Turkey vulture
I’m a bird lover, and having an office next to Bob Pettit is a special treat.
Over the weekend, I noticed dozens of turkey vultures – I call them buzzards – flying over my house. I’ve never noticed buzzards flying together – unless they were circling a carcass somewhere. But it looked for all the world like they were traveling en masse, flying in a sort of disorganized flock.
And they were headed south. Not like geese, who fly in formation. This was like a herd of flying cats, kind of ambling across the sky.
So this morning, when I noticed Bob was in his office as I walked by, I stuck my head in.
“Do turkey vultures migrate in flocks,” I asked.
Yes, was his answer, and he went on. More than 5,000 had passed over Monroe County over the weekend.
See what I mean. Ask a question about birds, and you’ll not only get an answer, you’ll get lots more.
Bob is a biology professor at Monroe County Community College, but he’s more than that. He’s also one of the leading experts in the area on birds – especially the many migratory species who fly over the western end of Lake Erie.
Once last spring I thought I saw an eagle, but wasn’t sure. He supplied me with a handy, one-page description of how all the hawks and eagles in the area look from the ground – the shape of the wings, coloring, etc. I’ll never confuse a red-tailed hawk and an immature eagle again.
And now I know something else. Buzzards migrate in flocks, from Canada to Mexico – even if they’re kind of disorganized, confused-looking flocks. And thousands pass over Monroe County in a day this time of year.
Thanks, Bob.