Turkey Day?

While on the way home from the bank, I was cruising along at the speed limit marveling at how easy it is to see forms and structures in the woods when there all the leaves are off the trees and there is a blanket of snow on the ground to provide a contrast. I was looking at one particular hill in the middle distance and thinking it sort of looked like the back of a head with a buzz cut. The kind when from one angle the hair looks thick but from another you can see the guy is actually balding.

Anyway as I rounded the bend and the hill disappeared behind the tree line I saw a rafter of turkeys crossing the road (and yes, in fact, rafter is the name for a group of them). I slowed the car, picked up my camera and shot of about a dozen pictures as I approached. Hoping I captured a good shot or two, I looked in the rear view and saw no one approaching, I backed up about 30 yards, rolled down the passenger window and clicked off a few more shots. While I was waiting several more turkeys crossed in front of me. Now, no more than 15 feet away. I stayed there with my flashers on as to signal hoping other drivers would slow and not hit the birds.

With everyone safely across I put my car in drive and check the rear view again to make sure its safe. All I saw was the flashing blue lights through the grin of a grill police cruiser. Oh, crud.

I stuck my head out the window and called to the (very) young officer that I was fine. I quickly offered that I had stopped to let turkeys cross the road without getting hit or causing an accident. The look on his face was a mix uncertainty, perhaps a bit of curiosity and no small amount of ?yeah right lady, turkeys?. He nodded, quipped something about just making sure with the weather and all and told me to be on my way. I was quick to get back the road, though; he did follow me for the next 10 miles. Needless to say, I didn?t shoot any more for the rest of the drive.