My turkey vulture

Since this seems to be the designated day for buzzard shots (in the US, they are buzzards and hawks are not called buzzards), here is my contribution. I shot this a couple days ago.

No, it is not a gigantic sensor dust blob -- I shot through a small opening between pine trees -- and, no I am not going to clone it out.

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Looks fine to me, these bad boys won't be up this way until it warms up. Where did the word buzzard come from anyway? Nice shot Wild Bill...heh..heh.

Very nice in flight shot Bill. After going to a show and tell with a live bird awhile back, I really like these guys.

I heard they make good pets, seriously. Nice shot Bill

The one I met was 14 years old and had been raised from an egg. It was very gentle and well behaved. It was also very alert and aware and interested in everything going on around it. The lady handling it didn't even wear a glove.

Good looking flier Bill... as "interesting" as they look on the ground, they are sure majestic in the air... it will be awhile before I see one flying over my ridge... I will be looking forward to it...

db

Very well done shots of a large bird Bill The name all depends on geography A few Turkey Vulture like birds remain North inNorthern Ohio through the Winter We have an Annual Buzzard festival on March 15 in Hinkley Oh each year to welcome Spring. The 30 year Official Buzzard spotter calls for the Buzzard starting at 8:00AM that day. Even though some birders claim they see TVs in Jan and Feb those birds are listed as Creagles. The Hellish offspring of Eagle and crow.Only after 3-15 do they become TVs. That's the weird way we play it her. Come on up for the Buzzard outdoor pancake breakfast as we all wait on a cold March Morning for the first bird
Sam

ajosteve wrote in post #9675654
Looks fine to me, these bad boys won't be up this way until it warms up. Where did the word buzzard come from anyway? Nice shot Wild Bill...heh..heh.

Thanks, Steve. I don't know about the word origin, but the name seems to fit. Another local Texas name for them is Turkey Buzzard.

"Wild Bill" ... hmmm ... sort of has a nice ring to it.

canonloader wrote in post #9675869
Very nice in flight shot Bill. After going to a show and tell with a live bird awhile back, I really like these guys.

I could like them better if they had better table manners, Mitch. I once saw a dead cow carcass moving and when I got closer, several buzzards emerged from inside and flew off.

As a child, I learned not to walk under known buzzard roosts before daybreak. Don't ask!

Paul A wrote in post #9676049
I heard they make good pets, seriously. Nice shot Bill

I will take your word for it, Paul. I suppose that they would eat table scraps. I have never heard of Purina Buzzard Chow so I suppose that they are not common as house pets.

dbriz wrote in post #9676278
Good looking flier Bill... as "interesting" as they look on the ground, they are sure majestic in the air... it will be awhile before I see one flying over my ridge... I will be looking forward to it...

db

Thanks, Dave. They are year round inhabitants here. Road kill seems to be one of their favorite things to eat -- already tenderized.

sam walker wrote in post #9676333
Very well done shots of a large bird Bill The name all depends on geography A few Turkey Vulture like birds remain North inNorthern Ohio through the Winter We have an Annual Buzzard festival on March 15 in Hinkley Oh each year to welcome Spring. The 30 year Official Buzzard spotter calls for the Buzzard starting at 8:00AM that day. Even though some birders claim they see TVs in Jan and Feb those birds are listed as Creagles. The Hellish offspring of Eagle and crow.Only after 3-15 do they become TVs. That's the weird way we play it her. Come on up for the Buzzard outdoor pancake breakfast as we all wait on a cold March Morning for the first bird
Sam

Interesting celebration. Nice to know about Creagles, too.

I will consider the invitation, Sam, since I do not recall ever having been to a Buzzard Outdoor Pancake Breakfast. What is the topping du jour for the pancakes?

Nice shot, and no other comment to make.

sparker1 wrote in post #9677260
Nice shot, and no other comment to make.

Thanks, Stan. I did have a crow for a pet when I was a teenager, but a buzzard would not have been allowed in the house.

Great BIF shot.

Nice shot

canonloader wrote in post #9675869
....After going to a show and tell with a live bird awhile back, I really like these guys. The one I met was 14 years old and had been raised from an egg. It was very gentle and well behaved. It was also very alert and aware and interested in everything going on around it. ....

Sounds a bit like a blind date I once had that didn't quite pan out -- pleasant personality and all that, but ... the beak!

Cyclop wrote in post #9679396
Great BIF shot.

Thank you, Cyclop.

akhan wrote in post #9679421
Nice shot

Thank you, Akhan.