A Vulture!?

Today we had a special visitor outside the bookstore and I would have missed the chance to see him if my coworkers had not alerted me. I was sitting at my desk when I heard them say “Tina did you SEE that!?” I ran to the window and yes, I definitely saw it. My eyes were fixed upon an enormous black bird soaring in the wind just over the lake. I tried to see what kind of bird it was because it did not look like our typical hawks (Red-Tailed) around here.  It was gigantic and so beautiful—I had to get closer. I went outside to try to get a better look and the bird flew over the lake and to the Visual Art Building’s roof. When I was outside I was able to appreciate how it was gracefully gliding over the water and only flapping its wings when changing direction. What a truly beautiful creature. I went online to research and identify what type of bird it was and quickly discovered the majestic, glorious animal to be…..A TURKEY VULTURE.

WHAT?! I thought vultures were supposed to be mean, nasty, ugly birds that just eat dead things with flies on them. I shook my head and thought ‘this can’t be what I saw’ but the various photos online confirmed that the bird I saw was indeed a Turkey Vulture.

The part about vultures eating dead things is true. Turkey Vultures are one of few birds that are able to rely on sense of smell to find food. They are attracted to the smell of mercaptan, a gas produced by the beginnings of decay. Turkey vultures eat carrion (a fancy word for carcass) and almost never attack live prey. They have good immune systems that keep them from catching diseases that dead animals might carry. I wonder what this vulture was looking for on the other side of the lake….

While eating dead things may sound gross, these birds really have an important job. They are helping us out by acting as nature's cleaning crew. These birds help control the spread of disease because they are able to dispose of the animals that could have passed disease onto other animals or even humans. Thank you, Mr. Vulture!

The Turkey Vulture’s flight style is described as slow, teetering soaring. It holds its wings in a “V” shape in order to maintain stability and lift at low altitudes. The vultures also fly low to the ground in order to more easily pick up the scent of dead animals. This certainly describes the way the bird was flying outside today. It just coasted in the wind and occasionally flapped its wings only when necessary.

The Turkey Vulture is described as a large, mostly black, hawk-like bird with a featherless red head. Most people are familiar with vultures since they are commonly depicted in cartoons and movies. I remember seeing vultures in Snow White and who can forget the silly vultures in The Jungle Book?

I feel grateful for being able to observe this bird today. I now have a completely different outlook on Vultures. I mean, sure, the birds like to eat carcasses and sometimes poop on their legs to cool off (yes I really did read that somewhere) they are extremely lovely and peaceful in flight.

I learned a lesson today. No matter how ugly or nasty someone or something can seem—there is beauty there somewhere!

Great Blue Heron

Hello fellow birders! It has been a long time since I have posted to this blog, but that is certainly not due to a lack of birds. In the past few weeks I have been visited by birds including the barn swallow, killdeer, green heron, red-winged blackbird, northern mockingbird, mallard, common grackle, cowbird, and European starling. I have been enjoying watching these birds but I have simply not had the time to sit down and tell you about them. 

With so many birds to choose from it is difficult for me to decide which one to profile first. I was thinking about it and then I looked out my window and the bird himself helped me decide. Standing there across the lake was (and still is) a beautiful, exquisite Great Blue Heron.

Before I started working here at St. Charles Community College, I had never seen a Great Blue Heron. A coworker of mine pointed the bird out one day and I was so impressed with how big and graceful it looked. I could not believe he was just standing there outside my window. I wanted to take a picture in case I never saw it again. Well, I did not have my camera that day but it was not a problem because this bird visits me pretty much every day. I do not know if it is the same exact Great Blue Heron, but it has become quite normal to see one out there on a daily basis.

The Great Blue Heron is the largest and most widespread heron in North America. (There is also an all-white form found from southern Florida into the Caribbean and frequently known as the Great White Heron.) It can stand up to 54 inches tall with a wingspan of up to 79 inches long. It is simply amazing to see this bird gracefully fly down to the lake.

The bird is mostly a grey/blue color with a white crown and shaggy feathers on its neck and back. He has long legs and a long, thick bill. One day, when my friend and I went outside to see him up close he let out a loud, harsh croak when he flew away. It was not the noise I would expect to come out of such a beautiful creature!

I have noticed that this bird is always alone. Great Blue Herons are generally solitary feeders. Great Blue Herons eat mostly fish but they will eat mice, turtles and other animals as well. These herons like to congregate at fish hatcheries and eat the fish that are sick or diseased since those are the fish that tend to swim closer to the surface of the water. Herons locate their food by sight and usually swallow it whole. Occasionally the herons even choke to death trying to swallow a fish that is too large. The lake here at SCC is very shallow compared to past months since we have not had rain lately. This is giving the Great Blue Heron more shallow water to wade through with his long legs. This could be why he has been hanging around so often. 

Every time I see the Great Blue Heron outside the bookstore I feel lucky. I am so grateful to have the chance to observe and appreciate the beauty of this bird. It is like a little zoo in my workplace. 

Come back soon--I have so many more birds to talk about!