Turkey Vulture

I was working in my office recently and saw a large bird swoop in front of the window – just in the periphery of my vision. There are a lot more crows about these days but my impression was that the bird was bigger than a crow. I got up to look out the window – expecting to not see the bird. But – the bird had stopped on the roof of our neighbor’s house and seemed to be posing for a picture!

It was a turkey vulture! I have learned to recognized them as they soar (their outstretched wings look white on the tips and back edge; the black vulture’s wings look white only at the tips) but don’t see them on the ground frequently. This one was close enough to use the camera zoom and get a ‘vulture portrait.’

The bird seemed to be looking right at me at first – but then turned. It flew away eventually. I was glad there wasn’t something dead in by backyard that had attracted it!

Mt. Pleasant in January

I took a walk with a ‘Winter Wellness’ group at the Howard County Conservancy’s Mt. Pleasant Farm early this month…on a very cold day. I didn’t take very many pictures because it was more important to walk quickly enough to keep warm. I liked the patterns the ice made along the edges of the Davis Branch – the contrasting colors of fallen leaves, the lighter rocks and pebbles…and a surprising amount of green.

The day warmed into the 30s and as I was leaving I saw a lone turkey vulture soring overhead. The bird circled over me several times and I finally managed a focused image.

As a walked back to my car I noticed how lonely the picnic area was without the large number of students that often picnic there after field trips in the spring and fall.