Turkey Vulture

One of the ugliest birds in North America, the Turkey Vulture:

 

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<B>Turkey Vulture</B> - Carmichael, California<BR>

<I>Leicaflex SL, 560mm f/6.8 Telyt, E100G film</I>

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This bird and a few others nearby looked like they were waiting

for a deer carcass to "ripen" but it's more likely they were waiting

for the coyotes who had brought the deer down to eat their fill.

The coyotes in turn were waiting for me to leave before returning

to their kill.

They�re really not so bad unless you manage to get downwind. They are honest birds and do their job in a businesslike fashion. Contrast that with the Grackles who are a PITA to everyone. . . .

Wonderful shot conveys the dignity and respect the subject deserves.

Starlings are annoying. Excellent shot by the way, looks fun getting out there and

"shooting" animals.

My old friend Dan Leigh, who makes the best soaring delta kites in the world and got me into kitemaking many years ago (I made my living that way for some years in the mid Nineties), once told me that it was the flight of the turkey vulture that first inspired him to develop kites which would soar thermals. Interesting to finally see the bird itself.

Doug,

 

There were about a dozen of these birds circleing over my place the other day. Each year their numbers seem to increase. Nicely captured.

Fine picture, Doug. We have these birds here in eastern Ontario as well. Ther're often on the side of the road dining on road kill.

They seem to be on the increase here in coastal SC. Great shot.

Turkey vultures ugly? They probably think humans are ugly, at least while we're alive. Nice photo of a very beautiful part of Nature's recyling gang!

I agree. If they were that ugly, no one would ever mate with them and there would be no vultures. What do you make of the bokeh? That's not a trick question, and you really don't have to answer.

S. Linke wrote: <I>Turkey vultures ugly? They probably think humans are ugly, at least while we're alive.</I><BR>

Larry Kincaid wrote:<I>I agree. If they were that ugly, no one would ever mate with them and there would be no vultures.</I><P>

 

Good point.

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<I> What do you make of the bokeh?</I><P>

This type of background - lots of little points of light - is the most difficult to handle whether the lens exhibits good bokeh or bad, and it's especially difficult when the primary subject such as this one has little detail and few outstanding features that would draw one's attention. There's a bit of ni-sen bokeh in the lower left corner from some foreground twigs otherwise I think the lens does quite well given this situation.

"ugliness is in the eye of the beholder"<div></div>

A flock of 3 or 4 moved in the neighborhood (I live in the heart of the Silicon Valley) a few years ago. Now I see up to 20+ of them flying overhead from time to time.

 

Doug, almost love your pictures. Ugly bokeh on this one though :-)

<i><blockquote> If they were that ugly, no one would ever mate with them

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You've never seen a typical Hollywood producer then. Or Donald Trump up close, for that

matter.

"Ugly bokeh on this one though :-)" <p>

I never paid much attention to bokeh and still think much of its discussion is hogwash, particularly in the instance of this vulture who likely cares little about the background of his portrait. Rather he (it?) appears to be contemplating his next roadkill find or digesting the last one. I can�t presume to put my nature photos in league with this one but I do know from experience that when you find yourself in a position to get a shot like this you don�t turn it down because the bokeh isn�t to the satisfaction of the gurus

The only ugly creature in nature is man soiling it.

Harry Geron wrote: <I> ...when you find yourself in a position to get a shot like this you don�t turn it down because the bokeh isn�t to the satisfaction of the gurus</I><P>

Agreed. I'd like to have gotten a better background but I'll take what I can get.

I didn't say I don't like the picture! Ugly bokeh on a great picture still makes it a great picture.

 

Great bokeh on an ugly picture still makes it an ugly picture.

 

Great bokeh on a great picture pushes it to yet another level :-)

These hang out at one of the local Baptist churches.

Portraits (and I guess this could be considered a portrait) are always made or broken by the background. In this case, the background dominates the image. Bokeh or no bokeh, it's the highlights in the background that make it what it is.

"Portraits (and I guess this could be considered a portrait) are always made or broken by the background."

 

That's an interesting comment, Jeff. I'll have to think about that ;-)