Baby vulture...a first for me.

[earthmother45]

I was at Myakka State Park on Saturday. On the way to the Weir, I saw two Vultures sitting on some deadwood to my left. I took a picture, and when I got home and looked at it closer, I realized there was a little vulture sitting in the grass below the adult.

Comments

[rosegardenfae]

I am fond of vultures and enjoyed your pictures, especially the baby. Here in the Midwest we have turkey vultures. They roost on some high lines a couple of farms west of us and I so love to watch them fly.

Exquisite the way you captured the water droplet falling off the spoonbill's beak. Thanks for bringing these exotic beauties into my day.

[earthmother45]

We have both kinds here, but it seems the Black Vultures are more prominent than the Turkey Vultures, at least in my area. Mostly in February and early March I'm thinking they might migrate through because daily there are hundreds soaring and riding the thermals over my house. You can't be outside and not notice their shadows all around you on the ground as they fly low. A beautiful sight! And then one day about 80% of them are gone and now only occasionally do I see a few. Myakka is home to many of them. They have warnings there to not park your car for very long or to keep an eye on it in morning or late afternoon in certain areas because Black Vultures love to eat rubber/vinyl.

I'm now not sure if that is a baby vulture because it lacks the downy feathers of a baby.

We have been lucky to see the spoonbills every time we've gone there. Yes, the water droplet was a lucky shot.

I'm glad you enjoy my nature photos. It's what I love to do.

[thoughtsbykat]

Vultures are so menacing looking. We have the black and the red headed Turkey Vultures here. I like the spoonbills. You captured a drop of water dripping perfectly in the one shot. I like the egret shot too. Looks like another beautiful state park and a successful shot.

[earthmother45]

I used to not care for vultures, but after I learned more about them I have changed my mind. I like to think if we didn't have them doing their clean up job, we'd have quite a mess. They are so elegant in the air as compared to seeing them on the ground.

Myakka is my favorite state park that is near to us. There is just so much of "old Florida" there untouched by humans and commercialism.

The spoonbills are elusive, and we were lucky to see them that day.

[egg_shell]

I think the black vultures are much more attractive than our local red headed turkey vultures.

I like the "petticoats"!

[earthmother45]

Yes, I agree. The black ones are much more common in this area than the turkey vultures. If you had been here a month earlier, you would have seen hundreds each day circling overhead, riding the thermals and gliding close to the ground. Sorry we didn't make it to Myakka, but next visit we will go there for sure.

Lucky shot on the petticoats.

[thagirion]

I'm not sure that's a baby. May just be another adult resting in the grass. I have heard about vultures nesting on the ground but have never seen it. You'd think I'd have come across a nest by how of such a big bird. I do see them nesting in down town Tampa as buildings are like cliffs for them. This guy doesn't have the down of a baby either. I'd like to go to that park. I passed by it a few days ago. I hear they have a suspension bridge. I'd love to cross that.

[earthmother45]

I looked it up and saw the light colored down, so that is probably not a baby. I had never seen a baby vulture before and I think I was going by the small size compared to the adults. Perhaps an immature. I see it doesn't have the light colored head yet.

I really like Myakka and think you would, too. Yes, there is a suspension bridge called Canopy Walk that takes you over the treetops.

[earthmother45]

I agree, Joan. The handsome old undertaker in his black suit.