Wild Turkeys
 

The other day my dog was outside barking her head off at something, it's usually a cat or skwerl, so I went to the window to see what it was. I looked over in the neighbors yard and saw something I've never seen before in this neighborhood so I grabbed my camera and took the attached pictures. They're a little grainy because of the poor lighting conditions but pretty cool just the same. I had to walk slowly through the trees and brush between our houses (I was barefoot at the time by the way) and inched my way close as I could to them, snapping pictures as I went. The turkeys, a momma and her 9 younguns, of course inched their way away from me just as slowly, keeping a wary eye on me until they disappeared into brush on the other side of the yard.
Ya gotta love nature in the raw!

That is fantastic!

The other day Jacquelita and I saw a turkey vulture while walking on the Perkiomen trail. It was eating roadkill and loving it. It flew away once we got close and it had a massive wing span. Must have been like 4 feet. Awesome.

I have a momma turkey and chicks that have taken to hanging out behind my apartment building.

Unfortunately she seems to know only to stop by when my camera is upstairs ... the visual acutity of turkey's is such that she sees the movement in my apt, and reacts.

The other day she was in full threat display, which is indeed a sight to behold.

The neighbors would object strongly if I got out the shotgun and got ready for Thanksgiving.

We've had a few sightings around here as well (Glenmoore actually). My [crazy] neighbor was telling me that the state is stocking them in this area. I'm not sure that that is untrue and haven't bothered to look into it, but he's generally full of shit.
We have a family farm/hunting grounds in northern PA (where it used to be rare to shoot a turkey), and my dad says that the increase in turkeys up there in the last few years is starting to take a noticable toll on the land.

Now that there's a rafter of turkeys.

Collective nouns are cool.

Agreed. I would have guessed gaggle.

Mmm...turkey. Sorry.. :p

Cool pics of nature. I once caught a shot of a deer that had leapt into our backyard years ago. Maybe no big deal to some here, but it wasn't a common occurance where I lived. ;)

They are getting thick up here. I had to slow down on my last road ride, since I wasn't sure if a turkey in the spokes was a recoverable incident.

I spotted three about a month ago near the RR track by my house. I live less than 1 mile from downtown Mpls. Just like a freakin' Wild Kingdom episode.

I also have to report on my summer cabin trip to the Chequamegon National Forest, not only did I have a black bear siting, I canoed within like 10 feet of a mama loon with one of her babies riding on her back, the other trailing behind. First time I'd seen a baby getting a lift. So cool.

Excellent pics, 404. :thumpsup:
My family lives in MA, and report they've been lousy with turkey the last few years. It coinsides with a sharp decline in red fox in that area, so we're speculating there's a correlation. :confused:

They wandered by this morning and I was able to get my camera before they scampered off.

Please bear in mind that I am less than 7 miles from the Philadelphia City Limits (15-20 from "Center City").

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Very cool! Awsome pictures Wolf! I wish I could have gotten that close to the ones I saw. They are truly amazing looking birds, not to mention very hard to get such great pictures of. Good job!

Wow! Great pictures. http://www.cellar.org/images/smilies/thumpsup.gif

Looks like you were able to get the back door open for that one shot? Great picture of a wild turkey, Wolf. Way to be sneaky!

Super pictures, now the mooses. :)