FreeLists / birdky / [birdky] Fw: turkey vultures flocking

["Patrick B Cox" <patrick.cox@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I also live in Lexington but drive through a neighborhood in Scott County quite 
a bit in search of deer to photograph.  And in this neighborhood I have seen 
the same thing.  Many Turkey Vultures perched in one or more trees.  As I 
recall, this activity has been more prevalent during this time of year.  I'm 
not for sure though.

Patrick Cox
Lexington, KY

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Roberta Burnes 
To: birdky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
Sent: Friday, November 10, 2006 10:20 AM
Subject: [birdky] turkey vultures flocking


 
I live in Lexington (on Hamilton Park, off Versailles Rd. near Cardinal Valley) 
and yesterday my neighbor came over to ask about some huge birds that have been 
flocking in her trees for the past few days.  I went across the street and 
instantly realized they were turkey vultures.  We are used to seeing a few of 
these guys in the city, maybe 5 or 6 at a time, but I have never seen so many 
all at once.  In the large trees in her backyard there were easily 20, and as 
dusk fell I realized there must have been even more - perhaps 30 flew right 
over my head and headed northwest to some unknown destination.  As they left 
the trees and I saw a few stragglers, one of them a lone black vulture 
following along with the others.

I assumed this flocking behavior to be something that a lot of birds do this 
time of year, perhaps to improve chances of finding food (?).  Am I right?  Or 
do these guys actually migrate?  I'm sure I've seen turkey vultures year-round 
here in KY.  I wouldn't be surprised if they come back again tonight - if you 
want to see a spectacle, pop down to the end of my street around dusk tonight!

 

Roberta Burnes

Education Coordinator

The Arboretum & State Botanical Garden of Kentucky

500 Alumni Drive

Lexington, KY 40503

859/257-9339