OT - Buzzards
Judy Glattstein (Wed, 06 Jun 2007 04:30:54 PDT)

What we have here are not vultures, though they are usually so named by
folks. They're buzzards. And in my part of New Jersey there are two
species, the typical red-headed turkey buzzard and the (usually
described as a more Southern species) the black-headed buzzard. Both
have featherless heads, thought to be an adaptation as gobbets of
maggot-infested rotting meat would be difficult to clean off feathers.
Nature's clean-up crew, both species do very well foraging on the dead
deer along the roadsides, also raccoons, opossums, skunks. In spring the
black buzzards perch on rooftops as the sun rises in the morning, wings
outspread as the birds try to warm up. They look positively medieval.
They often hang out together, so it is not uncommon to see 3, 4, 6, or
more checking out their next meal. Frequently see them lazing on the
thermals, massive wings outspread as they gracefully soar.

We also have turkeys in the neighborhood. They are impressive both on
land and in the air but their take-off is hardly graceful.

Judy in New Jersey where the morning is a deliciously cool 58 degrees
Fahrenheit, and it looks like it will be a clear sunny day. The weeds
are loving it.