This morning, at 0715, Susie & I were headed north on Mill St. in the Village of Dryden, bound for the Dryden Hotel. Susie suddenly noticed a large mass of dark birds rising from the treetops to the east. We whipped in that direction, parking at the intersection of Ferguson Rd. and Rt. 38. Approximately 150 TURKEY VULTURES were spiraling about right over us. A dense mass of about 100 birds formed several times. We have never seen them that thick. Another 50 or so birds were streaming in from the NE. (A stand of Norway spruce is located about 100 yds. north of this intersection-we have seen vultures roost there often in the past). Suddenly the mass of birds started moving to the SW, which was the direction a slight breeze was coming from. There was very little flapping of wings. At 0723, driving about the village, no vultures were visible anywhere.
This was very early for thermals; the sun was not yet up, the sky overcast. We are thinking that the SW wind, hitting the chain of hills (Beam. Star Stanton. Hammond) created an updraft that the vultures used to move in that general direction, getting out of Dodge before rain moves in. I also had an idea, probably spurious, that the tight spiral of a large number of birds, created its own upward movement of air, which would be of assistance, at least at the gathering point. A dozen or so local CROWS sat about here and there in treetops, seemingly stunned by this invasion of their early morning air space. Steve & Susie Fast Brooktondale -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
