Winter sunset in my backyard. Spectacular.
Sailor in a late winter sunset with ducks on the pond at our place.
The turkey vulture chicks are about 3 weeks old. I was amazed at the lack of odor from the nest cavity opening. Previously, when a parent was in the nest, the smell was malodorous. This time, however, with only the chicks, I was shocked at the lack of stench when capturing this image. Curious because it looks like it should smell bad.
Turkey Vulture chicks at about 3 weeks old.
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Across the Threshold
Brooding turkey vulture in a 14 ft. hollow of a blue oak tree. This image is a composite of 3 photos.
Peering down the vulture hole, I am amazed at the ability of the turkey vultures to climb in and out of this nesting location. It is fourteen feet from the opening to the base.
It is unclear whether this brooding vulture is on eggs or new chicks. It should be nearing time for the eggs to hatch, if my calculations are correct. On March 5th & 6th , I recorded the pair breeding at the entrance and the female retreating inside the nesting cavity. I am making an educated guess that this was around the time of laying their eggs. Most sources site 34-40 days incubation. Sources are vague on the day count, but in all fairness who counts days for vultures hatching? The UStream Missouri turkey vultures incubated for 34 days in 2012.
Both parents incubate the eggs and share in raising the chicks. I do not know when incubation began for this pair.
So for now, all I know is…
Tukey-vultures Are Residing Down Inside Shelter.
TARDIS…bigger in the inside. 😉
Strutting his stuff for his lady. Spring is in full swing in my backyard.
A pair of turkey vultures at the threshold of the nest cavity.
In my last post, I noted that I was trying to capture a breeding shot of the turkey vultures. As I was cleaning my painting table, I noticed a vulture perched on the gate at the lower field, two on posts, and one on the ground. Surely, there must be a nesting pair amongst this crew.
I grabbed the camera and sneaked out the office door and around the side of the house. The one on the gate spread its wings, as vultures often do when sunning themselves. The posture was a bit more intimidating than the usual bask in the sunshine. Then the one on the ground spread out its wings.
They squared off.
Then the one on the gate literally flung itself onto the intruder. The fight was on. The fight initiator chased the other through the trees, across the big pond, and up the hill. Then the victorious vulture flew into the nest tree and fluffed its feathers in a display claiming the nest site.
Interesting goings-on in my backyard.
Vultures gather by at the lower gate. Two offer a display.
The vulture on the gate pounces on the other.
The fight ensues.
Th vulture delivers a parting shot (bite).
The intruder is chased away.
After successfully chasing the intruder away, the vulture perches in the nest tree.
The pair of vultures in the nest tree. Turkey vultures live in our area year round. In February, a pair claims the nest. I don’t know if it is the same pair each year.
I went out into our backyard to get some reference photos of lighting on the trees. Just as I raised the camera to my eye, I hear an odd squeaky grunt from the west. I did not recognize the creature making such a sound. It did not sound like the call of a bird, nor did it sound like a critter on the ground. Quickly, I lowered the camera for a look.
I saw two turkey vultures tangled in a mating embrace in the nest tree just south of the big pond. I switched the camera to video to catch the moment and only managed to get the afterglow fluff of feathers.
Turkey vultures are very secretive. We lived here for almost ten years before we realized they were nesting in the hollow of an oak tree just south of the big pond. Even more years before we saw the nesting pairs enter and leave the nest.
The hollow of the tree extends fourteen feet to ground level. By the time the chicks can climb out, they are old enough to fly.
The next day, I watched from the workroom for the vultures to return to the tree. I hoped to catch them. Then they came, one after the other into the tree. I turned off the equipment and rushed out. I don’t usually take a rushed break in the middle of the work day, but I was on a mission.
I slipped around a tree to the southeast of their location and waited. The vultures, the aware bird that they are, already spotted me and were staring in my direction. Then they flew overhead and if they had voice boxes, I am sure they would have sounded a laugh.
So it begins, the nesting of the turkey vultures in our backyard. I will keep you posted.
As for me, I returned to work a little more productive after sneaking a little bliss.
Hollow oak tree. The vultures nest in the cavity every year. The entrance is 14 feet off the ground. to give you size perspective, I am 5’9″ tall.
A shot into the cavity of the tree where the turkey vultures raise their young.
Camera shy people never cease to amaze me. The lengths they go through to avoid the lens are impressive. As is the case with our daughter-in-law, Amanda. Most attempts to capture her on film end like these two shots.
However, if we are sneaky and distract her with finger painting or puppies, we can catch her in a moment.
The finger paints were for our grand-daughter. Much to our surprise and delight…Amanda and Stephen enjoyed them the most. photo MLivingston
Puppies serve as a perfect distraction to capture her beautiful smile. Along with our grand-daughter, she enjoys the pups. The one she is petting will grow up to be the sire to her dog. – photo MLivingston
If an official shot is required and she will gladly be in the frame with someone she loves. She is all smiles.
This is perhaps one of my favorites. I was so surprised how easy it was to take her picture for their wedding invitation. – photo by MLivingston
The most interesting thing about camera shy people is they are often the ones behind the lens. I think Amanda’s awareness of the discomfort the lens brings to others gives her sensitivity when she shoots portraits. Amanda is a gifted photographer. No, it is not her day job, but a visit to her Lightly Spiced Photography by A Adams Facebook page reveals her eye for composition, lighting and attention to a shot’s emotion. I hope you visit and see what she is up to.
I enjoy the portraits she takes. My favorites, of course, are the ones of our GrandThings.
Keep smiling and keep shooting –
Happy Birthday, Amanda
We Love You!
GrandThing 3 sets out to find dirt.
There are defining moments that burn themselves onto our internal processors. I remember vividly four years ago, today, the moment he popped into this world all wet and shiny new. But in my mind’s eye, he will forever be the little boy in search of dirt.
When he visits, he inevitably is drawn to his daddy’s old Tonka toys. So it was, one spring day. With a lot of rain, the wild grasses and weeds had taken over the fields. What this little boy really needed was dirt.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
Just dirt.
He spent the better part of the afternoon dragging the backhoe and tractor around, looking for a proper place to put them to work. Alas, he spies a pile of decomposed granite.
Bliss.
Happy Birthday GrandThing Three!
Bliss! perfect dirt for play.
Fishing with Grandpa – The Forester Artist
Showing off his catch. This one went back after the photo.
GrandThing 3 tells Grandma all about his painting. “He caught grasshoppers with Grandpa and they caught a fish.”
Sneaking Bliss 