Thanks you two for the information. I'm a big vulture fan, glad to hear
it's dinner time with no additives
mary
On Mon, Aug 31, 2020 at 9:34 AM Thomas Gilg <tom@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On my very recent Brownsville <-> Corvallis drives, the farmers were
plowing/planting and kicking up epic dust storms, and ever since the
seed/hay harvest awhile back, many small groups of vultures have been in
the fields. At my home just outside of Brownsville, the vole population is
way up this year, and very recently I’ve had several large groups of
vultures fly over.
I don’t suspect anything sinister going on. Last year I met one of the
farmers near the Tangent Eagle Roost, and was impressed by his knowledge of
the bird populations over the decades, and his efforts to rebuild habitat
that had been cut down and plowed under in prior decades.
--tg
*From:* obol-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <obol-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> *On Behalf
Of *larspernorgren
*Sent:* Sunday, August 30, 2020 12:02 PM
*To:* holbertmary@xxxxxxxxx; obol-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
*Cc:* Oregon Birders OnLine <obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
*Subject:* [obol] Re: Vultures along Hwy 34
I noticed this at around 9:30-10am Saturday. Not sure l've seen so many
Turkey Vultures in a field before. Concentrated on a carcass or dispersed.
It's a perennial grass seed field, where vole populations can build up and
attract concentrations of raptors. The ag field at Luckiamute Landing state
natural area has been blessed with the voles this year, but so far only
Great Blue Herons are pursuing them.
I too remarked on the absence of straw, hence evidence of recent
machinery and attendant microtine mortality in the field between Corvallis
and Tangent. Perhaps the vultures are attracted to voles that have been
dead for awhile. The field at Luckiamute Landing state natural area has had
dead voles of a certain vintage this season, occasionally revealed by bird
banders' companion canines. I know that slug bait is sometimes applied to
farm fields in Linn County, but have never heard of rodenticides. Not
saying it wouldn't happen, but the profitability of the crop is so marginal
that no one would spend an extra penny.
On occasion the vole densities are such that Buteos cease to fly,
or even run, but waddle from vole to vole. I didn't pull over and watch.
But l didn't see the Turkey Vultures moving at all. On a related note, l
was at the Marine Science center trail before sunrise Saturday and saw at
least half a dozen Turkey Vultures rise up behind Idaho Point and start
flying about quite actively. 6am at the latest and still kinda dark. I
always think of this species as taking to the skies around 10am. That's
when thermal updrafts start to develope in the Willamette Valley. The north
wind was plenty strong over Yaquina Bay yesterday to make a vulture's time
aloft entertaining and effort free.
Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
-------- Original message --------
From: mary holbert <holbertmary@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: 8/30/20 11:36 AM (GMT-08:00)
To: obol-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: Oregon Birders OnLine <obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [obol] Vultures along Hwy 34
I'm enroute Corvallis to I-5. I noticed along the South side of the
highway in fields that have been completely harvested there are lots of
vultures on the ground. They are not congregated. They appear to be
eating. This is not a recent harvest there's not any stubble the field
looks like it's starting to refresh itself. My concern is that somebody is
poisoning rodents and the vultures are feeding on them. Any thoughts?
Mary Holbert
