[masthead image: Hay - Turkeys!]
I almost called this shot "Turkey in the Straw", a salute to the classic tune. Cruising down the highway one afternoon I spotted a flock of turkeys in a hay field. Normally no big deal in this part of the world, but this time I spotted the lone turk perched atop the bale. If ever there was a classic shot, well, I guess this was as close as I'd get that day.
Only a week before, I had just missed the opportunity to photograph two bald eagles circling overhead in this same spot. This day, I brought the trusty Taurus to a halt on the shoulder and immediately exited, camera in hand, and snapped this quick shot. Passing motorists wondered, I am certain, why I cared about a few turkeys.
Favored by Benjamin Franklin to be our national symbol, turkeys are one of my favorite birds. I guess this is because they appear somewhat clumsy and maybe even a bit goofy. Like me, someone is apt to point out!
I have friends who enjoy hunting turkeys every spring and who are very proud of their well-developed calling techniques. I know very little about turkey calls - I am not a hunter myself - but many of these fine folks are very involved in this activity and the use of proper calling technique can become a whole sport unto itself. Many of these same hunters also call for ducks, geese, and other birds as well as varmints and other predators.
I had stopped last weekend to take a picture of three turkeys in the middle of the road right in front of me, when suddenly and seemingly without reason, they all took flight. If you've never been fortunate enough to watch this, you really should make the effort. It is one of the least graceful take-off maneuvers you will ever see, so inelegant in fact that you'll probably remember it forever. It is almost indescribable, except to say it is noisy and you wonder if it will work.
When I looked around, I finally discovered why the trio flew away, as a very young deer had jumped from the woods into a ditch and scared the turkeys. As they began their awkward ascent, the deer also got spooked and went back into the woods, leaving me without a photo-op!
As far as this picture goes, nothing special in terms of camera settings, just good old "Auto" on a hazy day. The cropped version serving as my masthead at http://shannonehlers.com is a bit more clear, so be sure to check that out!
Only a week before, I had just missed the opportunity to photograph two bald eagles circling overhead in this same spot. This day, I brought the trusty Taurus to a halt on the shoulder and immediately exited, camera in hand, and snapped this quick shot. Passing motorists wondered, I am certain, why I cared about a few turkeys.
Favored by Benjamin Franklin to be our national symbol, turkeys are one of my favorite birds. I guess this is because they appear somewhat clumsy and maybe even a bit goofy. Like me, someone is apt to point out!
I have friends who enjoy hunting turkeys every spring and who are very proud of their well-developed calling techniques. I know very little about turkey calls - I am not a hunter myself - but many of these fine folks are very involved in this activity and the use of proper calling technique can become a whole sport unto itself. Many of these same hunters also call for ducks, geese, and other birds as well as varmints and other predators.
I had stopped last weekend to take a picture of three turkeys in the middle of the road right in front of me, when suddenly and seemingly without reason, they all took flight. If you've never been fortunate enough to watch this, you really should make the effort. It is one of the least graceful take-off maneuvers you will ever see, so inelegant in fact that you'll probably remember it forever. It is almost indescribable, except to say it is noisy and you wonder if it will work.
When I looked around, I finally discovered why the trio flew away, as a very young deer had jumped from the woods into a ditch and scared the turkeys. As they began their awkward ascent, the deer also got spooked and went back into the woods, leaving me without a photo-op!
As far as this picture goes, nothing special in terms of camera settings, just good old "Auto" on a hazy day. The cropped version serving as my masthead at http://shannonehlers.com is a bit more clear, so be sure to check that out!
