![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/turkey-vulture-7393-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"turkey-vulture-7393-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\nBy “best” field mark, I mean the field mark that is most easily seen while they’re in flight and most reliable in confirming their ID from a distance.<\/p>\n
Lately I’ve been concerned about our Turkey Vultures. The remote area in northern Utah where I’ve seen them most reliably and most often in past years has been mostly devoid of them this year. In most of my recent trips to the area I haven’t seen any and when I have it’s only been one or two.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
1\/4000, f\/5.6, ISO 500, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n So on a trip to that same area yesterday morning I was somewhat relieved to see about a dozen of them. There was a total of seven vultures in the group this bird was in and I saw at least five others earlier in the morning.<\/p>\n I caught this one just as ‘he’ raised his wings to take off, which put good light on his underwing and revealed the distinctive and much paler color of the trailing edge of their wings. When people see Turkey Vultures they’re most often soaring overhead and I think their “pale trailing edge” is usually the easiest way to confirm their ID. There are other field marks too but I think this one is most easily seen from a distance while they’re in flight.<\/p>\n When they’re soaring the undersides of their wings are usually in shade but even so, the pale trailing edge can typically be seen.<\/p>\n Lots of folks perceive Turkey Vultures as being ugly but in a pose like this one I’d argue that they’re at least impressive. And maybe even bordering on handsome in a way.<\/p>\n Yeah, I’m a fan of Turkey Vultures.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By “best” field mark, I mean the field mark that is most easily seen while they’re in flight and most reliable in confirming their ID from a distance.<\/p>\n