First time I’ve photographed the entire process from takeoff to landing with a Wild Turkey. I just wish I’d been able to do a better job of it.
Two mornings ago I was determined to get flight shots of a Wild Turkey so I formed a shooting strategy as I approached an area where I knew there was a large flock of turkeys near the road. From past experience I knew that if there were a few turkeys on the east side of the road, with most of them being on the west side, those on the east side were likely to cross the road on foot, or fly over it, in order to join the rest of the flock. Having my pickup around makes them wary and nervous so they prefer to be on the west side with their buddies where there’s more cover and room to escape if they need to.
In order to photograph a turkey in flight I’d have to turn my pickup partially crossways on the road, at just the right time, so I could shoot out my window. At that very early time of morning, on such a remote road, I knew I could do it safely so that’s what I did. And it worked.
Caveat: I’m not proud of these photos technically. I had to process them quickly and it shows. The turkey is also sidelit so there are deep shadows with no detail in her darks. But worst of all, I was once again having problems with sharpness because of my relatively warm lens interacting with the cold (18 °F.) air, so these photos aren’t very sharp. But they’re sharp enough for documentation purposes and I think it’s an interesting series, despite its obvious flaws.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
The first turkey ran across the entire road and ducked under the fence on the other side. But this one, a hen I believe, decided to take the aerial route over part of the road and the fence. Here she’s gaining speed for takeoff from the middle of the road. When you weigh anywhere from 9 – 16 lbs. and you’re trying to take off from the ground, speed helps. So she really turned on the afterburners.
The photos in the rest of the series are in order but for a variety of reasons I’ve left out quite a few.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
A tippy-toe liftoff.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Gaining elevation, but not much – just barely enough to clear the fence.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Approaching the fence. No, I don’t know what that annoying orange blob is on the left side of the frame. This is ranch country so it could be just about anything.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Clearing the fence and getting the attention of at least two cows. The third cow is blasé about it all.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Looking for a landing spot after clearing the fence.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Sticking the landing. She did a better job of landing than I did of keeping her in frame. I cut off her left foot.
So, I finally documented an entire flight of a Wild Turkey from takeoff to landing. Next time I hope to do a better job of it but it’s a start.
Ron
Wonderful sequence of shots, Ron — especially the peanut gallery in the background. 😉 I’ve seen wild turkeys fly on several occasions and each time I think of Howard Hughes’ Spruce Goose. Fortunately for them, the turkeys are more successful.
A great series and an interesting commentary. Wild turkey are a common (and introduced) species down here in NZ but I have never seen one fly. Given how laid back the birds are and the strong hunting ethic here I suspect people are not very hungry.
Thanks, Gary. I had no idea they’d been introduced to NZ.
Nice series despite the soft focus.
Thanks, April.
Oh, those tippy-toes in the first two images! And then that very angular arch of her wing in the next photo—and her long, skinny neck. IDK, she’s a sight, but I don’t think I can say she’s a pretty bird. However, she gets many points for performance. As do you for catching her in action like that. 🦃🏆
Chris, few would dispute your analysis of her appearance, including me. But I still love me some turkeys… 🙂
What a great series. So impressive to see the stages of flight in stop motion.
I think the curve of her body before touchdown is amazing. We have turkeys in our town and I never appreciated their flight capacity until looking at these photos – always thought they were more nuisance. i will have greater appreciation of them now!
“I will have greater appreciation of them now!”
Glad to hear it, Catherine. I think they deserve it..
Great series. When we lived in the south hills of Eugene we had Wild Turkey wandering through the neighborhood several times every day. The numbers varied from around 20 to over 70. They often came through the yard and slowly crossed the road, holding up traffic. I could stand in my yard and they would walk right around me. They were wild but they had no fear. But in all of our years there we almost never saw them fly, so a series like this was not possible. They roosted in the tall firs above the house spending the night on large limbs sometimes at heights of over 70 feet. They would launch themselves out of those trees in the morning, often landing on our roof with a loud crash. If you were lucky you might be looking at just the right time one headed for its roost and its quite impressive to see such a large bird fly from the ground to one of those high perches. But during the day we almost never saw them fly. Walking was the preferred mode of travel. So the sequence you showed today was a rare sight for us. I do have nice close photos taken with only a 50mm lens but no flight shots.
Dan, on one day there was about 200 turkeys in this flock. But there was far less than that on the day I took these photos.
A fun series, Ron. They are such big, ungainly birds – it’s always surprising to me that they can actually fly. The last one brings to mind Sally Rand finishing her fan dance!
Carolyn, a good friend of mine put it this way – ” Every turkey in flight looks like an incipient crash to me. I’m surprised by that elegant landing.”
Nice. That second photo. I’m trying to find the words.
Now, I like turkeys, but – to put it lightly – they are not the most beautiful or majestic of winged creatures. Yet the body position and its angle in relation to the road, along with the thin shadow that projects out from that one claw tip that touches the road has a certain quality of grace.
Nope. It’s no use. I just cannot find the words.
“Nope. It’s no use. I just cannot find the words.”
I think you explained yourself well, Michael.
Excellent preparation and you got it. Great job Ron. A running take off by Ben Franklin’s choice for our national emblem. I don’t think I have ever seen a wild turkey although possibly I have as a kid in Pennsylvania, but have forgotten. We have them here, but not generally in the locations I go to for photos.
Thanks, Everett. I suspect you have turkeys in and near your mountains.
What a series. Thanks Ron. Love the background and how the tippy toes used in the takeoff are then curled under. And those cows are not one bit impressed are they, even though they are witnessing the miracle of flight and judgment: she clears the fence nicely, and without wasting too much effort. I still can’t find it in myself to find the turkey beautiful, but this one is certainly an impressive athlete.
Thanks, Frances. Besides it being the “miracle of flight” from lots of turkeys at very close to the same time, the turkeys also made a lot noise. And still, most of the cows ignored it. In that area they’re probably used to it by now.
You set your sights on quite a challenge and succeeded admirably. I imagine it was only a few seconds from takeoff to touchdown. The series is reminiscent of an Edweard Muybridge study.
She starts off looking ridiculously gangly but ends up looking quite regal. A very enjoyable post.
Thank you, Lyle. I’d estimate the flight took no more than 5 seconds.
Wonderful series, Ron! 🙂 She was on a mission for sure… 😉 VERY nice, lean, bird – certainly not what one generally sees in the “nice” photos of the Tom’s 😉 Now you know the drill for “next time”.
Thanks, Judy. Knowing the drill and getting it right next time are two different things!
True!
Wow– I never dreamed that such a big, bulky-looking critter would be capable
or pouring it on like that… The first image had me thinking for a split second
that I was looking at a Roadrunner, and of course in a way, I was– but what
captures–more like a ballet in slow-motion– quite an accomplishment, for
the turkey AND the photographer !
Kris, she was definitely a speedster. About a half dozen turkeys flew across the road, before and after she did, but she’s the only one that ran anywhere near this fast before lifting off.
Very nice sequence of a beautiful bird, and the captions are entertaining too.
“the captions are entertaining too”
Good to know, Bob. I work at it but “entertaining” my readers can be a fickle endeavor so I don’t know how well my efforts will be received.
Loved this. Especially the tippy-toe lift off.
Good. Thanks, Arwen.
These are actually beautiful birds. I imagine their poundage in flesh became the desire of table food. Other than their heads they are a highly feather patterned subject. The wing span is impressive and those ballerina toes are useful for more than scratching the ground. Nicely done Ron. I enjoyed the photo captures, thanks for sharing them. All the Grace that she/he was able to display.
Thanks very much, Deb.
Wow! Fun early morning flight! Lots of wild turkeys here in the woods of North Central Massachussetts. Thanks, Ron!!
Thanks, Mary.