Showing posts with label Cathartees aura. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cathartees aura. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Day 1: Turkey Vultures

Vulture on a roost. I adjusted the contrast so it's wing feathers would stand out.

You would have thought there was an AIG executive on the side of the road near Montezuma’s Well for all the Vultures circling. As you might guess from their featherless heads, these boys know that bald is in, Turkey Vultures (Cathartees aura) feed on carrion. It has been a long time since I have seen a Vulture up close, so I could not resist snapping a few photos. Most of the time I see Vultures high in the sky riding thermals, their flight feathers a dead giveaway.

Vultures in flight. Note the spread wing-tip flight feathers and identifying V-shaped stance.

What I did not know was that Vultures tend to roost in groups, breed in caves, and will regurgitate a foul smelling mash of undigested carrion in threatened. Maybe bald is not so in.

North Rock Creek Snowshoe

Distance: 4 miles round trip Elevation: 9,180 ft to 9,780 ft Elevation Gain: 600 ft Dogs: Off leash until the wilderness boundary North...