As a wildlife photographer, I find immense joy in documenting the natural beauty around me. This November, I had the special opportunity to photograph a magnificent Tom Turkey in its natural habitat near the Ouachita National Forest in Arkansas on Thanksgiving Day.
Tom Turkey on Thanksgiving Day
It was a crisp autumn morning when I set out to capture photos of the local Whitetail Deer in my small food plot I had planted to attract wildlife. As I was positioning my camera, I noticed a large bird emerge from the brush following closely behind a few deer. To my delight, it was a wild Tom Turkey.
While not in full mating plumage, the Tom’s feathers still glistened in the morning sun. Its red, white, and blue head stood out against the orange and yellow hues of the changing forest. As it strutted behind the deer, its long tail feathers hung down without fanning out.
The Ouachita National Forest is home to Tom Turkeys year-round, but it felt fitting to encounter this regal bird on Thanksgiving Day as turkeys have become synonymous with the holiday.
I feel honored to have witnessed this majestic Tom Turkey on Thanksgiving Day. As a photographer, these encounters with beautiful wildlife make all the early mornings and patience worthwhile. My camera allows me to immortalize fleeting moments like this to share the wonders of nature with others. I can’t wait to see what incredible sights I might capture on my next adventure in the Ouachita National Forest.
Image Information:
- Date: 11/26/20
- Time: 08:43 AM
- Camera: Fujifilm X-T3
- Lens: Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM (attached with aFringer EF-FX Pro)
- ISO: 2500
- Aperture: 8
- Shutter: 1/125
- Exp. Comp.: 0
- Lens (mm): 400
- Program Mode: Aperture Priority
Related Post:
