We have a lot of vultures in our area. I love to see them flying. They are so graceful. But, if you see them on the ground they are ungainly and the ugliest bird around. Across the neighbors field along the creekbed there are some trees where they settle in for the night. They always choose a dead tree with few branches. Even in bad weather they huddle down but don't choose to perch under leaves or in shelter. vultures ( photo / image / picture from dooley's Garden ) vultures ( photo / image / picture from dooley's Garden ) I took these pictures this evening with a distance lens. I had never tried it before but it didn't turn out too bad considering the distance to the trees from our back deck. dooley
We have buzzards here but they're not as impressive as your vultures Dooley. Many thanks for the photographs. :-D
Dooley, We have the "same" tree here and I notice this several times a year driving through town on the way to church Sunday mornings, but the funny thing about it is it right behind the local doctors office I have not mentioned this to the doctor...yet. Maybe I should just mention that it concerns me? ROFL. I wonder where they perch the rest of the time? Do you see them regularly there?
They circle the fields here during the summer here. The first time I saw one up close it kind of startled me LOL So ugly!
Carolyn, they will be there all winter. Sometimes up to twenty. They seem to perch on these little branches and you'll see them all trying to find a spot. Sometimes when one lands he bumps another off. I like to sit and watch them settle in for the night. When dawn arrives the leave one by one. Never in a mass exodus. They survive on road kill for the most part. They don't kill anything. dooley
Gee Dooley, when I read the title of your post, I never thought it would be about real vultures! We have them here, of course. They like to catch the thermals and soar over the fields. Graceful in flight, ghastly on the ground, but without them we'd be knee-deep in critter corpses. Your long-distance photo is fine. Wish I could do as well.
As ugly as they are, they certainly are a welcome addition to the neighborhood during the summer, otherwise....PEEE WEW!!!I did have them circling the back yard after I butchered chickens this summer though. I tossed the effluvia in the compost pile and covered it up. they didn't find it though. I think the dog kept them away. and pretty soon the smell went away and so did the vultures.
I'd love to see those in real life. I've only seen some in zoos. We haven't got any of those here but have to make do with ravens and crows.
Wow, that is a whole flock of vultures. They are very graceful flying. Do they nest around there also?
