Turkey Vultures Migrating North Image by kenne
The Tanque Verde Wash is an overnight home for turkey vultures
migrating through the Tucson area every October and March.
— kenne
Archive for the ‘Turkey Vultures’ Category
Turkey Vultures Migrating North 2 comments
Careless-weed Has Taken Over The Tanque Verde Wash Trails 2 comments
Images by kenne (Click on any of the images to see in a slide-show format.)
October is the time of year the Turkey Vultures are migrating south to Mexico, and for years they would overnight near the Tanque Verde Wash.
I have many images of them in the trees near the wash. I planned to photograph again this year but was waiting to see the vultures circling up,
usually around 8:30 AM. By this time in October, we have counted hundreds leaving in the mornings circling above headed south to Mexico.
For days now, I’ve been looking skyward for the circling vultures with no sign of them. Was it climate change delaying the annual migration? Where were the turkey vultures? Maybe I had not been paying attention.
So, this morning I grabbed my camera and walked down to the wash. I had not walked the trails along the wash since before the
summer monsoon. What I discovered was shocking. First, there were no vultures to be seen. Second, almost all the trails had disappeared,
covered by two to three meters of careless-weed (Palmer amaranth). This year’s heavy rains in July and August had brought on
a massive crop of this native weed. I walked through thick weeds, sometimes over my head. When I did find parts of a trail, its
path would soon disappear in the weeds.
Still, I kept walking, trying to find some old markers, especially the Margarita Berg memorial. Margarita had passed away in the spring of 2010, months before we moved to Tanuri Ridge in late June. At the time, I would often spend early mornings
walking the trails near the Tanque Verde wash, and in doing so, I discovered the memorial under a mesquite tree near the wash.
In fact, it was too close to the wash that the tree and the memorial were washed away in the winter of 2019.
However, pieces of the original monument were found and placed at the foot of another mesquite tree much farther north of the wash.
After spending over an hour walking through the weeds, I found the memorial, hidden by all the careless-weeds — a weed worthy of its name.
As for the turkey vultures nowhere to be seen, could all the careless-weed growth of two to three meters cause them to feel their usual perches
are now too close to the ground?
— kenne
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The Death Court Leave a comment
Three Judge Court — Photo-Artistry by kenne
The Death Court
Three judges in
black robes
set in stillness
passing judgment
on life or death
of a trespasser
only their hunger
will determine
a verdict where
the end precedes
the beginning.
— kenne
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Migration South 1 comment
Universal Flight” — Photo-Artistry by kenne
“When a person really desires something,
all the universe conspires to help that person to realize his dream.”
“. . .when we strive to become better than we are,
everything around us becomes better, too.”
“The closer one gets to realizing his destiny,
the more that destiny becomes his true reason for being.”
― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
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Turkey Vultures Take Flight Leave a comment
Turkey Vultures Take Flight (09/28/20) — Images by kenne
After a brief stay overnight along the Tanque Verde Wash,
turkey vultures continue the migration south into Mexico.
Some see these birds as ugly, which is in the eye of the beholder, to some,
the bald head of a vulture is just another reason to admire them.
–– kenne
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“. . . how beautiful he looked, veering away” Leave a comment
One Beautiful Bird (Turkey Vulture) — Image by kenne
I had walked since dawn and lay down to rest on a bare hillside
Above the ocean. I saw through half-shut eyelids a vulture wheeling
high up in heaven,
And presently it passed again, but lower and nearer, its orbit
narrowing,
I understood then
That I was under inspection. I lay death-still and heard the flight-
feathers
Whistle above me and make their circle and come nearer.
I could see the naked red head between the great wings
Bear downward staring. I said, ‘My dear bird, we are wasting time
here.
These old bones will still work; they are not for you.’ But how
beautiful
he looked, gliding down
On those great sails; how beautiful he looked, veering away in the
sea-light
over the precipice. I tell you solemnly
That I was sorry to have disappointed him. To be eaten by that beak
and
become part of him, to share those wings and those eyes–
What a sublime end of one’s body, what an enskyment; what a life
after death.
— Robinson Jeffers
Turkey Vultures leaving their overnight stay along the Tanque Verde Wash as they continue their migration north.
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Turkey Vultures Migrating North 4 comments
Turkey Vultures Migrating North — Photo-Artistry by kenne
This is the time of year when hundreds of migrating turkey vultures
spend the night along the Tanque Verde wash, each morning they start
circling up seeking wind currents in their ride north.
This image is a composite of four images placed on a sky background.
— kenne
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Last Of The Migrating Turkey Vultures 1 comment
Last Of The Migrating Turkey Vultures — Images by kenne (Three images in a slideshow format.)
Usually, by 1st of April, the last of the turkey vultures rousting overnight near the Tanque Verde has completed the spring migration north. This year we have counted upwards of 100 leaving each morning now well into April.
— kenne
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Turkey Vultures — Annual Migration North 1 comment
Turkey Vultures In The Morning Sun — Images by kenne
The Morning Sun
Hope comes with the morning sun
Warming the body and the soul
Washing away yesterdays troubles
Providing a new beginning
To be lived as if it were your last —
Every minute being a gift.
kenne
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Ragged Rock Flower (Crossosoma bigelovii) Leave a comment
Ragged Rock Flower (Crossosoma bigelovii) — Image by kenne
I photograph nature because nature touches me.
— kenne
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HAPPY THANKSGIVING! 1 comment
Tucson Basin — Computer Painting by kenne
Wishing everyone a super Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy the time together.
— kenne
The thankful receiver bears a plentiful harvest.
— William Blake
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Migrating Turkey Vultures, A Photo Essay 1 comment
Migrating Turkey Vultures at Their Tanque Verde Wash Stopover (October 15, 2016) — Images by kenne
(Click on any images to see larger view in a slideshow format.)
The turkey vulture count has been down this October. One reason for the lower count might be due to the Pima County Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department doing major pipe construction alone the north side of the Tanque Verde wash near where the big birds spend early mornings before continuing their migration south. There is no doubt some irony found in nature’s sanitation department having to put-up with the county’s sanitation department.
— kenne
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Migrating Turkey Vultures Leave a comment
Migrating Turkey Vultures — Image by kenne
As turkey vultures migrate south this time of year, many roost overnight near our neighborhood. Each morning they start circling above to catch the current in their journey to Mexico.
On a recent cloudy morning they were literally circling directly above our house, so I was able to capture several against the light-gray sky. The images were basically silhouettes against the sky. I wanted to share them, but not in the moment I had captured. So, with the help of Photoshop I layered four images together, then gave them a partly cloudy, somewhat dramatic background creating the above image that speaks to me. Maybe it will speak to you.
— kenne
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Vultures Fly For Cover 2 comments
It’s migration time for Turkey Vulture, so it’s not unusual to see a lot of these big vultures in the morning and late afternoon.
Storms have been in the area with 30-40 mph wind gusts. We live near the Tanque Verde Wash where many of the migrating
birds roost overnight in the cottonwoods near the wash. Yesterday afternoon storms in southern Arizona caused the migrating
vultures to start coming in early by the hundreds. Some landed in dead trees near
Tanuri Ridge where I was able to take these photos,
after which they took off across the wash to spend the night in cottonwoods south of the wash.
Hundreds of turkey vultures flying in from the approaching storm. — Images by kenne
