Vulture Watch Wyoming

Today I went to a 2 hour training session on how to make observations on our Turkey Vultures. Now, they are definitely a different sort of bird with not the most delightful of characteristics but they really are fascinating. They have such an acidic gut that they can eat carrion that has diseases like rabies and botulism and neutralize it. They won't spread the disease. So they are kind of gross but cool too :-)

They have a roost in several of the super tall spruce trees on campus. I walk by them most afternoons. I have never gotten a good photo since I've only had my phone with me. They just look like black blobs up there. But really not a lot is known about them and so they want people to start making observations. And eventually maybe more specific questions can be asked. So I have the app on my phone now and can document observations.
In the blip the woman is showing the difference between the wingspan of a California Condor and turkey vulture. The condor had come up to Wyoming and ended up dying so the university has the body. The wingspan is amazing.
It was a really interesting morning. Then I drove out to Mom's and am spending the night. We've had a light snow falling all day.