We have a lot of buzzards (also called vultures) in western Kentucky. When we first moved out here in the Kentucky countryside, the barns in the field east of us were standing empty. Buzzards roosted on the roof ridges nearly every summer night. They flew in at sunset, and as darkness fell, they cooed to each other with their vulture voices.
An amusing thing happened several years ago. We have a local landmark known as Pilot Rock. It's a big shaft of rock that juts up out of the hills and towers above everything else in the area. A lady about my age had grown up here and moved away. She came home to visit and decided to climb Pilot Rock, for old times sake.
An amusing thing happened several years ago. We have a local landmark known as Pilot Rock. It's a big shaft of rock that juts up out of the hills and towers above everything else in the area. A lady about my age had grown up here and moved away. She came home to visit and decided to climb Pilot Rock, for old times sake.
When she came back down, she told everyone about her peaceful experience on top of the Rock. "Oh!" she said. "It was so quiet up there!" She told us how she lay down and stretched out and watched the clouds floating by and the vultures circling in the sky. Her brother was horrified. "Good grief! You won't catch ME lying on the ground for long with vultures circling over me!"
Several years ago, the Kentucky New Era (our local newspaper) published a photographic essay about autumn at Pilot Rock. The photography girl had driven out and taken a few pictures of trees in their fall colors. In the text that described the pictures, she stated that there wasn't any life stirring except a dozen big hawks circling the skies. Ha! Everyone out here laughed about that. We all knew she had seen vultures, not hawks.
Several years ago, the Kentucky New Era (our local newspaper) published a photographic essay about autumn at Pilot Rock. The photography girl had driven out and taken a few pictures of trees in their fall colors. In the text that described the pictures, she stated that there wasn't any life stirring except a dozen big hawks circling the skies. Ha! Everyone out here laughed about that. We all knew she had seen vultures, not hawks.
A couple of weeks later we laughed again when the newspaper published a letter that someone from another state had written. He stated that he was certain the photographer had seen vultures, not hawks.
Most or all of our vultures here in western Kentucky are Turkey Buzzards. They are beautiful in the sky, riding the wind with their wings spread wide. Sometimes people mistake them for eagles, but eagles can be up to one-third larger than buzzards.
Most or all of our vultures here in western Kentucky are Turkey Buzzards. They are beautiful in the sky, riding the wind with their wings spread wide. Sometimes people mistake them for eagles, but eagles can be up to one-third larger than buzzards.
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