Gus Hallgren
01-22-2008, 11:40 AM
Hi, While visiting Ramsay Canyon, AZ last September we ran across a flock of wild turkeys at 11:55 AM. We stalked them for about 10 minutes and finally caught sight of a few in a clearing and got a few photographs. Thought they were regular wild turkeys, except a little larger than the ones we usually see in Madera Canyon, AZ. Met a woman on the way back on the road, and she told us they were "Gould Wild Turkey." Looked for them in several bird books without success, however, we found this on Google
"The least known of the five wild turkey subspecies is the Gould's or Mexican wild turkey. It is a turkey found in the mountains of northern Mexico with a few in the U.S. in portions of Arizona and New Mexico along the Mexico / U.S. border. It was first described by J. Gould in 1856 during his travels in Mexico and aptly named for him."
http://www.wildturkeyzone.com/wildturkey/goulds.htm (http://www.wildturkeyzone.com/wildturkey/goulds.htm)
It was a bit of a lark following these stately birds, and here is one of the 2 males we got a photo of. Had my Olympus E-500 (No IS) zuiko 150mm (300 equiv) 3.5, and holding it on the run (Slow for me) using AP 1/1000 F:7.1 ISO 200 CWA Auto WB. Lots of fun for me and Gina.
"The least known of the five wild turkey subspecies is the Gould's or Mexican wild turkey. It is a turkey found in the mountains of northern Mexico with a few in the U.S. in portions of Arizona and New Mexico along the Mexico / U.S. border. It was first described by J. Gould in 1856 during his travels in Mexico and aptly named for him."
http://www.wildturkeyzone.com/wildturkey/goulds.htm (http://www.wildturkeyzone.com/wildturkey/goulds.htm)
It was a bit of a lark following these stately birds, and here is one of the 2 males we got a photo of. Had my Olympus E-500 (No IS) zuiko 150mm (300 equiv) 3.5, and holding it on the run (Slow for me) using AP 1/1000 F:7.1 ISO 200 CWA Auto WB. Lots of fun for me and Gina.