Ground Observations - 2012-2013 Season

[NancyM]

What a great series, booni!  I wonder if that is a young vulture, that Mom allowed it so close?  I seem to remember seeing others in some of your photos from years past - watching eagles feeding on a dead seal.

[Donnae]

Wonderful series Booni!!! I too can't believe how close she let that turkey vulture get to her. Not concern about it at all and it is just
waiting patiently for his/hers turn. thanks.

Mishi... agree... neat tv but love Mom more   

[eck]

Booni ... thank you so much for all your observations and pictures!  I truly appreciate and am thankful for your efforts... Respectfully

[Faerie Gardener]

This is fascinating, Booni - thanks so much for capturing and sharing it!

Have you ever seen an altercation between vultures and eagles? Would eagles be considered predators of vultures?

I have almost never seen a vulture without other vultures around. They always seem to be in groups of 2 or more. I wonder if the other vultures in this one's family were CHICKEN??   

[Rajame]

These pictures and commentary are fantastic Booni! I am marveling at the close proximity of the two. Their differences and similarities.

As for the preceding comments on loving Mom best! Oh YES!!!! Loving Mom! Loving her with every fiber of my beingness!

Thank you again and again!

[boodle317]

Fantastic series of photos!  Great to see Mom looking so robust!!!  That turkey vulture is very patient!  Pecking order is quite clear in these photos.

Thanks Booni!  Love all your great catches on Hornby!   

[boonibarb]

 
Nancy, i don*t know for sure, but i think a young Vulture would have a grey or black head?
Yes, Vultures & Eagles definitely share feeding space, but i believe the Eagles get first dibs.

Faerie, i have never seen an altercation between an Eagle & a Turkey Vulture.
i don*t believe Eagles are predators of Vultures, the way they are of Herons, but i do not know for sure.

Okay, i figured i*d post a few more fotos from this series today, i*d forgotten i had these!
They are the last ones i got of Mum or Dad, so i figured i*d stretch them over the away time.
Notice in this next series of fotos, Mum*s reflection in the pool of water lower left!

august 2 2013 12:29 - Mum eats Salmon while a Vulture watches



This one shows Mum*s legs, which i always enjoy seeing.



They really are standing quite close together, & the Turkey Vulture is very patient.
Not sure i ever saw them get a bite.
The Crows would be right in there, grabbing bits.





i was looking online this morning before posting these, for information about juvenile Turkey Vultures.
i read that Turkey Vultures have no septum, which is why you can see straight through the nares like this.



http://www.flickr.com/photos/43214021@N08/9606221901/#

[boonibarb]

 
You can see Mum*s beak in the reflection in this one.

august 2 2013 12:30:20 - Mum eats Salmon while a Vulture watches





Mum does a shuggle, the Turkey Vulture has flown away to the right.



Look at Mum*s big left foot, open wide & coming down to get a better grip on the food so she can tear it with her sharp beak.
Vulture walking close again from the right.





http://www.flickr.com/photos/43214021@N08/9609445956/#

[mishikeenhquay]

wow....awesome series!!

[NancyM]

booni, this is truly a wonderful series of photos.  i wonder if anyone else has documented a TV and eagle interaction like this?

[OpieK]

So good to see mum eating well!  Thanks Booni for keeping them with us during the "away" time!

[madrona]

I love this thread!  Thanks so much, booni, for providing the great 'fotos' and commentary.  I have never seen eagles and vultures feeding together, so find this particularly interesting as we do see both around the bay where I live.  Mostly vultures overhead when the eagles have left!  Having said that, at first I thought the large brownish/black bird I saw in the distance today, in the bay, swooping and harassing seagulls, occasionally landing and flapping, might have been a vulture - but that is not their typical behaviour.  When we got out the binocs it was clear that it was a young eagle.  (Hope it's not one that got left behind).   

[wildkitten]

How wonderful to see Mum again!!  Thanks sooo much, Booni!!  I wondered if the vultures and eagles would share...  I was driving home from work one day last year and saw a gathering of vultures feasting on a deer that had been hit that morning.....one of the birds looked "different" even at 60 mph.... I wondered if it was a juvenile eagle (I can't tell for squat yet - you'd think I could by now)...  maybe I was correct! 

[marjy2u]

Wow!!! I've been away for FAR too long and missing amazing stuff, I see!! Booni, you never fail to deliver more and more impressive photos all the time! Thanks for sharing! 

[boonibarb]

 
Looks like Mum has left a few crumbs for the patient Vulture.

august 2 2013 12:30 - Mum eats Salmon while a Vulture watches



Notice there*s almost a band of red across the Vulture*s forehead.



Not having hands, Mum grabs a piece & tosses it, in order to take a different bite at it.



And again here.



Even though i am a long ways away, behind a car, the Vulture keeps an eye on me.
You can see Mum*s distinctive back-of-head feathering here.



http://www.flickr.com/photos/43214021@N08/9719301902/in/photostream/#