Pass up photographing a Wild Turkey nest, or not?

[kerry_grim]

Yesterday I surprised a hen Wild Turkey at close range. Always, they

have fled upon seeing me even over 200 yards away. This time, she

watched for awhile, motionless at about 120 feet, then ducked down in

the low grass. I walked away, pleased I had not chased her. Of

course, I was wondering if she was at a nest, but the desire to not

chase her and the possibly of disturbing her at a nest was more

important to me than possible pictures of a nest. That is what I

would do should it happen again.

 

I was wondering what photo.net subscribers would do... look for a

nest or walk away.

[Two23]

I've been in the same situation with turkey and ducks. I give a fast look, take a fast shot, and am out of there within two minutes.

 

 

Kent in SD

[mbb]

Kerry you did a right thing indeed. I most cases trying to photograph nests end up in having a poor snap not good for anything. Maybe an questionable 'trophy' to show to your friends and family. Very small reward but consequence to nesting bird can be a disaster.

 

That said I do photograph nesting birds but only a very few species that I am interested to study their life history and trying to document my observations on photos. I try to get a best shot but I am happy with snap if it shows an interesting behavior etc. Also I do not try to take any risk to get a better shot or make a surroundings look better. In that case documentary value is much more than a set-up shot with no obstructions. If you study your subject you also are able to minimize the risk and your influence on nesting bird. I never even try to look for nest of species I know I do not have an interest to study. If you are ever going to try to observe nesting bird and see any discomfort made by your presence, just leave the place as soon as possible - you doing something wrong and there is no time to figure what it is.

[bill_thorlin]

Walk on by. ( Never ever thought I would link Dionne Warwick to ornithology but you never know in this world. )

[dave_dube]

As I know turkeys, if a hen is going to nest then they are broody to begin with and don't give up their nest easily. I can't imagine any part of the shot looking like a trophy picture, just a neat find in the wild. Sounds more like an old hen getting weak with age.

[lawrence_palumbo]

id suggest reading a book on the species and then making a decision based on those facts. but always, always keep the best interest of the species top priority.

[chelsea]

Walk away. Raccoons will follow the scent of humans, just because they perceive us as a larger predator, and will follow where we've walked in the hopes of finding some scraps of food. We just had an unfortunate happening with a nesting ruffed grouse. Last week we set up our water pump for the summer, and as we walked the path to check the lines, a grouse flew up in my face. She had a nest right beside the path with 9 eggs in it. We quickly got out of there, and avoided the area. I just went back this afternoon to a spot that is about 30 feet away to see if I could get a shot, and couldn't see her, just saw the empty cavity where the nest had been. Not a shell in sight, when the chicks hatch out, they leave a mass of shells in the nest. Something had cleaned out the nest. (Insert expletives of choice here.) Had we known she was there, we would have walked out around, but we didn't see her til nearly stepping on her. Oh well, it's still early, she'll likely start another nest, hopefully in a more secure location than this one.