We had set up camp and there was about two hours of daylight left. I suggested we hop on the canyon shuttle for a free, 90 minute ride through the canyon to get a "feel" for our home for the next three days. It was our first time to Zion, so we had no idea what to expect.
We were fortunate enough to have a very talkative and informative shuttle driver, who identified various sights and points of interest along the way. There were times that the only way to see the various named canyon points, we had to look through the open air vents above us (instead of our window) to see the tops of the canyon walls. That's how high some of these cliffs go.
I was particularly impressed with all the grass meadows along the way. Southern Utah is a harsh environment, and to see the lush vegetation along the Virgin River was a refreshing surprise. Within the first 10 minutes of getting on the shuttle, we saw deer in various states of eating. All the while the sun was setting and the shadows of the canyon were closing in on us.
After about 45 minutes, we arrived at the end of the line, the Temple of Sinawava stop. There was a 10 minute "layover" at this stop, so we stepped off and looked at the signs and walked over to put our fingers in the river to see if the water was very cold. It was not bad at all, and it was good to know in preparation of our hike up the Narrows the following day.
As we got back on the bus to head back to camp, the driver chimed in, "If you look to your right, at the top of that dead tree, you'll see a wild turkey."
The bus drives closer to the tree, and sure enough, as I peer through that same air vent, there sits a rather ugly turkey maybe 30 or 40 feet up in this dead tree. I would have mistaken it for a vulture or buzzard had the driver not made the point that it was a turkey. I have seen plenty of wild turkeys, but never had I seen one fly. But looking up in this tree, it had to be true.Who knew turkeys flew?