Figure 1 – Wild turkey, Assabet River Wildlife Refuge, Sudbury, MA. May 10, 2016. (c) DE Wolf 2016.

Back when I was in graduate school (Yes this was after the invention of the computer!) wild turkeys – Meleagris gallopavo- were a rarity and elusive creatures. You were lucky to run into one. Today you are lucky if they don’t take over your yard and their private stomping ground. Still they remain wary of people and can be difficult to photograph. the last time that I tried they kept retreating and luring me further and further into the mud. As a result I got no photographs – only very muddy sneakers.

Well yesterday as I emerged from the woods at the Assabet River Wildlife refuge I encountered the fellow of Figure 1 behind the Ranger’s Station. I proceeded to chase after him as he bid a hasty retreat first into the sunshine and second into the forest. And this time my photo-endeavors were successful. Surprisingly when I got home and looked at the images. I found that the flat light of the shaded images were preferable to the harsh contrast of the pictures that I took in the sunshine. Watch these fellows lumber about for a few moments and there can be little doubt of their Jurassic origins. This is what happened to the dinosaurs.

Canon T2i with EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens at 275 mm, ISO 1600, Aperture Priority AE Mode 1/400th sec at f/7.1 with no exposure compensation.