The buzzards are back!

Today is Buzzard Sunday! The big birds return to Hinckley, Ohio every March, first one, then more, and eventually the whole flock. The whole town turns out to watch, and they celebrate Buzzard Sunday with media coverage and lots of buzzard-related special events. The buzzard pictured landed in a treetop next to the path we were walking in the park this afternoon. His GPS must have given him the wrong directions because he is a little lost. Hinckley is 50 or so miles from here.

According to the Cleveland Metroparks website, buzzards, aka turkey vultures, are considered birds of prey, but they are scavengers. They are huge birds with a wingspan of up to six feet. As you can see from the enlarged picture, they are ugly birds, the stuff of nightmares, but they do their part in keeping the highways and byways clean and clear of roadkill. I guess that is reason enough to celebrate in a macabre sort of way.