Gorgeous shot. They look so graceful on the wing, when you don't think about what they eat.

Thanks, AtHomePilgrim. True indeed. I think their heads, up close, are very comical, too. In a yukkky kinda way.

Last year I was on a lonely stretch of beach and approached a group of turkey vultures circling, riding the thermal above me. I saw a lone vulture on the ground, weak and sick looking, and he turned towards me, and I stopped.

The expression on his face, I swear, was this:

"What am I gonna do...........they might be my friends, but they're vultures."

If a bird could shrug, he would have shrugged.

The turkey vultures are flying northward into our valley again, one of my favorite springtime moments, watching these birds glide between the mountain ranges...
...and you're so punny : )

Our turkey vultures stuck out the winter this year. They took care of a lot of the road kill. I'm grateful for them--so amazing in flight--and a reminder that even the ugliest of nature's offerings contains a gift.

That's a magnificent shot, Robin. A reminder of nature's way of balancing herself on her own. Thank you for sharing your talents.

♥R

I get them at eye level often...magnificent birds!

As someone who attempts every day to somehow get involved with birds I can only feel delight at the wonderful flying machine in your photo. With such relatively small skulls their marvelous nervous systems work marvels. I never forget they are our representatives from the ancient dinosaurs.

WOW! What a load of compliments on this post, and very little text substance at that. Most people regard this bird as a big, ugly, well - vulture. I agree with Jan, a magnificent flying machine. Ginny, your story about the poor 'buzzard,' shrugging is very funny. I could just see it in my mind's eye. Talk about what goes around comes around! Let's see, would that be 'carrion karma?' Jan, I don't imagine that there are a lot of Turkey vultures flying around Helsinki so give yourself a break there! Thanks to all of you for looking at my photo and commenting. I feel accomplished having this kind of attention on Os and for a common bird at that!

Although I am purposely misinterpreting your adjective, I find nothing common about this wonderful current product of evolution. This interaction of the universe with our most ingenious protoplasm comes up with a most fantastic set of solutions and the bird is a noteworthy example of what can be done with bones, flesh and feathers.

Jan, thanks. Yes, I understood your point and I agree. They are one of nature's great cleaners, too. I also use them as indicators of when I might find somethiing interesting to study or photograph when they are circling around as a kettle over a carcass. Now, if only we could get out politicians to be so purposeful and useful. Now THERE is a metaphor!

The way the US Congress and the president keep circling around their nation that seems determined to become a carcass does indeed remind one of vultures. And the way the corporate world is stripping meat from bone will no doubt leave nothing much more than a dessicated skeleton.

Jan, a carcass which will feed yet another creature, some kind of bottom feeder, or not. And so the circle goes and so goes a thoroughly beaten to death metaphor, which will serve as a metaphor to the metaphor, yet again..............

I am now 85 years old and have been losing weight over the past few months and my hearing is going(or, at least the high frequencies) and my left eye has a clouding lens. I sleep these days far too much and somehow the final dissolution is not as frightening as it has been. I would be proud to have at least some of my substance glide in wide circles through the skies. At the moment I cannot figure out how to manage that.

Great shot! It is amazing that they can be ugly and beautiful at the same time.

Thanks, Simpleshutterbug!

Jan, keep watching the birds. Maybe it will come to you. Maybe they will "tell" you in some way when the moment is right.

Regal bird, great picture, :) poetry in a frame :)

Rolling, Thanks for that. Yes, poetry in a frame.

What a beautiful photo. Thank you. -R-

What gets me is something that big can fly without jet engines.

Very nice photo. R

CatnLiion, Christine and Sheba, thank you for the view and comments. It does seem sort of counter intuitive that a thing that massive can fly on it's own steam, though to look at it I'd say there are "fossil" fuels involved as it's a very primitive bird. har har!

@Catnlion, you made me smile and then laugh, you are funny. I thought, what would he say if he saw the great Golden Eagles in the Himalayas? Those run away with grown sheep, baby goats, little dogs, puppies and sometimes the villagers' children!! Wingspan 10 feet!

Rolling,

Could you tell me exactly where that is? I have a couple of kids that I need to send to "summer camp".

:)

Catnlion, you guys are TOOOO funny. Hell, for the cost of a roll of duct tape, you can send them up here to "Camp Robinson." I know just what to do with the little varmints. Varmints are my specialty, you may have noticed!