About six weeks ago, I was driving near Irvine Nature Center when my son, Jack, spotted several large birds with dark feathers along the side of the road. “Are those vultures?” he asked. To my surprise, the bulky, waddling creatures were wild turkeys, picking at leftover corn in a field that had recently been harvested.Wild turkeys, once nearly extinct in Maryland, are back, and at least one wild turkey roams the property at Irvine. The resurgence of this iconic American bird is especially gratifying this time of year, when the perfume of roasted turkey fills our homes as we celebrate Thanksgiving with family and friends. First, a small reality check.