So Many Vultures

Over the weekend we went to a birthday party for one of our granddaughters. There is a creek through the woods near their home. While standing on the deck, I notices a large number of black vultures .. and I mean LARGE number. I tried to count them but there was just too many. I shot these two photos as we were heading home. Just a small sample.

~ Rick

Rick’s latest technology muse:

Check out our vlog, which includes more pictures and video on YouTube at tales.photos. Remember to subscribe!

Prints are available for many of the photos on this site on canvas, metal or glass. Contact Rick for more information.

©2019 ©2020 ©2021 ©2022 ©2023 Rick Cartwright

Still Uniquely Ugly

DSC_0020.jpeg

The Black Vulture do not normally fly as far north as our normal hiking area. We saw these as we were driving from site to site just south of Piqua. I was driving while Teresa captured this photo.

I think in the years I have been photographing birds, I have only seen a black vulture this far north once. They are different than Turkey Vultures ... a little more about this species:

The black vulture is a scavenger and feeds on carrion, but will also eat eggs or kill newborn animals (livestock such as cattle). In areas populated by humans, it also feeds at garbage dumps. It finds its meals either by using its keen eyesight or by following other (New World) vultures, which possess a keen sense of smell. Lacking a syrinx—the vocal organ of birds—its only vocalizations are grunts or low hisses. It lays its eggs in caves or hollow trees or on the bare ground, and generally raises two chicks each year, which it feeds by regurgitation. In the United States, the vulture receives legal protection under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. (Wikipedia)

~ Rick

Rick’s latest technology muse:

Check out our vlog, which includes more pictures and video on YouTube at tales.photos. Remember to subscribe!

Prints are available for many of the photos on this site on canvas, metal or glass. Contact Rick for more information.

©2019 ©2020 Rick Cartwright

A Different Vulture

DSC_1426.jpeg

This is a Black Vulture. I spent a lot of time this summer trying to photograph one. They can be seen as far north as Cincinnati, but rarely as far north as where I frequent. I saw a few near my son’s home, but missed the shot every time. I captured this photo while hiking near the Stillwater River. Odd and a surprise.

From Wikipedia:

The black vulture is a fairly large bird of prey, measuring 56–74 cm (22–29 in) in length, with a 1.33–1.67 m (52–66 in) wingspan. Weight for black vultures from North America and the Andes ranges from 1.6 to 3 kg (3.5 to 6.6 lb) but in the smaller vultures of the tropical lowlands it is 1.18–1.94 kg (2.6–4.3 lb). 50 vultures in Texas were found to average 2.15 kg (4.7 lb) while 119 birds in Venezuela were found to average 1.64 kg (3.6 lb). The extended wing bone measures 38.6–45 cm (15.2–17.7 in), the shortish tail measures 16–21 cm (6.3–8.3 in) and the relatively long tarsus measures 7–8.5 cm (2.8–3.3 in).[29] Its plumage is mainly glossy black. The head and neck are featherless and the skin is dark gray and wrinkled. The iris of the eye is brown and has a single incomplete row of eyelashes on the upper lid and two rows on the lower lid. The legs are grayish white, while the two front toes of the foot are long and have small webs at their bases. The feet are flat, relatively weak, and are poorly adapted to grasping; the talons are also not designed for grasping, as they are relatively blunt. (wikipedia)

Until next year, dude:)

~ Rick