Saturday, February 15, 2014

Wild Turkey

 Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)

Handsome he's NOT! Wild turkeys are hungry this year and, in some areas, acting quite bold looking for food, which means it was EASY for me to get close enough to take photos.

 Feathers on back of neck in sunlight

While his face is quite homely, his feathers are gorgeous when they shine in the sun.

The whole bird

Several people mentioned Thanksgiving, but the turkey was in no hurry to move on.

I am linking with Saturday Critters HERE.
and
I am linking to I'd Rather B Birdin'  HERE.

and
I am linking to I Heart Macro HERE.
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60 comments:

  1. eileeninmdFebruary 15, 2014 at 5:50 AM

    Awesome closeups of the wild Turkey! The feathers are pretty. Great shots! Thank you for linking up to Saturday's Critter party. Have a happy weekend!

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  2. aspiritofsimplicityFebruary 15, 2014 at 5:54 AM

    oh my that is rather close up!! His feathers are quite pretty....I suppose there is beauty in everything.

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  3. Buttons ThoughtsFebruary 15, 2014 at 5:59 AM

    WOW you know my love of these beautiful birds I have not seen mine for quite a while I think they went looking for a place that does not hide all their food under tons of ice and snow. GREAT shots. Thank you. Hug B

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  4. RevrunnerFebruary 15, 2014 at 6:06 AM

    Where I used to live, there was a flock of wild turkeys. But they NEVER would have allowed me to come this close.

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  5. Elizabeth EdwardsFebruary 15, 2014 at 6:41 AM

    oh i love all the close ups - nice, my friend! feather cam. ( :

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  6. Lina GustinaFebruary 15, 2014 at 6:48 AM

    Amazing details in the first pic.

    http://www.1sthappyfamily.com/2014/02/missing-cat.html

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  7. Gill - That British WomanFebruary 15, 2014 at 6:49 AM

    I was wondering how you got so close to her. What a lovely looking set of feathers, very pretty for an ugly bird!!

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  8. Judith @ Lavender CottageFebruary 15, 2014 at 7:15 AM

    You were indeed lucky to get this close for photos. I wonder what that horn thing on the top of his beak is for? Surely he's not related to a unicorn? LOL

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  9. Judith @ Lavender CottageFebruary 15, 2014 at 7:15 AM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  10. LindyLouMacFebruary 15, 2014 at 7:16 AM

    What fabulous captures.

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  11. UnknownFebruary 15, 2014 at 7:17 AM

    Fabulous close ups. The feathers are gorgeous, but I agree - he's not handsome.

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  12. cieldequimperFebruary 15, 2014 at 7:36 AM

    The feathers are gorgeous!

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  13. Deb @ Frugal Little BungalowFebruary 15, 2014 at 8:31 AM

    He is handsome in his own way...great captures! :)

    Deb from Homespun and Frugal Little Bungalow

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  14. Hootin AnniFebruary 15, 2014 at 8:46 AM

    What amazing close up images!!! Wow.

    Hootin' Anni
    and
    Anni @ I'd Rather B Birdin'

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  15. LowellFebruary 15, 2014 at 8:49 AM

    Wow! I've never been that close to a turkey of any kind. Great close-ups...I'm thinking "So that's what a turkey looks like." Amazing. I've had to deal with a lot of turkeys in my life but they looked more human than this one! :)

    Terrific post!

    Re your comment on the owls: If they were fish I'd say they'd had too much to drink the night before and they're a little green around the gills. But I can't say that 'cause they're owls. I'm at a loss for words!

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  16. UnknownFebruary 15, 2014 at 8:50 AM

    Great , great photos. The feathers
    are so sharp and lovely to look at.
    Super!

    JetteMajken

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  17. The Furry GnomeFebruary 15, 2014 at 9:02 AM

    Incredible pictures. They never let me get that close!

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  18. TexWisGirlFebruary 15, 2014 at 9:29 AM

    really awesome shots!!!

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  19. AnonymousFebruary 15, 2014 at 9:36 AM

    Wonderful shots. Those feathers are really beautiful.

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  20. Pamela GordonFebruary 15, 2014 at 9:51 AM

    You got some beautiful shots of this turkey. The feathers are really pretty. No wonder people made feather dusters from them back in the old days. :) I haven't seen the 2 turkeys in our area since a year ago.

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  21. MadSnapperFebruary 15, 2014 at 9:52 AM

    i am glad you showed the close up of the face, so much detail on there, and i will never get close enough to see one because i am afraid of them. the feathers are gorgeous

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  22. 21 WitsFebruary 15, 2014 at 10:01 AM

    You are so lucky to catch this! Beautiful creatures in nature.

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  23. AnonymousFebruary 15, 2014 at 10:02 AM

    BIG bird, great shots!

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  24. JennyFebruary 15, 2014 at 10:25 AM

    I can't decide whether turkeys are incredibly ugly or incredibly beautiful. Shocking, perhaps, is the word I need. Fabulous photos. Certainly made me laugh.

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  25. RajeshFebruary 15, 2014 at 10:38 AM

    Great shots of turkey.

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  26. IndraniFebruary 15, 2014 at 10:39 AM

    Wow! Such details!
    Looks like it has unicorn's horn. :)

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  27. Suburban GirlFebruary 15, 2014 at 11:03 AM

    Maybe I should go check where wild turkeys roam around here and see if they are still there or have move on. I never saw such a close up before. Rebecca

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  28. John @ Beans and I on the LooseFebruary 15, 2014 at 11:32 AM

    I don't think our wild turkeys have that horn above the beak. I may be wrong on that. I'll be more observant next time on the trail.

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  29. JanFebruary 15, 2014 at 11:42 AM

    I remember encountering a wild turkey while we were visiting Bob's aunt in Wisconsin. It was awesome!

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  30. William KendallFebruary 15, 2014 at 11:47 AM

    A very distinctive bird! Terrific shots of him.

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  31. Small City ScenesFebruary 15, 2014 at 11:56 AM

    Great close up the the bird Ben Franklin wanted for the bird to represent the new United States.
    The Eagle prevailed. MB

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  32. Gail DixonFebruary 15, 2014 at 12:37 PM

    Incredible detail here! I have never seen a turkey this close and did not know there was lavender on the face. Interesting and beautiful bird.

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  33. StuartFebruary 15, 2014 at 2:08 PM

    Just amazing shots. Bravo !

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  34. Coloring Outside the LinesFebruary 15, 2014 at 2:12 PM

    Fantastic shots, but that hairy wart looking thing between his eyes reminds me of the wicked witch in the Wizard of Oz movie.

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  35. Linda W.February 15, 2014 at 2:43 PM

    A face only a mother could love..... You got some great photos!

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  36. RoseFebruary 15, 2014 at 2:56 PM

    I so love their feathers! I shot and shot the feathers of one Roger killed one year...they look so different from different angles.

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  37. RedPatFebruary 15, 2014 at 3:07 PM

    Those feathers are beautiful, EG!

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  38. Ruth HiebertFebruary 15, 2014 at 4:00 PM

    Aside from that face,the Wild Turkey is a very beautiful bird.

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  39. ElaFebruary 15, 2014 at 4:02 PM

    Great photos of an amazing creature
    Have a nice Sunday :)

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  40. KarenFebruary 15, 2014 at 4:32 PM

    A face only a mother could love, but he's got great feathers! Terrific shots!

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  41. sunshineFebruary 15, 2014 at 6:17 PM

    Stunning details.

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  42. DeniseinVAFebruary 15, 2014 at 6:21 PM

    I absolutely love these close-ups of your turkey. They may not be everyone's idea of beauty, but it is after all in the eye of the beholder and I think they look very handsome :) Your photos have given this one personality, and those feathers are gorgeous!

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  43. MichelleFebruary 15, 2014 at 6:52 PM

    They do have some lovely feathers, but their face! Yikes!

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  44. KateFebruary 15, 2014 at 8:59 PM

    Grat Thanksgiving Day bird. Are these wild turkeys as eatable as domestic ones, raised for the purpose? They can get pretty feisty so I hope that you kept your distance!!

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  45. Veronica RothFebruary 15, 2014 at 9:42 PM

    He's a beauty, you know, one of those creature who's so ugly he's actually beautiful...lol. I remember one turkey following a baby Chloe around changing his colours completely in love with her. Funny creatures, aren't they?

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  46. StephanieFebruary 15, 2014 at 10:47 PM

    Fabulous close up in details and his coloring.

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  47. RandyFebruary 15, 2014 at 11:01 PM

    Nice shots of a not so handsome fellow.

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  48. Little Wandering WrenFebruary 15, 2014 at 11:03 PM

    Ha - I did laugh at the Thanksgiving mention!!
    I never knew the turkey was that beautiful.
    Wren x

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  49. Our photosFebruary 16, 2014 at 1:49 AM

    What a beautiful photos!

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  50. AnnemorFebruary 16, 2014 at 2:18 AM

    Great shots.
    All the best.
    Mormor

    http://www.starbear.no/mormor/2014/02/16/i-heart-macro-week-40/

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  51. PerthDailyPhotoFebruary 16, 2014 at 7:40 AM

    He may be ugly EG but he sure has some pretty colours to boast about.. hate to think about birds and animals not finding enough food.

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  52. carol l mckennaFebruary 16, 2014 at 9:54 AM

    Gorgeous!

    carol and artmusedog
    www.acreativeharbor.com

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  53. kayerjFebruary 16, 2014 at 11:16 AM

    beauty can be found if one looks for it, even the most homely of creatures has something to be admired. nice post.

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  54. Jenn JilksFebruary 16, 2014 at 1:23 PM

    Aren't they the least handsome?!
    Great captures.

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  55. Judy February 16, 2014 at 1:34 PM

    I love the close up shots! We were out driving today and saw LOTS of wild turkeys but nothing up close like this.

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  56. LauraFebruary 16, 2014 at 2:26 PM

    Fantastic turkey portraiture! Thanks for sharing the love up-close with I Heart Macro:-)

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  57. AnonymousFebruary 16, 2014 at 9:43 PM

    Those are amazing shots! Poor birds. I haven't seen any here this winter. I hope they're making it through this cold winter.

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  58. HannahFebruary 17, 2014 at 9:42 PM

    The wattle above the beak is called a snood, it turns red when the male is breeding, and can be extended or retracted to attract a female. The different colors on the naked face are interesting, and the iridescent colors in the feathers are amazing.

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  59. Kenneth Cole SchneiderFebruary 20, 2014 at 6:41 PM

    Very interesting study of the turkey!

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  60. AnonymousFebruary 21, 2014 at 9:03 PM

    We have a ton of them around here. They like to eat cow manure so it's a perfect area for them to thrive.

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