Warming Up

I walked out back this morning and saw three buzzards, each on its own power pole, warming themselves in the sun.

This one here stretching its wings was the closest one.

His face is not as red as the other two. I am guessing he is a youngster but I am not sure.

I watched them for a long while.

Then suddenly they flew off.

Very cool wings.

They are huge.

This one came back and sat for a while on the pole to the east. Look how cool its face is.

Edit: I guess they are actually vultures “turkey vultures” not buzzards at all. http://www.desertmuseum.org/books/nhsd_vultures.php

There is an important purpose to the vulture’s bald head.  When the vulture is eating carrion, it must often stick its head inside the carcass to reach the meat. A feathery head would capture unwanted pieces of the vulture’s meal, along with all the bacteria such pieces would host. The bald head, ultimately, is a matter of hygiene for vultures.

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~ by Meg on October 14, 2012.