Spring is on its way, finally

[LadyCrow]

How do I know this, you ask? Well friends, one of my favorite birds, the turkey vulture, is back in the area (had my first sightings of them today). As they migrate south, I haven't seen any since November (or thereabouts). So, without further adieu (spelling?), here is an example of a turkey vulture:





Yours in nature worship,
Andrea

[Frieda]

wow what a magnificent animal! beautiful!

[Aphrodite]

notice how similar the hawk in this photo is with the Turkey Vulture. It is hard to distinguish them in the air.

[Aphrodite]

I know spring is coming because it is Roll up the Rim time.

I wanted to post a pic and found this one.
It cracked me up.

[Coffee]

Originally posted by LadyCrow

Yesssss....another Turkey vulture lover. I am amazed at how many folks think they are ugly just cuz they don't have feathers on their heads. (Imagine how ugly they would be if they had carrion stuck to their head feathers). They are perfectly designed, and masters of the air. I love watching them catch and go from thermal to thermal.

[masterofNone]

Originally posted by Aphrodite
notice how similar the hawk in this photo is with the Turkey Vulture. It is hard to distinguish them in the air.

form follows function.
buckminster fuller

[Deviate]

Originally posted by Aphrodite
It is hard to distinguish them in the air.

actually it's quite easy. you need to look at the colouring under the wings. turkey vultures look like they have a black wing within a white wing. and they always travel in packs (usually three or four) while the hawk will be seen soaring alone. and the turkey vulture's soaring pattern is mostly circular.

(family of bird lovers here)

[Coffee]

also...hawks have a fan shaped tail...vultures are more elongated and wing tip "fingers" more pronounced...oh...and they circle a lot and hardly ever flap their wings...soooo efficient in their flight.

I used to fly radio control gliders alot...vultures and us used to share thermals...we would both take advantage of rising air that the other found...very cool sharing airspace with a creature like that.

[Deviate]

hawks actually ride thermals as well, and glide more than flap, but true they don't use the circular patter of the vulture.

[masterofNone]

the hawks here do. nice tight spirals. we used to watch them to know where the thermals were when i was a hang gliding lad.

[Aphrodite]

I was taught to look for colour differences.
Hawks are usually lighter.

The 'finger' looking feathers at the ends of the wings
are supposed to belong to the vulture.

The photo I posted clearly shows them on both.

I appreciate all the pointers though.
The one about the number of birds is helpful.
As is the tip about the feathers on the tail.

Also both birds circle but
turkey vultures remain in one area while
hawks circle and slowly change fields or areas.

[Magpie]

Spring's not here yet but...

When I lived in the country and would come across a vulture snacking on roadkill in the midst of our road, I'd have to come to a complete stop cause damn if those stubborn vultures were going to chance losing their snack just for some automobile haha! Gave the kids n' I a good chance to watch them up close though.

And another thing........ Many times at ceremonies on Indian reservations in South Dakota I'd hear non-Indians say, "Oh look an eagle circling above that's a good sign!" Then someone would tell them that it was a vulture and they'd be all disappointed...associating vultures w/something negative I guess - not as 'mystical' as an eagle. Then a "contrary", Heyoka (Sioux trickster) at the ceremony would let them know that the vulture is 'their' eagle so watch it with the 'it's "just* a vulture" comments Washichu's (whitepeople) hehee! So much for that stereotypical belief of vultures.

Hey...they had feathers on their head *once*

[LadyCrow]

Another good way to tell if the bird flying waaaaaaaaaaaay up in the sky is this: turkey vultures will often fly in groups (sorry, don't know the exact term for a group of them; ie, a group of crows is called a "murder" of crows) & hawks will only fly singly or with its mate.

For tons of info about these wonderful birds, please check out the following website:

http://www.accutek.com/vulture/

Pax,
Andrea

ps: I love red tailed hawks too, btw.

[Aphrodite]

They are beautiful.

Ok back to spring. Anyone see a robin yet?

[LadyCrow]

Yep. Saw one a few weeks ago.



(Not my pic, unfortunately...)

Pax,
Andrea