Once again, a long write-up. It's mainly to note my experience as a diary entry. So, bear with me. Partially, the photos are small in pixel size to prevent slow speed connections/loading time. They all can be enlarged for closer viewing. Since it's Halloween, I wanted to share the ultimate Halloween Bird...the Wicked Looking Vulture.
Black Vultures - photo shared in 2012 - taken in Texas Hill Country
BLACK VULTURE habitat range: here
I was the only one at Pollywog Ponds on this particular Tuesday. For the most part, that didn't surprise me in the least. The area isn't a 'popular place' for birders because it's not well kept. The half mile walk is most always high grasses, water moccasins, oftentimes broken tree limbs in the path, and the year 'round mosquito population...if you're not drenched in repellent, they'll carry you off and feast on you!! But...it was a beautiful day, mild temperatures, no wind, sunny. On ground, the bird population was almost nil. Yet, the quietness, I was soaking in with relish!! Just me, the dew laden grass path, and nature. Into the heavily wooded area about 25 feet, a large owl startled me from my reverie. I tried to follow its flight path visionally but lost it in the dense canopy ahead. When I arrived at the ponds, I found very little bird activity. One Common Egret, an Eastern Phoebe singing the "Phoebe Chorus", a Northern Cardinal, a Lincoln's sparrow, two American Coots, a pair of cormorants, a Swainson's hawk flying high above the river at the end of the trail.
Lincoln's Sparrow [2] and Swainson's Hawk
Eastern Phoebe
Top two photos are of no zoom lens...just straight from the camera. LOOK CLOSER IN THE SKY...see the black pepper specks? Those are hundreds of Turkey Vultures on the move. I'm not sure you'd call this 'migration' since these birds are considered 'permanent' residents. But surely, not in these masses...
Zooming in....then, really zooming in!
Now share your birding experiences:
For use of graphic link in your post, copy text in lavender text area below and paste into your blog post:
or use text linking only copy text in lavender text area below and paste into your blog post:
Black Vultures - photo shared in 2012 - taken in Texas Hill Country
BLACK VULTURE habitat range: here
I was the only one at Pollywog Ponds on this particular Tuesday. For the most part, that didn't surprise me in the least. The area isn't a 'popular place' for birders because it's not well kept. The half mile walk is most always high grasses, water moccasins, oftentimes broken tree limbs in the path, and the year 'round mosquito population...if you're not drenched in repellent, they'll carry you off and feast on you!! But...it was a beautiful day, mild temperatures, no wind, sunny. On ground, the bird population was almost nil. Yet, the quietness, I was soaking in with relish!! Just me, the dew laden grass path, and nature. Into the heavily wooded area about 25 feet, a large owl startled me from my reverie. I tried to follow its flight path visionally but lost it in the dense canopy ahead. When I arrived at the ponds, I found very little bird activity. One Common Egret, an Eastern Phoebe singing the "Phoebe Chorus", a Northern Cardinal, a Lincoln's sparrow, two American Coots, a pair of cormorants, a Swainson's hawk flying high above the river at the end of the trail.
Lincoln's Sparrow [2] and Swainson's Hawk
Eastern Phoebe
So, I started heading back to drive to Bazemore Park about 10 miles from Pollywog Ponds. While heading back to the car, I sighted in on a Black Tern, an uncooperative [Least?] flycatcher that refused to give me a face on stance showing just its back feather pattern, a Tennessee Warbler, and a Spotted Sandpiper, in its winter garb, flew in and did its dance for me while I took photos.
Spotted Sandpiper [winter plumage]
Least Flycatcher and Tennessee Warbler
Black Tern
Nearing the open area where I had parked the car, I heard a bird call and stopped to inspect the trees behind me for any movement in and around the branches. I didn't see anything and the song wasn't heard again. For some reason, I looked up. I felt in awe and quite humbled!! Something I have always wanted to see, but until this day...never have I witnessed such a phenomenon of nature. Of course my photos do NOT show the sight well, trust me when I tell you the sky was like someone opened up dozens of black pepper shakers and tossed the entire contents to the wind!! The cobalt blue sky was literally freckled with black! Swirling, soaring, silent...masses of black. I was stupefied; observing!!! Miles upon miles of migrating vultures!!! While I watched in a near trance, I soon was trying to estimate the numbers. From where I stood, probably 2500 to 5000 [turkey vultures] strewn across the sky!! I was sure that was too high a count, but maybe not so far off after all...........
Spotted Sandpiper [winter plumage]
Least Flycatcher and Tennessee Warbler
Black Tern
Nearing the open area where I had parked the car, I heard a bird call and stopped to inspect the trees behind me for any movement in and around the branches. I didn't see anything and the song wasn't heard again. For some reason, I looked up. I felt in awe and quite humbled!! Something I have always wanted to see, but until this day...never have I witnessed such a phenomenon of nature. Of course my photos do NOT show the sight well, trust me when I tell you the sky was like someone opened up dozens of black pepper shakers and tossed the entire contents to the wind!! The cobalt blue sky was literally freckled with black! Swirling, soaring, silent...masses of black. I was stupefied; observing!!! Miles upon miles of migrating vultures!!! While I watched in a near trance, I soon was trying to estimate the numbers. From where I stood, probably 2500 to 5000 [turkey vultures] strewn across the sky!! I was sure that was too high a count, but maybe not so far off after all...........
Top two photos are of no zoom lens...just straight from the camera. LOOK CLOSER IN THE SKY...see the black pepper specks? Those are hundreds of Turkey Vultures on the move. I'm not sure you'd call this 'migration' since these birds are considered 'permanent' residents. But surely, not in these masses...
Zooming in....then, really zooming in!
The next morning, I opened the frequented site online and read this:
From Texas Birds of the American Birding Association reads from this post dated October 27th, 2015:
- At about 9:45 am, we were on CR 77 heading toward the Nueces River plain when the first vultures started taking flight. Within minutes there were lots of little "fountains" or "geysers" of vultures popping up as far as I could see along the course of the riverbed. It was pretty cool. After another 15 minutes or so, they started to group together and search for bigger thermals, and the groups started moving west and south. I had to drop Norm at the airport, so from that time onward I would occasionally glance at the skies - pure blue with no clouds - I did not envy the hawk counters at Hazel Bazemore that day. Erik just walked in the door and announced "Today we blew away yesterday's Turkey Vulture count - over 80,000!!!" Just one stream was over 27,000 birds and took over an hour to pass by -
Now share your birding experiences:
or use text linking only copy text in lavender text area below and paste into your blog post:
Holy cow! I had to show my husband. It's right out of Hitchcock.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness! I have never seen so many Vultures in one place at one time!! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic sighting of Vultures!
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting this meme.
Have a great week-end!
Lea
really awesome to see so many!! i like vultures.
ReplyDeleteHello Anni, seeing all the Vultures is cool! Great collection of images. Thanks for hosting, Enjoy your weekend!
ReplyDeleteamazing to see. The Turkey Vultures is an ugly bird up close, but in flight it is stunning. So many!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the birds and your experience :)
They are amazing birds. I just wonder what they have been eating!
ReplyDeleteThat is simply amazing.
ReplyDeleteYour vultures look to be ready to pounce on anything that shows up. I always enjoy just gazing at your birding photos. You are so talented and your pictures are so interesting. Thank you for sharing them all with us. By not being a birder, I have missed out on a lot.
ReplyDeleteHello Anni!:) How exciting to witness the migrating vultures in such large numbers, and to capture this awesome spectacle on camera.Forces of nature of this kind are truely humbling, and I'm so glad you shared it.
ReplyDeleteHi Anni. Firstly I'm so pleased to hear that the population of Turkey Vultures north of you is at least 80,000 - brilliant. I remember seeing lots of Turkey Vultures in Canada where I'm sure they are both resident and long-distance migrants? What a wonderful experience seeing the sky full of the Turkey Vultures like that. It is perhaps a once in a lifetime experience when everything comes together to make it take place and you were out birding on that day.
ReplyDeleteAs to your quiet expedition to Pollywog Ponds (love the name), that seems like a selection of lovely species you found. I just love those quiet, untidy, unkempt places where no one goes because it's not user friendly; the birds don't care what a place looks like if there is food.
Enjoy your Sunday and thanks for hosting the day.
An amazing sight! Pollywog Pond sounds like my kind of place, complete with mosquitoes!
ReplyDeleteAnni, great experience. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI think this is brilliant. I would love to be able to witness such an amazing event. Thanks for sharing it Anni. I enjoyed your photos very much. Have a great week :)
ReplyDeleteOh, Anni! That must have been amazing!
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing post!!! It reads like a chapter in a really good nature book!! Thank you for writing this!
ReplyDeleteThe Black Vultures are just wonderful! I love the closeup shot and the swarms are awesome...I saw a much smaller swarm once when we lived in Texas! Love that Black Tern too! Great shots of it all. What a wonderful experience to witness!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for hosting ... I forgot I hadn't commented here, I read it when I linked and meant to come back after I did my morning chores (a few hours behind n this time zone). Anyway, I love your sky full of vultures ... Just wonderful. You find the best things on your bird walks. Honestly, you should lead walks or teach classes. Like Leona Turnbull, who was still doing that when we wintered in PA.... Too many years ago now !
ReplyDelete