Sunday 1 June 2014

#535 In the field: Brookgreen Gardens, con't . . . turkeys


Start this series with  #522,  April 16, 2014.  http://www.brookgreen.org/
http://www.brookgreenworkshops.com

While in South Carolina in April, I encountered the Wild Turkey.  The big bird is a common resident on the more than 8,000 acres of Brookgreen Gardens, located along South Carolina's coastal lowcountry.  I spent many early morning hours before my bird sculpture workshop began, stalking and photographing the Wild Turkey.  Spring is mating season and I could hear and spot them in the piney timber in Brookgreen's natural and untouched areas.  It was also possible to experience them in the more formal and manicured sections of the grounds and although they were always wary and unapproachable, quiet mornings and a telephoto lens proved invaluable.

Below, are photos taken on the Brookgreen grounds.







The Wild Turkey is a North American native.  The four main sub-species are the Eastern, Osceola, Rio Grande,
and Mirriam's.  The Eastern is what I encountered in South Carolina . . . they range the entire eastern half
of the United States.  The Osceola is common in the Florida peninsula.  The Rio Grande ranges through
Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, New Mexico, Colorado, Oregon, and California.  Merriam's ranges
through the Rocky Mountains and the prairies of Wyoming, Montana, and South Dakota.

A friend of mine is a South Carolina turkey hunter and gave me the wings and tail
 of a beautiful Eastern gobbler to use as reference for a
strutting turkey sculpture in progress in the Wyoming studio.

Below, are photos of Hal Cunnigham's turkey.





Below, are drawings of the Wild Turkey.








Below, in 1992, I created the art for the Arkansas Turkey Stamp. . .  an original watercolor-tinted etching.
The Eastern Wild Turkey is common in the state of Arkansas.



The Strut
Original Etching by Sandy Scott



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