It was there, as he hung round near the trees outside a Year 7 maths class, that then Mercury photographer Orlando Chiodo caught up with him - and plucked two 13-year-old students from the class for the photo opportunity.

The pair - Kyle Jackson and Mary Dijkmans-Hadley - had never spoken to each other before that day, and would not speak to each other for another three years.

But after dating for eight years they're looking forward to their wedding day next Saturday - and would like to pay tribute to a certain feathered friend who ensured their first meeting was forever captured.

"It was on September 30, 2009 that the Mercury came to Smith's Hill because there was a rogue bush turkey roaming around," Mr Jackson said.

"Our teacher picked me and a girl named Mary to be in the photo with this turkey. As far as first meetings go it was quite awkward as we were nerdy 13-year-olds and had never spoken.

"While we still wouldn't go on to speak for three years we're now getting married next weekend, and didn't realise it was us in that photo together before we'd really met until recently.

"We now joke that Boris the bush turkey was our cupid and that it was the Mercury that got us together."

Bush turkeys range along eastern Australia from Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, south to the Illawarra and have in recent years been venturing more and more into urban areas.

While WIRES received a number of calls about Boris and his escapades back in 2009, it's not known whether he was equally successful in his search for love.

"We can only hope," Mr Jackson said.

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