Record-breaking 29k turkey vultures spotted flying over Michigan park

[marmar]

(MLive) GIBRALTAR, MICH. -- Visitors to Lake Erie Metropark on Tuesday were treated to the incredible sight of more than 29,000 turkey vultures soaring overhead throughout the day, setting a new one-day record count for the species at that location.

The new high count was reported this week in a social media post by the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, which added that current visitors to the area should look up for the chance to see turkey vultures on their fall migration.

Turkey vultures spend the summer breeding season in the northeastern and western U.S. as well as southern Canada; this time of year they fly in groups called “kettles” either to southern U.S. states or much farther into Central America, according to Cornell University’s All About Birds guide.

The journeying vultures spotted over the metropark this week were counted as part of the annual Detroit River Hawk Watch, a long-running bird monitoring project that takes place annually from September through November. ............(more)

https://www.mlive.com/life/2023/10/record-breaking-29k-turkey-vultures-spotted-flying-over-michigan-park.html

[MOMFUDSKI]

1. They show up here in

Tampa Bay Area for the winter! They are so homely that they are cute. Thanks for the post.

[a kennedy]

2. Have always been fascinated with vultures......

They have bald heads and faces so no disease from the dead bodies they eat can get into the vultures system. And the way they just soar on the wind, they hardly ever flap their wings, they just use the currents to fly…….so awesome. I call them red faces around here in South Eastern MN…….actually really enjoy them.

[catchnrelease]

8. You have good taste

Decades ago in my working years I was lucky enough to work with vultures along with other species of birds. Even got to hand rear a couple of King Vulture chicks, who still remembered me many years after I no longer was their care giver. I still swear that vultures are way better than the more 'prestigious' species like Bald Eagles. Vultures are super smart and have tons of personality while the other raptors are more in the just a pretty face category, in my opinion of course. They'll always have a special place in my heart.

[magicarpet]

3. BIRD TURD ALERT !!!!

[gab13by13]

5. They will puke on you.

[PatrickforB]

4. LOL, I got a popup that said 'my experience is important' to the newspaper, but that

I had to turn off my ad blocker to read the article.

Funny, I have an ad blocker because I like the user experience I have without ads.

The birds are very cool

[ms liberty]

6. A gathering of vultures not flying (like perched on something) is called a committee

We have a lot of them here year round.

[ret5hd]

7. I'd say that was an omen.

[lastlib]

9. Who counted 'em? And how?

Are they sure that wasn't just a CPAC conference breaking up?