Portrait of a vulture

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Portrait of a vulture

March 9, 2019 by Mike Powell

It’s tough to get a Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) to smile. This was the best we could manage during our portrait session on Thursday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge.

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter | Tagged Canon 50D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, turkey vulture, vulture, Woodbridge VA | 7 Comments

7 Responses

on March 9, 2019 at 7:09 am | Reply Dan Antion

You make him look good, Mike.
- on March 9, 2019 at 7:19 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Vultures have a bad reputation, because people get freaked out at the thought of them eating dead things. As a non-vegetarian, I also eat dead things, though I do draw a line at eating roadkill.
on March 9, 2019 at 9:17 am | Reply Ellen Jennings

He’s reserved! Nice portrait, Mike, of this invaluable species.
- on March 9, 2019 at 11:16 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Ellen. Although some folks are creeped out a bit by vultures, I think that almost all would agree that they do a valuable service, as you suggest.
  - on March 10, 2019 at 9:28 pm Ellen Jennings
    
    And they are also very elegant fliers—I love to watch them.
on March 10, 2019 at 8:46 am | Reply Reed Andariese

Nice Mike! One of the Best Vulture portraits I’ve seen!
on March 11, 2019 at 3:29 pm | Reply Molly Lin Dutina

We have them all over. I agree with Reed.