GrammaChar, Wow ... that is one posing Vulture in your first photo! Vultures aren't the prettiest bird on the block but still handsome in their own way and that is one great photo showing it with it's wings spread!

Do you suppose that deer they are feeding on was hit by a car? We have the Black Vultures and Turkey Vultures here and yes indeed, they do serve a much needed purpose of road-kill clean up!!

Turkey vultures are about the ugliest bird on earth. While at Lake Woodruff several years ago, we came upon about 6 of them, however, didn't have a camera handy. They just looked us over and finally slowly got out of the way!

Sadly, Lin, the deer was most likely a victim of a 'hit and run' car encounter. The deer in our area don't have any natural predators, except for Dodge Rams and such. But, like you, I admire the vultures. I've also read that turkey vultures hang out with black vultures because the blacks have a better sense of smell. I have no idea how someone figures these things out...Okay, I'm going to stop now before I start to sound like The Vulture Whisperer.

More great pictures, GrammaChar! ... wondering what kind of vulture that last one is? He is rather ugly but neat looking too with those golden edged feathers.

I've mentioned many times but will again I'm a big fan of vultures!

GrammaChar said:The Vulture Whisperer.

I think the one in GrammaChar's last photo is the American Black Vulture.

You nailed it, Lin. And you got great photos too. Did you know that vultures poop down their legs to cool off and that the uric acid acts as a sanitizer?
This is probably TMI. But you can google it if you want more details.
I'm done.

GrammaChar said:Did you know that vultures poop down their legs to cool off and that the uric acid acts as a sanitizer.

No, I did not know that.

Yup, when the vultures are circling overhead, I make it a point to keep moving so I'm not mistaken for a possible snack.

In an effort to leave the scavenger subject behind, this is NOT a vulture.

Oh my, that is a really wonderful shot! Chickadee??

I didn't know that about vultures either.

And that last shot sure is beautiful!

Fantastic photos GrammaChar! That on vulture did really give you a great pose!

That looks like a Carolina Chickadee.

Cool shots everyone. Char, I love "trivia". I don't consider it trivia but most people of my acquaintance do. I consider it interesting stuff!

I spotted an Eastern Bluebird a few minutes ago!! I don't see them very often at all; I wish they'd visit the feeders in my yard but I think all of the big boisterous birds that are always here kinda scare them.

Eastern Bluebird ........................................ Boat-tailed Grackle

w/@flaflwrgrl Now if anyone asks me about the bowel habits of vultures.......I will have the answer...... you never know when someone might ask you and it's good to be prepared.

@rocklady

Mourning Doves



Chipping Sparrow


I love the coloration on their backs. Pure art.

Ooh, so much going on! We had custody of Grandma yesterday so we watched the Masters tournament and like I said on Facebook, all I know about golf I learned from watching "Happy Gilmore".

Speaking of all the activity, "We're number one!" That is, I received the ATP newsletter this morning and this was the most active thread of the week with 98 replies!

Philip also made the list of noteworthy acorn tips with his fabulous swan post: http://garden.org/thread/view_...

GrammaChar (who shall now be known as "The Vulture Whisperer) had one of the top plant pictures of the week with a stunning shot of Pearl Milkweed! And just kidding! Fill in your name if you want in the right hand corner and we'll call you whatever you like!



And a certain moderator you know submitted her first ever multi-plant photo and made the newsletter!

See, I told you this was the best forum on here! The Irises forum is giving us a lot of competition, though! It's okay, it's their time of year to celebrate. Well, in some parts. Little cool up north, I hear. There was a poor fan at the Rays - Orioles game last night in Baltimore where the temperature started at 50 degrees and only got colder. He was dressed in Rays gear head-to-toe except he was wearing Oriole gloves! Clearly, he didn't think he'd need gloves and had to purchase them at the gift shop. True fans sit on their hands!

As for the trivia; I love trivia! When it's not baseball season, we watch "Jeopardy!". And Mom loves crossword puzzles. I like to think you can pick up knowledge anywhere. For example, the other day she was doing a clue and it wanted Brezhnev's first name and I told her it was Leonid. She looked at me funny and I said, "It's in the lyrics for R.E.M.'s song, 'It's the End of the World As We Know It." Then, I started singing. See, you can learn things anywhere! Although, I do like to show off the Ivy League degree. Grandma went to a doctor the other day down here and she kept saying how he went to Harvard. And I was all, "I went to Penn!" Don't I get some credit?

Okay, I better go get ready because Dad, his truck, and I are going to Wilcox Nursery in Largo for their big spring sale. The Pinellas Chapter of the FL Native Plant Society will be there. And if you join, which I've been meaning to do, you get 10% off! And on Facebook last night, I found out Restless Natives Nursery will be there selling "Got Milkweed?" tee-shirts. Which is appropriate because they sell a lot of native milkweed. I bought seeds from them! Keep the photos and the knowledge coming! Chant with me: We're number one! We're number one!"