When they were soaring through the sky, the vultures were beautiful, even majestic, but when they started to swoop down toward a nearby location, I couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy.
This past weekend, I was walking along the C&O Canal path, approaching Washington D.C., when a number of large black birds started swooping down in my direction. I could tell immediately that they were Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura), because of their red heads and distinctive feather pattern. As they got closer, they veered off toward the road that parallels the path—perhaps there was a recent bit of road kill that attracted their attention.
I don’t know why, but everywhere that I go, I seem to see vultures. In this case it was an urban setting, but I see them often when I am in the wild too. I’m trying not to develop a complex about this, but I do make sure that I take a shower before I go shooting.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved
Mike Powell 
That’s funny. I don’t think they care for any meal they have to chase.
There is a part of me that knows that vultures eat dead things, but it still makes me feel a little creepy when they are around.
great photos.. I never see them close enough to camera range..
Well, as long as you haven’t been rolling in dead things, shower or no, you should be safe.
Imagine the “mess” there’d be without them!
Nice flight pics.
Just a note, vultures prefer vegetarians.
I am probably safe, then.