September 6, 2025 is International Vulture Awareness Day. I certainly wouldn’t want to live in a world without vultures scattered within it. They do such an excellent job of helping our environment stay clean. Vultures help to control a lot of otherwise harmful debris. Yes, their diet is filled with decomposing carcasses and that is okay with me. Join me in my thanks to these marvelous birds such as this black vulture at Jordan Lake.
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The turkey vulture and I spent almost an hour being mesmerized by the turbulence of the Haw River as it tossed waves up against the interior of the tailrace. Interesting, isn’t it, that birds (and most other animals) can be spell-bound by the world they inhabit! I enjoyed the mutual time in contemplation.
Jordan Lake. Single bright white down feather cast into the air as a black vulture preens. Sometimes the only picture of a vulture we carry in our minds is that of a vulture during its meal of carrion. Yet, like bald eagles or African lions who become a mess during a meal, vultures also soon cleanse themselves. I would not want to live in a world without vultures and their necessary task of helping to clean our environment.
Jordan Lake: The turkey vulture on the ground on the left is looking sadly down at the spot were there had been a piece of fish. Another vulture had just launched taking that piece with it. Then Captain Doug and I both spotted the bald eagle fledgling on the log as it watched the food morsel rapidly leaving their area. Alas.
Jordan Lake Dam. A pair of northern mockingbirds decided that a black vulture was spending way too much time inside their territory. Being mockingbirds, they decided to harass the vulture. At one point the vulture and one of the mockingbirds seemed to have a quiet moment of contemplation … didn’t last long.
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