Would you believe this beautiful thing is a vulture? A common turkey vulture, no less, the kind that usually appears only as an ominous black silhouette high in the sky or perches on fence posts, sunning ragged brown feathers.
A few days ago, while I was out walking in the yard with my mother in law, five of these dreaded creatures circled directly overhead, painting dark, vast shadows on the land below. They dropped lower and lower on silent wings - a disconcerting turn of events, particularly for us old people - then veered off and settled one by one into the tall grass nearby.
The object of their desire was, of course, not the two feisty old broads who were clearly still kicking, but a deceased raccoon, quite "ripe" and overdue for cleanup.
Once we got over our consternation at being buzzed by buzzards, we sat on the deck for over an hour watching them come and go, marveling at their mystery, grace, size, and power.
It was almost enough to make me want to join The Turkey Vulture Society. Almost.
For more nature stories, visit Michelle and her guests at Rambling Woods.
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