FreeLists / bristol-birds / [bristol-birds] Vulture roost

["Todd V. Eastin" <eastin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Over the last several months, I have observed a significant number of vultures 
congregating in the vicinity of the Jacobs Creek Job Corp.(Sullivan Co. near 
South Holston Lake)  I work early mornings there several times a week.  My 
observations of the birds have always been at daybreak as they come off their 
roosts on a pine ridge just to the west of the entrance to the JC.  On fair 
days, they generally flap a few strokes coming off the roost and then glide in 
a straight line, one at a time, in a northerly direction.  Sometimes they land 
again in trees just across Denton Valley Rd. from the pine ridge, but other 
times I don't know where they end up.  But through the winter they consistently 
head north in a straight line on fair days.  I had estimated their number at 
35-60.

Last week during unsettled weather, cloudy with drizzle, instead of the usual 
linear flight they were circling and would alternately land in tree tops and 
take off again.  The majority of them were turkey vultures but black ones were 
also present in significant numbers.  They seemed to be as unsettled as the 
weather.  On that particular day I did not see them when they first came off 
the roosts, but in looking overhead was amazed to see several circling groups 
at various elevations ranging from just above the tree tops to several hundred 
feet.  I estimated there were 150 individuals.
This morning, the weather being fair, they headed north from the roost in their 
usual linear flight.  A number of them settled again in the trees across the 
road, perhaps to enjoy a better position for basking in the morning sun.  

Todd Eastin
Shady Valley (Johnson Co.) TN

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