Turkey Vulture - global warming or learning disabled?
It was the Fisherville Christmas Bird Count today and “my” section of it runs from Ruthven downriver to Cayuga and east as far as Windecker Road. It started off as a pleasant walk: sunshine with little wind – you could hear titmice half a kilometer away. But that changed, and changed quickly. By 10:30, dark clouds covered the sky, the wind was really picking up, and I was getting pelted with rain. I didn’t see anything remarkable (unless you call bluebirds and titmice remarkable) until I got in the car and drove slowly along Town Line. Just before I reached Brook’s Road I spotted a dark “raptor” in a tree top and when I got out to get a better look was very pleasantly surprised to find it was a Turkey Vulture. Surprised because these birds should be at least a thousand kilometers south of here (and most are much further).
Another view of the Turkey Vulture
So it was an exciting start to the new birding/banding year.
Ruthven in the early morning light - it was very different 2 hours later: windy, overcast, and wet.
A view of the bridge just downriver from the overlook on the Fox Den Trail.
Rick