Turkey Vulture Heaven

[Rick]

About 20 turkey vultures have decided to start roosting in the trees behind the house. I'm not sure what the sudden attraction is but they are amazing to watch at dusk when they start coming in. They sail through the backyard like jet fighters. Seeing 20 in the air over your head at about 30 feet in the air is pretty awe inspiring. Here's a snap I took out the bathroom window this afternoon. Light rain started around 2 p.m. and they started flocking in early. Nature's reality shows sure beat anything on TV!!

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

[tundrabadger]

now that's cool. Thanks for sharing, Rick.

[crashdive123]

They are an ugly, ugly bird but in flight they are majestic.

[laughingbeetle]

They are pretty efficient as nature's clean up crew. Ginormous wing span.

[hunter63]

We have a lot of them out at "The Place".....and are some big birds up close.

Had one come over me as I was walking down a ridge trail, leading to a rock outcropping.
Level but narrow trail, only 6 ft. wide...steep and straight down on both sides.

I was looking down and he(she?) blotted out the sun...all I saw for a second was this huge shadow.....
Looked like a 6 ft. wing span.
Thought Jason's Harpies were coming for me....

....And they CRAP big piles under a roost tree.....You will see if they stick around awhile....LOL

[DSJohnson]

And...they taste just like chicken!!

[natertot]

I got a lot of them in my area including my back yard. A 9 acre plot behind me is getting developed so the township is setting off fireworks to scare them away. They will be missed!

[edr730]

When several turkey vultures are flying in a circle, you know for sure that something is dead below them. They don't do that until they have all smelled it. Although, the noise of the crows usually seem to be first. How fast they find a body is dependent on weather and wind conditions.
If I were on a search and rescue I would listen for crows and watch for vultures. If I was lost and hungry I would do the same. Chops and shanks would still be good enough when the crows first arrive. At least it looks like that to me. I never had to try it.
Some may confuse a hovering eagle or vulture. The eagle flies with wings very flat. The turkey vulture has wings in the form of a "V".
Long time ago, I had about 20 turkey vultures roost on a barn and fence posts. I never could figure out why and they never circled the area. I guess they just thought it was good for the night. Only lasted a day or two and never happened again.

[finallyME]

Maybe if you took the dead deer carcass out of your backyard...... just sayin...

[edr730]

vultures 101.....deer carcass no...check circling no...check. Could have been circling out there miles away or some dead animal that I didn't see. Maybe it's a strange force that Rick and I share for attracting vultures. If so, I'd rather it be the force for attracting squirrels or fish or something. Definitely not skunks.
I'm beginning to take this a bit more seriously recently. Wasn't Frankenstein created with a type of EMP? Could that same science be used to create zombies? Don't vultures eat the dead?......I think I see it clearly now. It's a warning sign....a gift. The Birds vs The Walking Dead....maybe a couple sequels.

[hunter63]

At least it weren't sharks......"Sharknado"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharknado

[edr730]

Good point Hunter. Thanks for the heads up. I don't wanna attract fish no more. And I'm not goin to L.A. if they call me for help. I'm goin out in the woods and talk to the trees. They always tell me what to do or they give me a sign. I'll take the chain saw. I gotta cut some of them anyhow.

[Rick]

Yeah, how come you never see a vulture munching away on a zombie? What's up with that? I'm not sure what the vulture zombie ratio is but you'd think there aught be at least one vulture per couple of zombies. You can see hundreds of zombies walking down a road and not a single vulture. There's something fishy about that.

[edr730]

Rick, I know wat you mean. I used to think the same stuff. Like how come the maggots don't eat the zombies and stuff. Vultures too. I once had questions like that. I'm afraided I still do.
Then it was kinda revealed to me in my head...what if...and I'm only saying what if. What if The Walking Dead is wrong. What if they aren't as vetted as we think they are. What if vultures maggots and bears and maybe raccoons and skunks can help out. Maybe big knives too.
The vultures have come to you as thy came to me. You can't deny it. So talk to them, be one with them if it all comes down. Besides, they taste like chicken and that's good too.

[kyratshooter]

Nothing strange, mystical or magic about this whole deal.

Buy a bar of soap and take a shower!

[edr730]

Skepticism is what I expect. The cave men saw many things as magical like when they made snowshoes, fire and those clay pots they made wine and stuff in. Lots of them, I bet, made fun of those ideas and inventions too....maybe not so much with the wine though. I believe in the brain cell buffulo theory and this is why some of us can see through the veil and some of us can't. And just remember when it comes down....you can't wash a zombie off your back.

[Rick]

It would warm my heart if I could see one...just one...zombie walking down the road with a vulture perched on a shoulder, a raccoon hanging on a leg, maggots falling out of one arm and a bear munching a hand. Maybe a whole arm.

Oh, yeah. It's easy for anyone to sit back and criticize, call you a witch or crazy. But they sure change their tune when you hand them something like bacon the first time. Then they are all like.....hey buddy. Hey pal. We will remember who our true friends are.

By the way, if becoming one with the vulture involves climbing to the top of that tree...yeah, that ain't gonna happen. (Hey, mom. Dad's sitting in the tree with the vultures again - Go tell him to climb down, dear.)

[edr730]

All that gives me almost too much to thiink about. I have to go to town now. I have a friend and his expertice is all about zombies. Hes studyed them most of his life. Tons and tons of research and a couple books too. You would know what I mean if you saw his bedroom. I've been listening to him alot lately. You can't know too much. I'll ask about the trees tho. He seems to know his way around problems.

[edr730]

Rick, I told my friend about your sneario about a lot of animals eating the zombies. But he already knew that stuff. I told him about people calling you a crazy and he knew all about that to. Same thing happens to him alot. I told him about the problem you had with being "cara a cara" with the tukey vultures in a tree and once again he knew right away what you should do. There some impotent details and you might want to take nots.,
1. get paracord and tie around a ankle
2. tie to lower limb
3. climb up weeving in and out of branches
4. climb back down when you are done
Now I'm going to tell you now how it works.
When you weeve in and out of branches going up then if you fall when you are up there the paracord will get wraped around all the branches and catch you making it impossible to fall. The springyness of branches makes for a nice slow springy stop. its best to untie your boot laces (also made of paracord) and tie to those and then it won't cut off the cerculation around the ankle if you were theere very long (that was my idea). You don't have to do it that way but it's just a safty issue and safty is very importent in a survival situation.
I was a little worryed at first because he never really tried it. He dont climb trees. But he said it would work just fine and he would not be a bit afraid for you to do it.
I wanted him to join the form but he saystheres alot of crazy peoople in places like this and he didnt want to be part of that. But he did say that he would help you if you needed any more advice or if his idea needed to be tweeked a little bit.

[Rick]

I'll try that this afternoon. I have a good 60 feet of paracord. I'll tie it at the base since that will be easy enough to reach then climb the tree ducking and weaving. Does it matter which ankle? I'm left handed so I'll go with my left, which should be right. Wait, you know what I mean. I'll let you know how it goes.