Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by jebmke »

On my morning walk.

"Gotta go"

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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by JAZZISCOOL »

jebmke:

Thanks for posting the great photos! :beer
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by jebmke »

Here is week 2; when crammed in there they don't look all that much bigger than week 1. Certainly more feathers, it seems. But they are asleep again (except the one who seems to be giving me the evil eye

Image

jebmke wrote: Sun Jul 25, 2021 9:55 am Two Eastern Bluebird nest boxes with chicks. Hatched about the same time one week ago. Here is the "front row" -- the box in the front yard -- looks like they are asleep to me. Have seen adults regularly doing food runs to the "back row" so I know they are about on the same timetable. Typical fledge timetable is 16-21 days from hatch so we have a ways to go.

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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by Tubes »

Our bluebirds flew the coop. We missed the event.
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Post by Carousel »

JAZZISCOOL wrote: Sat Jul 10, 2021 3:57 pm Some great bird photos:

The 2021 Audubon Photography Awards: Winners and Honorable Mentions
These are amazing--thanks for posting!
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by TN_Boy »

Saw a Little Blue Heron in a nearby lake/marshy area. Their "official" range does not include where I live (we are further inland), though we are near that range. Hadn't seen one of those around here before.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by jebmke »

Kent Island today.

Swallow Tail Kite, rarely seen in Maryland has been hanging out regularly at a soybean farm. Picture by one of my trip-mates.

He was up early hunting butterflies for breakfast in the bean fields.

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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by agbp »

jebmke wrote: Sun Aug 08, 2021 3:46 pm Kent Island today.

Swallow Tail Kite, rarely seen in Maryland has been hanging out regularly at a soybean farm. Picture by one of my trip-mates.

He was up early hunting butterflies for breakfast in the bean fields.

Image
What a beautiful bird! I don't think I've ever seen one.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by JAZZISCOOL »

jebmke wrote: Sun Aug 08, 2021 3:46 pm Kent Island today.

Swallow Tail Kite, rarely seen in Maryland has been hanging out regularly at a soybean farm. Picture by one of my trip-mates.

He was up early hunting butterflies for breakfast in the bean fields.

Image
Great photo (also the bluebird chicks!) :beer
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by Cheez-It Guy »

^^With good reason. Looks like they mainly live in South America.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by Tubes »

Very nice. Now I see where "kite" comes from.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by jebmke »

JAZZISCOOL wrote: Sun Aug 08, 2021 6:08 pm Great photo (also the bluebird chicks!)
Checked on these today. They have fledged.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by mike@jb »

I’ve seen swallow tail kites around Tallahassee since the spring.
I read that they use hurricanes and tropical storms to help their migrations between North and South America.
They are still around, as I saw a few last week.
Very cool bird!
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by jebmke »

mike@jb wrote: Sun Aug 08, 2021 7:28 pm I’ve seen swallow tail kites around Tallahassee since the spring.
I read that they use hurricanes and tropical storms to help their migrations between North and South America.
They are still around, as I saw a few last week.
Very cool bird!
I've seen them regularly much further south. I grew up in Tallahassee (60s,70s) and don't remember them around that far north. A lot of species have been creeping north over the last couple of decades as the average temperatures climb.

Roseate Spoonbills are being seen with some regularity this year here in Maryland. A Wood Stork is being seen in St. Mary's County. Every once in a while an Anhinga shows up.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by mike@jb »

jebmke wrote: Sun Aug 08, 2021 7:33 pm
mike@jb wrote: Sun Aug 08, 2021 7:28 pm I’ve seen swallow tail kites around Tallahassee since the spring.
I read that they use hurricanes and tropical storms to help their migrations between North and South America.
They are still around, as I saw a few last week.
Very cool bird!
I've seen them regularly much further south. I grew up in Tallahassee (60s,70s) and don't remember them around that far north. A lot of species have been creeping north over the last couple of decades as the average temperatures climb.

Roseate Spoonbills are being seen with some regularity this year here in Maryland. A Wood Stork is being seen in St. Mary's County. Every once in a while an Anhinga shows up.
My son is in Maryland and sent me a picture of spoonbills on the Potomac. I wouldn’t have thought they’d be up there, and certainly not Wood Storks and Anhingas.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by jebmke »

Yesterday in St. Mary's County, MD. Hot day (90+ F). Wood Stork. Photo by member of my party.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

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Seagull at sunset.
Jonathan?

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(taken a few weeks ago on vacation there)
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Aloha
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

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jebmke wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 11:51 am On my morning walk.

"Gotta go"

Image

Image
Awesome timing!
Great pics.
Thanks?

Egrets?
Heron?

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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by jebmke »

^ Great Egret
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by JAZZISCOOL »

jebmke wrote: Thu Aug 12, 2021 7:58 am Yesterday in St. Mary's County, MD. Hot day (90+ F). Wood Stork. Photo by member of my party.
Image
Nice! :happy
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

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Sort of birds, kinda sorta, but not really birds. . . . .

Upper deck rafters.

Took a pic of these fellows "hanging around" lately. They were gone by this morning.
j :D

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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by JAZZISCOOL »

Sandtrap wrote: Mon Aug 16, 2021 11:20 am Sort of birds, kinda sorta, but not really birds. . . . .

Upper deck rafters.

Took a pic of these fellows "hanging around" lately. They were gone by this morning.
j :D

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cool photo :beer
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

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jebmke wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 11:51 am On my morning walk.

"Gotta go"

Image

Image
I also have lots of photos of birds flying away from me. How could this be.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

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jebmke wrote: Mon Aug 02, 2021 2:29 pm Here is week 2; when crammed in there they don't look all that much bigger than week 1. Certainly more feathers, it seems. But they are asleep again (except the one who seems to be giving me the evil eye

Image

jebmke wrote: Sun Jul 25, 2021 9:55 am Two Eastern Bluebird nest boxes with chicks. Hatched about the same time one week ago. Here is the "front row" -- the box in the front yard -- looks like they are asleep to me. Have seen adults regularly doing food runs to the "back row" so I know they are about on the same timetable. Typical fledge timetable is 16-21 days from hatch so we have a ways to go.

Image
These pictures are adorable.
It's amazing that you can take the pictures and they don't seem disturbed.

Thanks so much for sharing them.
aloha
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by JAZZISCOOL »

^I agree. I have a second brood of barn swallows on my porch but they are up so high there is no way one could photograph them without a ladder and angry parents flying around. I see their little beaks peaking over the nest where they are waiting for more food.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by iceport »

A cardinal chick in a nest in a large viburnum bush right outside the dining room window. (Sorry, I don't dare attempt a legible picture out of fear of disturbing the nest.) I started hearing high-pitched chirping that, at first, blended in with the chipmunk chirping so common around my house. But then one quiet evening it was isolated and I could tell it was something else. Looking toward the sound, I saw a couple of little orange/red beaks crying out for food. It was such a heart-warming sight!

I only see one chick in there now, so I hope the other one made it.

Yesterday a resident chipmunk climbed the bush and was munching on the little red viburnum berries just a couple of feet from the nest. The mother bird didn't seem to mind at all...

A couple of years ago there was a robin's nest in almost the same spot. But after I spotted it one night — with inside lights on, curtains open, so the sitting adult robin saw me just a couple of feet away — the nest seemed to be abandoned. I don't want to disturb this one.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by RetiredAL »

DW and I were at the Half Moon Bay Harbor yesterday for our anniversary lunch and there were many Pelican's flying around. Some flights were 15 to 20 strong. No fog but lots of smoke, so I didn't shoot any pictures of them.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

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RetiredAL wrote: Thu Aug 19, 2021 12:54 pm DW and I were at the Half Moon Bay Harbor yesterday for our anniversary lunch and there were many Pelican's flying around. Some flights were 15 to 20 strong. No fog but lots of smoke, so I didn't shoot any pictures of them.
Nice! I saw 2 American White Pelicans a few days ago. So fun to see a bunch of them (despite the smoke). :happy
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

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The PA Game Commission has rolled back its advice to stop feeding birds, put in place in May to try and address a strange mortality event.

The cause of the mortality event that swept Washington, D.C. and at least 10 states since May remains unknown, a news release said. But research has ruled out many potential causes and there is no indication that feeding birds or maintaining bird baths were contributing factors.
Mystery Bird Disease Update: State Lifts Feeder, Bath Moratorium
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

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"Two young ospreys were removed from their nest and euthanized so workers could replace a light in a Southern Maryland park"

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va ... land-park/
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

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user9532 wrote: Sun Aug 22, 2021 5:29 pm "Two young ospreys were removed from their nest and euthanized so workers could replace a light in a Southern Maryland park"

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va ... land-park/
This article was posted on page 28 (lower half) with some corresponding replies.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

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While at my Dad's house Friday, while looking across the lake that is his back yard, I saw a Mom Duck (Mallard) and 2 babies about a week old. This is pretty late in the year for duck babies.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

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user9532 wrote: Sun Aug 22, 2021 5:29 pm "Two young ospreys were removed from their nest and euthanized so workers could replace a light in a Southern Maryland park"

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va ... land-park/

Grrrrrrrr.............. Pisses me off like you wouldn't believe.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

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Oreamnos wrote: Mon Aug 23, 2021 7:39 pm
user9532 wrote: Sun Aug 22, 2021 5:29 pm "Two young ospreys were removed from their nest and euthanized so workers could replace a light in a Southern Maryland park"

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va ... land-park/

Grrrrrrrr.............. Pisses me off like you wouldn't believe.
+1 I am sure all states have wonderful Audubon and various wildlife rehab folks who would offer to help. :(
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by f35phixer »

Oreamnos wrote: Mon Aug 23, 2021 7:39 pm
user9532 wrote: Sun Aug 22, 2021 5:29 pm "Two young ospreys were removed from their nest and euthanized so workers could replace a light in a Southern Maryland park"

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va ... land-park/

Grrrrrrrr.............. Pisses me off like you wouldn't believe.
YUP, This is my County (Calvert) stupid stupid stupid !!!
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by vested1 »

Saw a couple of Pileated Woodpeckers today in the backyard. They were huge compared to the tiny downy woodpeckers that come to the bird feeder.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

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duplicate
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

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Juvenile Black Crowned Night Heron American Bittern catching a Crayfish....
Colusa NWR, California
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WoodSpinner wrote: Wed Aug 25, 2021 5:01 pm Juvenile Black Crowned Night Heron catching a Crayfish....
Colusa NWR, California
Nikon D7500, 300mm F4.0, 1/2000 F5.6
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Not Just a WoodSpinner, :D
Very cool! I see the adults once in a while at a pond near by. :beer
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by cbeck »

Two Scaly-breasted Munias showed up on our balcony in Bangkok today. They didn't seem to notice the feeder, but maybe they will come back.

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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

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cbeck wrote: Tue Aug 31, 2021 5:46 am Two Scaly-breasted Munias showed up on our balcony in Bangkok today. They didn't seem to notice the feeder, but maybe they will come back.

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Beautiful!!!!

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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by JAZZISCOOL »

cbeck:

Thanks for posting the Munia photo! Very striking bird :beer

August seems to be a slower month for birds around here although I did see a Great Blue Heron last week. It seems like the hummingbirds may have started their journey south; I've seen fewer this week. I've read that some birds are molting during August as well.

Yesterday I saw 4 hawks above my house circling at about 400 feet high (or more). I think they were Cooper's Hawks, maybe a couple of juveniles in the group practicing their flying. That was very cool. I heard them calling out.
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Post by cbeck »

Yes, the munia, although small, is striking. Too bad none of these occasional visitors to our balcony has discovered the bird feeder, except for one spotted dove who shows up several times a day for his snack which we put in a dish for his convenience. Similar to a mourning dove, but the spots are more beautiful in person than in this picture.

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Turkey crossing in the neighborhood
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I just went kayaking on a local lake. There were plenty of Canada geese, of course, and I always love seeing the great blue herons since they're not exactly an in-town sight. However, the really enjoyable view was the little sandy swimming beach, populated entirely by Canada geese and quite a few vultures, which were stretching their wings out to take in the sun. A very different take on the beach bum!
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by jebmke »

Walk in the woods this morning. Migration season underway. 11 warblers. There were easily 12-15 B/W warblers and similar number of Redstarts.

Mourning Dove
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Double-crested Cormorant
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Downy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Great Crested Flycatcher
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
Carolina Chickadee
Tree Swallow
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Carolina Wren
Northern Mockingbird
Veery
Swainson's Thrush
American Robin
Baltimore Oriole
Ovenbird
Worm-eating Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Canada Warbler

Northern Cardinal
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

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fposte wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 1:08 pm I just went kayaking on a local lake. There were plenty of Canada geese, of course, and I always love seeing the great blue herons since they're not exactly an in-town sight. However, the really enjoyable view was the little sandy swimming beach, populated entirely by Canada geese and quite a few vultures, which were stretching their wings out to take in the sun. A very different take on the beach bum!
Nice! I wonder if the birds stretching were cormorants? They tend to do that.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Gre ... e/66027241
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by fposte »

JAZZISCOOL wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 1:23 pm
fposte wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 1:08 pm I just went kayaking on a local lake. There were plenty of Canada geese, of course, and I always love seeing the great blue herons since they're not exactly an in-town sight. However, the really enjoyable view was the little sandy swimming beach, populated entirely by Canada geese and quite a few vultures, which were stretching their wings out to take in the sun. A very different take on the beach bum!
Nice! I wonder if the birds stretching were cormorants? They tend to do that.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Gre ... e/66027241
Oh, interesting; thanks for the suggestion. I don't think we have great cormorants here but apparently we do have double cresteds, back in numbers after being rare. I'm still leaning toward vultures in horaltic pose because there seemed to be much less neck. but I really should have had binoculars. I'm very bird-naïve so I was intrigued to see it, whichever species it was. I'll check more closely if I go back!
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WoodSpinner wrote: Wed Aug 25, 2021 5:01 pm Juvenile Black Crowned Night Heron catching a Crayfish....
Colusa NWR, California
Nikon D7500, 300mm F4.0, 1/2000 F5.6
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bla ... ight-Heron


Image

Not Just a WoodSpinner, :D
Great shot! This is actually an American Bittern though.
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Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Post by JAZZISCOOL »

fposte wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 2:02 pm
JAZZISCOOL wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 1:23 pm
fposte wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 1:08 pm I just went kayaking on a local lake. There were plenty of Canada geese, of course, and I always love seeing the great blue herons since they're not exactly an in-town sight. However, the really enjoyable view was the little sandy swimming beach, populated entirely by Canada geese and quite a few vultures, which were stretching their wings out to take in the sun. A very different take on the beach bum!
Nice! I wonder if the birds stretching were cormorants? They tend to do that.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Gre ... e/66027241
Oh, interesting; thanks for the suggestion. I don't think we have great cormorants here but apparently we do have double cresteds, back in numbers after being rare. I'm still leaning toward vultures in horaltic pose because there seemed to be much less neck. but I really should have had binoculars. I'm very bird-naïve so I was intrigued to see it, whichever species it was. I'll check more closely if I go back!
Interesting - I didn't know about the "horaltic pose" and rarely see vultures so don't know much about their behaviors. Great wing span! :beer
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