The Tree Swallow

(Tachycineta bicolor)

12 April 2008, is a

handsome bird, and I

get to see a lot of

them. The sun hit

this bird at just the

right angle to bring

out the beautiful blue

color, when normally

their backs look

almost black.

And, if the Bluebirds aren’t here early enough

to claim the boxes for nesting, the Tree

Swallows will be happy to nest in them first.

They are in the habit of occupying all of the

Bluebird boxes that we’ve put up around the

property as soon as the Bluebird young have

left, and the nests are abandoned.

Most people don’t go all mushy over vultures, but the world would be a lot messier, and smellier,

without them. The only shots I have of the (Cathartes aura) Turkey Vultures on the ground show

them eating something, so I’m just going to use shots of them in the air, and besides, it lets me

include a nice shot of one soaring above beautiful Autumn colors. These are from November 8, 2008.

Did you know that, despite

what some people might call

certain birds in different

parts of the country, North America has no actual

buzzards, only vultures.

I finally got this rare shot of

a Turkey Vulture in a tree.

It’s easy to understand how

they soar so well, when, even

folded up, you can see how

enormous their wings are.

© Bob Vuxinic

14 Apr 2010