Turkey Vulture Over Corralitas Drive

Photo: Diane Edwardson, September 23, 2009, 10:07 AM. Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) soaring over Corralitas Drive. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

While passing a window this morning, I saw an enormous bird flying level with the second story of my home. I grabbed my point & shoot camera and rushed to the street to discover Turkey Vulture circling very low over the Red Car Property and the top of Corralitas Drive. I've never seen a Turkey Vulture fly so low in the neighborhood. When it passed flew directly overhead, I could see its distinctive featherless red head. There was an odor of dead animal out in the street; perhaps it was tracking down a meal.
Photo: Diane Edwardson, Turkey Vulture over Corralitas Red Car Property, the large home is on Silver Ridge Ave. (Click on photo to enlarge.)Late September seems to bring flocks of Turkey Vultures migrating southeast. In the afternoons you see them slowly circling as they come from the direction of Silver Lake Reservoir, over Silver Ridge Ave., Red Car Property, Corralitas Drive, Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract, down the 5 Freeway, then east toward Debs Park. I once counted more than 60 birds in one flock of circling turkey vultures.

Red Car Property: Vultures Circling

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 10, 2012.  No really, a flock of (most likely) Turkey Vultures were riding the updrafts above the Red Car Property last week.  This was the best I could do with a cell phone camera.  (Click on photo to enlarge.) 

 

Every fall, I've seen large flocks of vultures, circling high,  along the same route soaring across the neighborhood.  They come from the general direction of Silver Lake Reservoir, cross over the Red Car Property and Corralitas Drive, down the 5 Freeway, heading toward Boyle Heights.  They have the distinctive vulture shape, and are way larger than any other bird around. 

 

Learn more about Turkey Vultures: Cornell Lab of Ornithology

LA River: Clams & Random Stuff Found

Photo: Diane Edwardson, December 22, 2009. LA River clam shells found just south of the Hyperion Bridge. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Considering the recent rains, the river was remarkably clean last week. The plastic bags trees were not in full bloom. For the first time, we spotted some clam shells near the Hyperion Bridge.

You always find random things in the riverbed. Perhaps the most random find we had occurred a few years back: a dead, partially eaten, 8" Piranha near the Fletcher Bridge. Piranha are definitely not a native species.

Last week's LA River sightings included live and dead carp, a dead 10" catfish, Great Blue Herons, egrets, a variety of ducks and water birds, geese, red tail hawks, a turkey vulture, a turtle, shopping carts, unopened condoms, a suspicious looking baggie of (most likely) drugs and a glow-in-the-dark vibrator.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, December 22, 2009. Clams found in the LA River. (Click on photo to enlarge.)