This Turkey Vulture was preening atop a utility pole at Warriors Path State Park. It looks like this one needs to do a bit more, its feathers are coated with white where other birds have defecated on it! On hot days, vultures will often defecate on their legs as a way to cool off. Needless to say, vultures are best enjoyed at a distance!
) just as it was taking off. A lot of my pictures are just "dumb luck"! Many digital cameras have a tiny delay before the shutter releases, that delay can be "just enough" to make or break a photo. I once had a vulture fly a few feet over my head while I was walking down a road where I teach my outdoor classes. Although it has been many years ago, I still remember hearing the slow "whoosh, whoosh" sound of the wings. Turkey Vultures are much larger than Black Vultures with a wingspan of up to 72 inches. They have a keen sense of smell and they use it to locate carrion. Turkey Vultures have a red head, Black Vultures have a black head.
Kingsport, TN March 3, 2008 I once had a vulture fly a few feet over my head while I was walking down a road where I teach my outdoor classes. Although it has been many years ago, I still remember hearing the slow "whoosh, whoosh" sound of the wings. Turkey Vultures are much larger than Black Vultures with a wingspan of up to 72 inches. They have a keen sense of smell that they use it to locate carrion. Turkey Vultures have a red head, Black Vultures have a black head.
