Adult Turkey Vulture flying low over sagebrush – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/3200, ISO 640, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR, natural light, not baited
I saw an email from a Utah birding group in my inbox yesterday that got my blood pumping because it said that a first of year Turkey Vulture had been spotted in St. George, Utah and I have to admit I practically danced in my chair when I saw that email. I get just as thrilled about hearing that Turkey Vultures will soon be arriving in northern Utah as I do hearing that Swainson’s Hawks are heading north.
As a crow flies it is 260 miles from where I live to St. George and as I write this there is snow on the ground outside my window with the temp hovering just below the freezing point but knowing that Turkey Vultures are winging their way north makes me realize that the gray skies of winter can’t hold on much longer because spring really is just around the corner.
Turkey Vulture warming up in the Sun – Nikon D810, f9, 1/800, ISO 400, -1.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited
I miss seeing and photographing Turkey Vultures during the winter and now I am excited that very soon I’ll be seeing them roosting on fence posts, rocky outcroppings, cattle gates, trees, corrals and the ground, riding the thermals, thermoregulating and scarfing up road kill all over the place!
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to view more of my Turkey Vulture photos plus facts and information about this species.
TVs are just so cool! 🙂
Yesterday afternoon when I was out watching the huge snow flakes falling, there was a very large bird flying very high in the sky I wondered if it was a turkey vulture. Between the falling snow and the height of the bird I could not tell what it was. It could have been a bald eagle but it’s flight pattern was more like a turkey vulture.
Ugly but majestic at that same time.