet, but as fast as they are on the ground, they really don't need to fly very far.

Hopefully one of these days I will get the photo I want.

The above photos were crops out of the center of the photos I did happen to take. Both are at 400 mm.