The signs of autumn are slowly appearing in the Battle Creek basin. Last week bid farewell the triple digit heat with a final day of 103F (39.4C) on Monday, October 1. This week opened with a high of 80F(26.6C). The temperature drop and shorter days nudge a color shift in the trees.
Kettles of turkey vultures fill the sky. Here along the creek we have vultures year round. They even nest in our backyard. This time of year their numbers increase in the sky as they circle higher and higher on thermals. Vultures gather here for a reason. The fall run of Chinook salmon is underway.
Reviled creatures, most people consider these carrion feeders gross and ugly. If you have ever smelled rotting salmon from the spawn, you may consider these turkey vultures the most beautiful of all. We welcome their presence to keep our little valley clean.
I appreciate these birds.
Turkey Vultures –
This is an illustration from a children’s book I am working on called “No Place for Ugly Birds.”
Sneaking Bliss 
These vultures are beautifully ugly. Great painting!
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Thank you. They are a welcome sight.
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Very nice.
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Thanks.
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Terrific painting
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Thank you.
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Very cute 🙂
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thanks
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YW 😉
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Them turkeys are wonderful!
🙂
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Thank you. They are very happy at the moment. Our fall salmon run is in full swing and the turkey vultures are out in force cleaning up the shores. Keeps us happy, too!
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I bet they do!
🙂
PS: Nice to meet you and your work, and thank you for your visit & follow!
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What a beautiful painting! While Turkey Vultures themselves will never win an award for beauty, they are highly beneficial in that they eat dead things…even diseased dead things. And they are so magnificent when they just soar across the sky. It’s nice to meet someone else who appreciates them!
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Thank you. They are such fascinating and interesting birds, but not well understood.
Thanks for visiting.
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I agree! And in case you are interested I have a similar (though shorter) sentiment with a picture of one of these magnificent birds at: http://opreach.org/2012/10/11/lets-just-pay-attention/. This is a great painting! Watercolor?
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Thank you. Yes, it is watercolor. I have enjoyed exploring your blog today and plan to share some posts with our confirmation class. 😀
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Great! Thanks.
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They look like they are smiling! Having them here, I enjoy watching them too. If they eat road kill critters like skunks, they are tops on my list!:0
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They are characters. I have met a few living in rescue situations, they have interesting personalities.
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Pingback: Fall Salmon Run is Here | The Backdoor Artist
I love this illustration! Who wouldn’t love a turkey vulture after looking at this! 🙂
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That’s the plan!
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Well, it worked!
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Oh, a kindred spirit! I love vultures! They are my favorite birds. They are gentle creatures, and so wonderfully graceful when they fly. They are Nature’s humble housecleaners.
I was also told once that in Central American legend, the vulture is responsible for carrying the souls of the dead to Heaven.
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I have been stalking roadkill for over a year to study them as research for a children’s picture book. They are remarkable even if unappreciated.
Thanks for stopping by,
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lovely paintings… 🙂 all of them! I must say.. and thanks for stopping by my blog! 🙂
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Great illustration, it put a big smile on my face. I’m ready to invite those guys to lunch and give ’em big fat salmon sandwiches… : )
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Just don’t scare ’em. They projectile vomit when frightened, might dampen the luncheon. 🙂
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These are absolutely wonderful! You make them look like charming and proud creatures. As I wrote on my blog for Thanksgiving, we should be grateful for Turkey Vultures as they do the world a great service.
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They are a most curious bird. I appreciate their job, glad it’s not my job! 🙂
Just saw some of these cuties on your blog, what a fun Thanksgiving Day post.
Thanks for stopping by –
Mary
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Pingback: A Sunshine Award for A Writer’s Playground « A Writer's Playground
Mary,
I selected your blog to receive The Sunshine Award. See my blog post for details at
http://lindamartinandersen.wordpress.com/. I love the way you see beauty in all of nature. You are a ray of sunshine. I also gave the award to Tim. You two make a great pair!
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