Images by kenne
This time of year the migrating turkey vultures come gliding and circling in each afternoon from the north landing in the large trees along the Tanque Verde Wash. Our home is about 100 yards up from the wash, so it’s easy to watch for migrating birds. The next morning like clockwork, they start circling up around 9:00 am continuing their return to Mexico.
— kenne
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
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.Â
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
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 migratingÂ
birds roost overnight in the cottonwoods near the wash. Yesterday afternoon storms in southern Arizona caused the migratingÂ
vultures to start coming in early by the hundreds. Some landed in dead trees near Â
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. —Â Images by kenne
Turkey Vultures Along Tanque Verde Wash — Images by kenne
(CLICK ON ANY OF THE TILED PHOTOS TO SEE LARGER IMAGES IN A SLIDESHOW FORMAT.)
Today’s mid-day monsoon storm may have cause the turkey vultures, who roust along the wash, to come back early. Normally, we only see them in the morning and late in the afternoon. I counted ten and within thirty minutes only four remained. The most I have counted in the summer is 24. The fall and spring migration can bring over 100 staying over night. Since I was down by the wash photographing water running in the normally dry wash, I could pass up photographing these big birds in the changing early afternoon light.
kenne
Migrating Turkey Vultures Warming Up In The Morning Sun — Images by kenne
(Click on any of the images to see a slideshow, or go to Flickr to see the full set.)
It’s that time of year when turkey vultures are migrating north, actually it’s been going on for about two weeks now.
We live on the north side of the Tanque Verde wash across from the Tucson Country Club. In the late afternoon the turkey vultures come from the south, roosting in the golf course’s eucalyptus trees — moving across the wash to sun at daybreak for more exposure to the sun. The sunning serves at least two important purposed, (1) to warm up before continuing their flight north, (2) to bake any bacteria that may picked-up from foraging.
Watching and photographing these big birds is a joy, having posted several entries over the last three years. You can use the search function (turkey vultures) to see previous postings. Also, you can see the complete set (over 60 images) of the most recent images at my Flickr account:Â https://www.flickr.com/photos/kennetu/sets/72157642867149485/ where you can click the slideshow icon in the upper right corner for a full-screen view.
kenne
Another Sign Of Spring, Turkey Vultures Overnight by the Tanque Verde Wash — Computer Painting by kenne
“In the time of the ancients,
the sun moved close to the earth
making life unsustainable.
Whereupon all animals gathered
to see what could be done,
deciding the sun had to be moved.
One by one, attempts were made
to move the sun.
Some, like the fox,
used his mouth
to pull the sun away,
but it was so hot
and he had to stop,
leaving his mouth black
still to this day.Â
 Next, the opossum tried
moving the sun with his tail,
but he too had to stop,
or the sun was too hot,
leaving his tail bald
still to this day.
Seeing all this,
being the most powerful
and beautiful of birds,
the vulture feared the earth
would soon burn up.
So, she bravely placed her
head against the sun,
flying high into the heavens.
Even with her crown
of feathers burning,
she never stopped
until the sun was far away
and the earth was safe.
Now you know
how the vulture
saved the world
and lost her
magnificent feathers
still to this day.”
This is my telling of a native American myth.
— kenne
