During the last few weeks I have posted many wildlife photographs but they have all been from the western part of the country. Today it is time to bring you back home for some good old Pa. wildlife. A couple of weeks ago I finally found the time to go to Shippensburg and spend the day hanging out at the firehouse. I decided to take the back way to town and avoid the highways. My hopes were to photograph some farmers and maybe the Amish out working in the fields. With that in mind I took my bag I carry when I chase fire calls and other events and left the big lens at home. When will I ever learn, oh that's right I am to old to learn anymore.
For those of you familiar with the area I was traveling Rt. 174 and just past the village of Lees Cross Roads when I spotted these turkeys off to my right in a field. You know the routine from before, lock up the brakes, hope no one is riding my tail and about to hit me, back up to find a place to begin shooting and hope like the devil I don't blow the shot. Well these birds wanted no part of me and began moving rapidly towards the fence row. Only being able to shoot at 200 mm focal length just wasn't getting the job done so once they crossed the fence row I made a tactical decision. I could drive on not getting another shot, or run like the wind to the fence row hoping to get one more photograph before they take off forever. The last photo is the result of that decision.
A little about the flock, from some of the other photos I got this day there was 21 birds in the flock. The first photo has 18 in it. I do not know how many gobblers were their but when I reached the fence row and they began running I noticed the last bird had a beard, it looked to be four or five inches. Unfortunately the only shot I got of him was from behind.
4 comments:
I would just like to take a couple shoots of your stopping the truck and running across the field.
So you're telling us that you're all set for Thanksgiving, huh? ;)
Great capture!
Cheers, Klaus
I know all about those fast stops! Most of the time I am in such heavy traffic I can't stop but such is the photographer's lament. Still a great photo of your turkeys. I only think I MAY have seen them in a field near where I work some time ago, but they were too distant to make out for sure and I didn't have a zoom either.
Made me think of birds all lined up on the wire. They are just on the ground.
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