In the last decade, local observations of Turkey Vultures have roughly doubled. Is this a result of changing observer attentiveness, global warming, or just vulture behaviour? Who knows?
For the first half of the decade, the only views I had had of vultures were when they were hunting while soaring. Subsequently, I began to see some perched in trees. However, throughout all that time, I never saw one on the ground, and certainly not feeding. So, when Shirley Smith sent me a picture of a vulture feeding on carrion, and said I could post it, I welcomed the opportunity.
A Turkey Vulture feeds on (what might be) a yellow-bellied marmot beside a road.
Shirley Smith’s picture is used with permission.
I love seeing the vultures with their distinctive wings and soaring in groups – kettling. There was a kettle of about 8 vultures over Riondel on April 16th. I wonder what the local population of vultures is on Kootenay Lake?