Returning home from a driving lesson this morning I was surprised to see, just up the road, a very large bird tearing at the remains of a squirrel and trying to fend off another large black bird.
When I hurried back with the camera, one bird was still there.. He was not too impressed at my arrival and retreated to the tree above when I moved too close.
Looking at his shape, large size and his rather unusual features, he was recognisable as a turkey vulture. Our 'backyard' bird book suggests that the bird he was fighting off may have been a black vulture - apparently known to follow turkey vultures until they find prey or carrion and then fight them for it.
Not a typical backyard bird ! However, as the sun came out today and the temperature rose to the dizzy heights of 12C, the snow which had remained deep for almost a week started to melt at speed and the sound of dripping water was everywhere.
A pair of mourning doves, almost impossible to see amongst the leaves, snuggled themselves down on a dryish patch of ground, warmed by the sun and sunbathed for a good 30 minutes without moving!
A little more lively and searching for food under the damp leaves and running surface water were a flock of robins who spread themselves out over the garden and neighbouring woods and gardens.
I think that by morning, most of the snow will be gone and some of the surface water should then drain away.
Would the Black Vulture have killed the squirrel or just found it dead?
ReplyDeleteThe book on which we rely for our info suggests that they eat mainly carrion and only occasionally kill small birds and mammals
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine coming across a Vulture whilst walking down the street. He looks a bit scary but I guess as he flew up into a tree he was more scared of you than you might be of him.
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