Turkey Vulture Chick Debut

Posted on June 14, 2013 by MaryALivingston

Finally!
I have been reviewing the video recording from the vulture nest cam. WOW!
This eight week old turkey vulture chick makes the long climb out of the nesting cavity. The hollow of this oak tree is 14 feet deep. The second chick makes its appearance the next day, it will take some time for me to pull the footage. When I get it done, I will post it here.
This is like watching a baby take tentative steps. Bliss.

Wood Duck Invades Vuture Nest – Ghost Babies Fight Back

Posted on May 24, 2013 by MaryALivingston

The turkey vulture nest gets visitors from time to time. An occasional nuthatch or raccoon as seen in Night Visitor pass through. This week, wood ducks have been landing on and peering into the cavity of the turkey vulture nest.

Much to my surprise, a brave hen decided to leap inside.
We lowered a GoPro to get a duck’s eye view of the chicks. My friend Rhythm calls them “ghost babies.”

Having all of this in my backyard is pure bliss. 🙂

– In the spring wood ducks flock to the pond. They often feed in the grasses and on sprouting acorns under the oaks. © Maryᴀ Livingston

– A beautiful view from my office desk of a wood duck drake. © MaryA Livingston

– A wood duck hen on the pond in my backyard.© Maryᴀ Livingston

Turkey Vulture Chicks at 5 weeks – © Maryᴀ Livingston

Eerie Sounds from the Vulture Chicks

Posted on May 14, 2013 by MaryALivingston

It’s Tuesday, time for a Turkey Vulture (TV) update.
The turkey vulture chicks have grown rapidly their first 4 weeks. They are beginning to get their juvenile plumage. Notice the dark brown, nearly black, feathers showing up in the wings and down their backs.

Capturing pictures of the turkey vulture chicks in this deep nest requires some old school photography techniques. Everything is set manually. I preset the focus, set the aperture, shutter, and flash. Then I hold the camera over the entrance to the nest and take a series of shots. I can’t see anything, even if I were to stick my head into the dark deep nest. After the flash fires the first time, the chicks begin their eerie vocalizations. My friend, Rhythm, over at Reading With Rhythm calls turkey vultures “spooky birds.” The ominous sound made by the chicks, plays into that role perfectly.

Turkey vultures do not have voice boxes. They only grunt and hiss. The eerie ghostly sound in the video is the sound the turkey vulture chicks make. No chirpy chickies here.

This little guy was all sprawled out on the nest floor. Must have been a busy day.

The chicks begin hissing a warning…stay away…they hiss.

Turkey Vulture Shift Change

Video

Deep in the nest cavity, the little white fluff under the breast of the parent is a new turkey vulture chick.

What a treat today! I caught video of the parent turkey vultures during their shift change. We don’t have sound from the nest, yet. We are working on getting the sound up.