Turkey Vulture perched on an orange post, Box Elder County, UtahTurkey Vulture perched on an orange post – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 320, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR, natural light, not baited

I was looking through my photo archives for March last night because I wanted to see when some of the spring migrants have shown up in previous years and noticed that I have seen Turkey Vultures as early as mid-March. Yeah, I know some people think that Turkey Vultures are so ugly that only a mother could love them but I have a great deal of respect for these carrion eaters because they clean up the roads and fields plus they are incredibly graceful in flight. And personally, I don’t find them ugly at all, just different and different isn’t a bad thing.

When I photographed this adult Turkey Vulture in northern Utah last year it wasn’t alone, there were several other vultures roosting near it that morning on fence posts and a locked gate and I took a lot of images of all of them. I liked having the out of focus sagebrush in the background, the eye contact I had with the bird plus all of the fine details I could see in the vulture’s dark plumage. About the only thing I didn’t like about this Turkey Vulture photo was the brightness of the orange fence post but… there is a reason why that fence post is orange.

Why is that fence post orange you might ask?

That orange post along with other orange posts on this rangeland means the private landowner has posted notification that there is “No Trespassing” allowed on their land, specifically that there is “No Hunting” on that piece of property without permission. Here in Utah that orange color on fence posts means keep out. I’ve also seen the orange used in Idaho and Montana to post private land as “No Hunting” without permission too.

So now you have the rest of the story about why you see orange painted fence posts here in Utah along with private lands in other states and what those fence posts mean.

Note: The Vulture doesn’t care what the orange fence posts means for it the post is just a handy place to roost overnight, perch upon and a place to warm up in the morning sun.

Life is good.

Mia

It is snowing here this morning! Happy dance!

Click here to view more of my Turkey Vulture photos plus facts and information about this species.