Tagged
Two days ago I was out at our favorite lake checking out Wood Ducks and GBH’s….and I noticed a group of vultures hanging out on the bank. One of them had a blue tag on it’s right wing…with the no#24 on it. SOOOO of course I went home…sent some emails out…and guess what I got back?
...”Thank you so much for reporting the tagged Turkey Vulture you saw in Atchison earlier this week.
If it had a light blue tag with the black number 24 on it I can tell you that the bird was tagged in Maracaibo, northwestern Venezuela on Jan 4th 2007.
The bird is part of a large study of Turkey Vulture migration underway here at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in eastern Pennsylvania.
Other birds tagged in Venezuela have been resighted in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, and Sabetha, Kansas. The latter was in Oct last year….”
TO know that this guy is part of a study to help with keeping these guys safe and populous (imagine if we lost our vultures) is a great feeling that I was able to help with this record. The gentleman that sent this email to me told me he was also about to put together his information and this bit was a great part to add…....especially since this vulture was here eating dead catfish that’re washing up on the shore of this lake I saw him at.
Isn’t that just great? This guy crossed over Mexico…didn’t check in at the customs border…and illegally entered the US to make it’s way up to my state…..over 3000 miles! woowhoo…talk about a seasoned traveler!
Michael Oubridge
Great news to hear Clara, of course customs may wish to talk to said vulture over illegal entry to USA, and fish and game might be considering prosecution over illegal eating of fish :)
Carla Jandelle... replied
well…at least the fish were already dead…so maybe he’ll get off easy?
Lenny La Rue, IPA
That’s a “once in a lifetime” sighiing! Congrats!
Carla Jandelle... replied
definately! and u know? i’m NOW out everyday with my binoculars LOOKING at the hundreds we have flying in my location now? and no other sightings of blue/green or yellow tags…lol