BIF testing of Canon 100-400mm II - I hate this bird! (Page 2): The wings on this bird are simply amazing, the shape is incredible! They just exude power for soaring. Nice shots.

RAK Loc: Concord Ca

The wings on this bird are simply amazing, the shape is incredible! They just exude power for soaring. Nice shots.

jessandcheryl

We have a lot of Turkey Vultures around here in Oregon. They have such a sense of smell. One day I was cleaning fish with nothing in the sky, and by the time I got done I had four of them circling me. I thought it was pretty amazing. I think, like the turkey, they are pretty cool looking. You saying they are so ugly just isn't right. All animals have their own beauty. Just ask their mothers! JESS

Fullframe Loc: Bucks County, Pennsylvania

AHK wrote:

Very nice capture. Was it shot in M...if not how many stops did you increase brightness & what focus mode.

Thank you. Yes, shot in Manual mode. Increased shadows in lightroom +64 (not sure how many stops that is)

AF with single point, AIServo high speed

Farkle Loc: Salt Lake City, Utah

Fullframe wrote:

I can't stand this creature. I know it has it's place in the overall scheme of things, but man, could it be any uglier? Eye is covered with nictitating membrane in second shot.

@400mm 1/1250 sec wide open at F 5.6 ISO 200

In post shadows lifted for under wing and cropped slightly for composition.

Fullframe,
It may be an ugly bird to you, but the shots are pretty, and well done. Thanks for sharing.

cambriaman Loc: Central CA Coast

Very nice images. We live on the side of a hill overlooking a flat area of housing and open space and can watch these high fliers soar and coast in circles when there is something to prey on. We can always tell when something has died. They are nature's garbage collectors.
I once caught a group of them on the street near us that were feasting on a roadkill skunk. I added the caption: "There's nothing like the smell of carrion in the morning" and sent it to my friends. Can't find it to post here, sorry.

Orson Burleigh Loc: Annapolis, Maryland, USA

These Turkey Vultures seem to have become accustomed to small town and suburban life in Maryland in recent years. On my last day of work before retirement, having used some of my un-booked credit hours to leave the office early, I arrived home at noon to find half a dozen members of the large-bodied red-headed avian clean-up crew on my front lawn and another dozen or so perched on my roof and on the roofs of my neighbors' houses.

Initially I was concerned that the vultures' homesteading (and their near monopolizing of the air rights) might be a sign that my retirement was ill-omened. Over the years since I have come to understand that the vultures' vaguely disturbing December arrival in Annapolis is not personal: the vultures' December congregation anticipates the annual arrival of the Maryland legislature in January.

Fullframe Loc: Bucks County, Pennsylvania

Orson Burleigh wrote:

December arrival in Annapolis is not personal: the vultures' December congregation anticipates the annual arrival of the Maryland legislature in January.

Yeah, eat 'em up!

Fullframe Loc: Bucks County, Pennsylvania

Farkle wrote:

Fullframe,
It may be an ugly bird to you, but the shots are pretty, and well done. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you!

Fullframe Loc: Bucks County, Pennsylvania

jessandcheryl wrote:

You saying they are so ugly just isn't right. All animals have their own beauty. Just ask their mothers! JESS

I know, I'm probably too harsh in my feelings of this bird. I guess I really feel like they are too common and are often the only bird in the sky. I'm always trying to get shots of the more exotic or uncommon, and our Turkey Vulture is not that... at least where I live. I really don't hate them, I hate that PA is not FL

Frank 2012 Loc: Olathe, Kansas

Fullframe wrote:

I can't stand this creature. I know it has it's place in the overall scheme of things, but man, could it be any uglier? Eye is covered with nictitating membrane in second shot.

@400mm 1/1250 sec wide open at F 5.6 ISO 200

In post shadows lifted for under wing and cropped slightly for composition.

Great pictures! They definitely won't win ant beauty contests, but they actually look very intelligent and they really can soar on the warm thermal up drafts.

jct842

On a nice evening you should see them right before dark doing flying tricks seemingly to out do the others. (Upside down flight for one thing) Some people have observed them playing games. They are a social bird with very good manors. When there is a decent sized road kill, one will fly off to gather the others from the rookery and show where it is. Their "table" manors are as good as high society, waiting and taking turns so not to hurry the others. They also eat their vegies, a 60/40 mix. They have a very high place in the animal kingdom.

Islandgal Loc: Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Canada

Fullframe wrote:

I know, I'm probably too harsh in my feelings of this bird. I guess I really feel like they are too common and are often the only bird in the sky. I'm always trying to get shots of the more exotic or uncommon, and our Turkey Vulture is not that... at least where I live. I really don't hate them, I hate that PA is not FL

Your shots are beautiful Fullframel! You should see them when they walk on the ground, they have a swagger like a mobster. Their not so bad! My favourite raptor actually. Permission to post a few?

(Download)

Fullframe Loc: Bucks County, Pennsylvania

Islandgal wrote:

Your shots are beautiful Fullframel! You should see them when they walk on the ground, they have a swagger like a mobster. Their not so bad! My favourite raptor actually. Permission to post a few?

Great shots Island Girl

Like your photos, I've seen three of them on a fence with menacing looks, and of course they are quite often perched on my roof looking for rodents, I imagine, in my lawn.