Sky Dance by TwoPynts
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Description
Thanks for all the great comments on my RAPTOR SERIES. Today's photo moves away from raptor close-ups and into the "action" zone. Yesterday was one of those perfect clear blue sky days with not a cloud in sight. My neighbor's mango tree is flowering so I went outside to capture some images of it against the pure blue background. To my surprise, there were some vultures circling on the thermals, with a few of them flying quite low. I managed to capture this one just as the closest raptor flew over the tree.
Now I think these are turkey vultures, but again I can't be sure. Their plumage seems to be a bit light for turkey vultures. They may also be black vultures, but I'm leaning towards turkey. With their bare red heads, they don't look the most attractive when they are grounded, but in flight they are majestic creatures.
Olympus C5050 and PhotoshopCS.
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TURKEY VULTURE (Cathartes aura)
Length: 24-38 in.
Weight: 3.5-5.3 lbs.
Wingspan: 60-72 in.
Common Names:
buzzard, carrion crow
Etymology:
kathartes (Greek) - "a purifier"; aurum - most likely a Latinized version of Latin American word for vulture
Description:
The turkey vulture is the most common of the New World vultures. It is a blackish bird usually seen soaring over the countryside using long, narrow wings. On the underwing, silver flight feathers contrast with the black coverts on the leading edge of the wing. In flight, wings are held in a slight "V" (dihedral). Turkey vultures have long tails; their head is small, bare, and reddish in adult.
Flight:
Turkey vultures are often seen soaring on thermals and updrafts, with their wings held in a slight dihedral. When soaring, they sway and rock from side to side, and look unstable in the air. They flap less frequently than black vultures, and usually hunt in a low flight.
Voice:
Usually silent. At nest or when feeding, hisses and grunts.
Habitat:
Mainly deciduous forests and woodlands. Often seen over adjacent woodlands.
Distribution:
Turkey vultures are found throughout the entire continental United States and southern Canada. They are migratory throughout most of their range.
Nesting:
Turkey vultures do not construct a nest. Instead, they usually use a cave, hollow tree or a fallen hollow. They normally lay 2 whitish eggs with dark brown splotches. Incubation lasts from 34-41 days and nestlings are covered with almost white down. Turkey vultures are more passive in nest defense than black vultures. Chicks are ready to leave nest in about 9 weeks, but will often stay in family groups until next breeding season.
Food:
Turkey vultures have weaker talons and beaks than many of the other raptors, and don't often kill their own food. They are incredibly efficient scavengers; flying helps them to be more efficient than scavenging mammals, as vultures can get to the food faster and yet still have the large size to defend a carcass. Vultures have great appetites, eating up to 20% of their body weight in one sitting. Turkey vultures find their food using excellent eyesight and an incredible sense of smell. They can actually detect parts per trillion in the air and discern which direction they came from. This is one reason you often see vultures soaring; they can soar at incredible heights, up to several miles in the air.
For more info, visit the Carolina Raptor Center.
Comments (26)
Cosme..D..Churruca
Impressive shot and most interesting info... superb !
Sapphyre_net
Most excellent, and I'm rather green with envy of a shot like this. ;)
bastetkitty
That is one cool shot. Well done.
marybelgium
Beautifully done ! EXLT.
Chaos911
absolut fantastic shot!!!! V
sharky_
They seem to be flying in groups but in seperate path of their own. Beautiful they are in the blue sky. It must be mango season cause ours has flowers too. Excellent Job and very informative. Aloha
Lledeline
Very beautiful.
hotracer2
Wonderfull capture of the freedom of nature!!Bravo!!"V"
cbn302
Love the information you give about the Turkey Vulture.
BusyB967
Excellent capture .. :)
DJB
Just does'nt get any better than this!
Onslow
Nicely done - good focus on the birds. Wish we had blue skies !
blacq_nyght_vampyre
This is really beautiful!! Excellent work and composition!!!
Beemer
I always look forward to your pictures and educational descriptions. You have done an excellent job of taking an ugly bird and making it look beautiful here... I am looking out my window onto an estuary in New England, and I am watching the "Seagulls", (bully birds) steal the food from the "Buffel Heads" (dipper ducks). The ducks do all of the work swimming underwater to catch the fish, and the seagulls just wait for them to surface and steal the food. The score right now is: (bully birds) 6 (dipper ducks) 1
CDBrugg
Brill picture.
rufous
Excellemt capture!!!!! Wonderful job!!!!
logiloglu
heart opening. i feel so free now. vote #:O)
crooster1
Excellent image....and YES the day did look perfect. They look so happy and free....
1pearl
Excellent picture !!!
sossy
a wonderful dance of freedom in the sky! amazing blue and beautiful colored branches on the right! want to dance with them and turn around and around! ;o)
Ladyhawk
AHHHHH TURKEY VALTURES WHOA!!! I love these beautifull raptors, it's so sublime, it's utter perfection OH WOW!!! OUUU!! these guys are the kings of the skies,it's so nice that people can learn about these majestic raptor's you honnor these amazeing birds, and you take my breath away BRAVO!!!!!!(V)!!!!!!!!:0) @-]-- @-}-- @-}--
erlandpil
Great capture picture
jcv2
Hear that sound! When you're lying on the ground wounded waiting for them, uh oh... The natural flesh-clean up team is ready to start! Brrrr. Excellent series, Kort!
ModestyB
Ooooohhhh!!!!! Sucha gorgeous shot, so clear, of those circulating vultures in the blue sky...& Mango trees? Hm.....were do 'ya live? Have to go check your bio :) Hugz
Valentin
Great depth and vivid color! Super image!!!
Digimon
Beyond words.....