Pages

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Turkey Vulture

I sometimes let time get away from me. I'm writing this post very late in the night. I usually write kind of late because it's nice and quiet then, but this is kind of pushing it. I say all this just because it's the first thought in my mind when I started the post.

Now that I got that out of the way I can talk about the pictures I have in my post today. On my newest little adventure I spotted this turkey vulture flying close by overhead. I thought it was a hawk when I saw it because it looked so small.

Hawks aren't usually very small for birds either, but many of them are smaller than turkey vultures. Most turkey vultures I've seen are pretty big. This one seemed quite a bit smaller than usual, but then I also saw another one that was about the same size.

This area is just full of these turkey vultures. I see them just about everywhere. I've also seen hawks here and there, but maybe some of them were turkey vultures. I'll have to take a closer look next time I see a hawk flying around. It's not easy sometimes.

I'm sure there is way to tell thew difference by looking at the wing shape or something like that, but I don't know how to do that quite yet. I really do think that if I keep watching I'll learn how to do that at some point.

I sometimes wonder what these birds are doing when I see them circling above. I'm sure they're just either looking for food or they've spotted some food on the ground. I've often seen them on the road picking at a dead animal, their preferred meal.

I saw this one flying around near the entrance to a huge nature park. I had just gotten out of my truck and I was on my way into the park. I'll tell the story of that little adventure in my next post. For now I was just glad that my camera focused so well on this bird. Talk to you later.

10 comments:

  1. Big birds can be small, and small birds can be big.

    That is the magic of our camera.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Ratty- just remember V for Vulture. They hold their wings in a V, hawks hold their wings level

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'll try to remember that one. I'll be able to see it a little better now with my glasses on.

      Delete
  3. When they fly south soon the eagles take over and then the same in the spring.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ooh, I'll definitely have to start watching for eagles then. I'd love to get a few pictures of them.

      Delete
  4. Those are good shots--that's tough to get them when they are flying so high.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was lucky this time because they were flying pretty low this time.

      Delete
  5. Their faces are entirely different. The turkey vulture is completely red in the face with flat feet. Of course to tell them apart you would need to see them up close. Don't think I'd want one circling above me. Great pics though.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've had turkey vultures circling above me before. Their faces in the pictures was how I discovered what they were. I've seen a few up close before. They sure can be pretty ugly.

      Delete