A pair of wild turkeys don’t seem to understand why they aren’t allowed to browse at a local establishment. 😉 

Kind of a fun image that I have been meaning to share for a long time but kept forgetting about. Taken on New Year’s Day 2021, I wrapped up my first photo excursion of the year by spending some time with our local rafter of turkeys.

Seeing them in this suburban environment is kind of fun and different, allowing for some interesting pics as they seem kind of out of place.

I’ve seen some big snoods in my time photographing turkeys but this guy’s has to have been the longest. Okay, I freely admit that sounds funny but it is true. 😉 

The snood on a turkey is the flopping protuberance coming from above the turkey’s bill. It can grow and shrink and even change color depending on the bird’s mood. Generally, longer and redder indicate the turkey is relaxed, potentially courting the ladies. It is believed turkey hens are attracted to longer and brighter snoods and in that case, this guy should have no problem come mating season.

Wrapping up my photo excursion on Sunday I found our local rafter of turkeys hanging out near the post office so of course had to stop and snap some pics. They were quite animated on this day, making lots of noise and giving me a fun photo op.

You can’t fault this bird for being a bit paranoid. Normally it would have little to worry about but this time of year, it can’t be too careful. 😉 

Taken a week and a half ago, this cool turkey is one of a rafter of them that hangs out in the middle of suburbia, not far from where I live. It and its friends were taking it easy on a lawn, enjoying a mild fall day. Today I suspect they will do their best to stay well-hidden out of sight. 😉 

I wish you all a very happy and safe Thanksgiving!

You would think with Thanksgiving fast approaching, this guy would be far more alert than what he was. Perhaps he doesn’t quite grasp the peril he is in?  😉 

I spotted our local rafter of turkeys this past weekend so, of course, I stopped to spend some time with them. They weren’t particularly active though as you can see. Many were enjoying a relatively mild, fall day lying in the grass.

I reckon we could call this #TurkeyThursday. As we get closer to the holidays, these guys are probably more than a little bit on edge – as this image seems to show. 😉

I don’t expect this guy has much to worry about though. He a member of a rafter of turkeys that hangs out in a local open space. The group are somewhat local celebrities, always garnering lots of attention when they appear. Certainly, they do seem a bit out of place as they strut through suburbia and seeing them is always fun.

They might not be particularly “pretty” but I certainly think they are cool looking. When the males flush their skin and turn beautiful shades of blue and red, they are quite striking.

Another encounter with a group of neighborhood turkeys that hang out not too far from where I live. With lots of construction going on in the area, these guys have become a little more scarce but I can usually find them.

Last week, these three toms were out for a stroll in an area open space. I followed along, snapping some pics. At one point, I did my best “gobble gobble” sound and that got their attention as they tried to figure out the source of the horrible turkey call. It was kind of amusing and I got lucky grabbing this shot of all three looking the same way.

With a winter storm set to hit, I kept things local yesterday, not wanting to venture far from home. I found our local rafter of turkeys in their usual spot and part of that was this funny scene.

On one side of the fence, the toms, on the other, the hens. Both could catch glimpses of each other through the gaps in the fence and they were most upset at the separation. They stood there gobbling up a storm at each other as these wildlife Romeos and Juliets found the barrier baffling.

This is their main hangout area and they routinely hop this fence plus the end of it was only 10 feet away. On this morning though, they just couldn’t seem to grasp what needed to be done to be reunited. 🙂

Wow. That is one serious look from this dude, eh? 😉 

Despite the bad attitude, he did look really cool. His face was brilliantly flush in color and that iridescent plumage looked awesome. I managed to capture some crazy detail of him, right down to the hair on his head.

Taken on New Year’s Day, he is one member of a rafter of turkeys that hangs out in an area of suburbia not far from where I live. They have managed to do pretty well despite increased human encroachment. A new commuter rail line and the development it is spurring could spell trouble for them though.

Perhaps only a face a mother could love? 😉 

On New Year’s Day, a quick trip to the grocery store turned into a photo op for me. I take my camera with me just about everywhere and on this day, I was heading to the grocery store so I threw my bag in my truck.

After shopping, I took a detour through an area that has a nice open space and there I found the resident rafter of #turkeys hanging out in the neighborhood. They were very active, hanging out on an office building patio, walking on the sidewalks, giving some great poses, all with a suburban backdrop.

This particular tom was perhaps recovering a bit from too much partying bringing in the new year as he was quite tired.

Absolutely insane detail with my Canon EOSR5 camera and RF 100-500 lens. Taken in the Eastlake area of Thornton, Colorado.

Certainly you could have probably guessed what the subject would be for my photo today.

This handsome fellow is part of a rafter of turkeys that hangs out at a local open space. Coming home one day this past June, he was showcasing his awesome plumage and letting the other toms know who was in charge.

Certainly this year has been a hard one for everyone due to COVID and an election that seems to have only widened the divide in the nation. Here in Colorado, wildfires caused so much devastation this fall.

Despite all we have faced, I have to believe better days lie ahead on all fronts. The pandemic will, eventually, go away. Our nation will, I pray, remember that there is more that unites than divides us. The forests that have been burnt to the ground will grow again and our children and our children’s children will walk among a green landscape.

Yes it has been hard, and while it might be less obvious, there is much to be thankful for. I do wish all of you a very happy – and safe – Thanksgiving. God bless you.