Posted by John De Bord on April 16, 2006 at 7:45 PM
Well 1st off I know these shots aren't great and I was VERY unprepared for them. I was down in Ken Caryl Valley around the South Valley Park area and on my way back thru KCV, I spot this Hawk floating on the thermals. Now I have never gotten a Bird of Prey before so I figured oh I don't have the correct lens with me anyhow,...sigh....then I noticed these interesting white colors on this winds as he flu over me and thought...what in the heck kinda bird....suddenly he swooped down about 100 feet down the road in a ravine and didn't come back up so I thought, ok why not. Drove the car down (I am on Ken Caryl Rd) and low and behold what do I see? A Vulture! Now what in the heck is this guy doing around here? A little of course I would say! Several 100 miles off course! I didn't think they migrated either being a warm climate bird. Odd. Well here's a shot I grabbed...not the best I know..just zoom and crop from in cam...shot on my Minolta 5D and 75-300mm Minolta lens. He saw me and took off. But I did get a few :)
Posted by Robbie George on April 16, 2006 at 8:03 PM
Looks like it is eating on a deer carcuss. We have some of these Turkey Vulture's in Western Colorado. I have even seen them near Aspen, but not all year. They usually show up in April and leave sometime in the fall. Glad you had a chance to spot one of these. Robbie
Very nice image. There is actually a very substantial turkey vulture population in CO, and they are common throughout the lower 48. A fun fact: they have a wing span of 67"!
Dave Showalter
Posted by Chuck Peacock on April 17, 2006 at 10:58 AM
Good shot!
But I think they're more impressive from a distance with that wing span Dave mentions.
It's definitly spring when the turkey vultures are back.
They have alot to munch on around here that's for sure.
Nice shot, John. With a wing span of 67", you're lucky that he already had dinner in front of him!
Posted by Dan Walters on April 17, 2006 at 11:46 AM
Cool shot!
Posted by Scott Buckel on April 17, 2006 at 2:58 PM
Nice capture!
As others have said it is definitely spring when these guys arrive and when you do nto see them any more it is definitely fall. I am always amazed when I see these guys fly - they are some of the most graceful flyers around.
Discussion
7 repliesVery nice image. There is actually a very substantial turkey vulture population in CO, and they are common throughout the lower 48. A fun fact: they have a wing span of 67"!
Dave Showalter
But I think they're more impressive from a distance with that wing span Dave mentions.
It's definitly spring when the turkey vultures are back.
They have alot to munch on around here that's for sure.
As others have said it is definitely spring when these guys arrive and when you do nto see them any more it is definitely fall. I am always amazed when I see these guys fly - they are some of the most graceful flyers around.