Believe it or not, the return of Turkey Vultures is another sign of spring. Turkey Vultures have been spotted in NH and other northern areas. Their big black "V" shape while soaring is a great ID clue. This is a bird I think of as pretty from a distance, kind of ugly up close. A valuable avian contributor is this 'nature's garbage collector.' Turkey Vultures feed on carrion. They're one of the few birds that have a well developed sense of smell and that helps them locate dead animals obscured by foliage. Keep looking up for this sign of spring.Photo © Lillian Stokes, 2008
2 comments:
Saw one cross by my windshield one day and yelped b/c he was huge! I parked the car and watched him land on a dead tree stump on the edge of the river. What a big and ugly bird he was, but if he's a sign of spring to come to NH then I'll be looking for him again joyfully!!!
Kind of crazy, but the day after I read/commented on your site I saw a turkey vulture; again, as I was driving. The bird scared me b/c he swooped down onto the ground from a tree and the size of him just surprised me... then I laughed over the coincidence of seeing one! Since it's snowing here again today I'll remind myself that he truly was a sign of spring! Hopefully flowers and grass will join in as other signs soon. :-)
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