Our friend Michael sent us the photograph above of a young Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) that had been strolling around his yard. The vultures have been nesting in his barn the last couple of years. What a great photograph!.

Michael’s photograph reminded us of our latest personal adventure with Black Vultures. It happened along the road just north of our house. A wake of Black Vultures had grouped to devour the carcass of a White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus). You can see the deer carcass at the bottom of the photograph below. We turned around and came back in the car to try to get some photographs.

The vultures were skittish, but not scared enough to take flight. Nearly all of the birds began to just walk away! They didn’t seem to hurry either. At this point the birds were only about 25 feet from out car.

There was a side lane near the deer carcass, and most of the vultures calmly walked up the lane, away from our car.

They looked like a group of tourists gawking at the sights. Some looked left and right, and some picked up pieces of rock as if these were of great interest.

Finally four vultures were left at the carcass. At this  point we were only about 20 feet from the birds, but they didn’t seem to pay any particular interest to us.

But one vulture seemed to be the dominant one. It chased the others away. The  photograph above shows it “hooding” over the carcass in a protective stance.

The boldest vulture then turned to the prized carcass to resume eating. 

Alls well that ends well, at least for the sole remaining vulture. Here it has secured a bite from the carcass. It had better enjoy its moment of glory, because the other vultures will no doubt return shortly after we depart.