Turkey Vultures

[DTro]

Was out on the Minnesota River yesterday and experienced quite a site. A couple of flocks of vultures were working the area. There must have been close to a hundred in each flock. They were circling right above us. I didn't have my digital camera, but snapped a couple with my 35mm.

They were circling close enough to us that I pointed out that they may be fixin eat us or our cutbait

Anyone have pics of these?

[Steve Foss]

dtro:

Just don't lay still in the bottom of the boat for more than five minutes with your kidneys uncovered:

Here's one. I don't shoot vultures often except backlit like this, or in silhouette, because their beauty really IS in the eye of the beholder, and not so many see them as beautiful when they get a gander at that naked bright head.

So, you see, I shot it so the sun would play dramatically on the wing feathers and de-emphasize the head. Lots of them up here. They use the rocky escarpments for nesting sites and soar on the thermals. One of the most elegant of soaring birds in economy of motion.

I believe this one is an immature bird.