{"id":52571,"date":"2018-06-13T05:47:40","date_gmt":"2018-06-13T11:47:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=52571"},"modified":"2025-09-16T13:01:52","modified_gmt":"2025-09-16T18:01:52","slug":"photographing-turkey-vultures-on-a-june-morning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/06\/13\/photographing-turkey-vultures-on-a-june-morning\/","title":{"rendered":"Photographing Turkey Vultures On A June Morning"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AlertAlert Turkey Vulture on a square wooden post – Nikon D500, f8, 1\/1000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Yesterday morning I was in northern Utah on yet another search for birds to photograph, the first bird I photographed was a gorgeous Short-eared Owl and I could be sharing images of it because owls are so striking and appealing to most people but this morning I thought I’d share the Turkey Vultures I photographed. Why? Because I think they are often overlooked, ignored, passed by and even disliked because of their appearance and the fact that they eat carrion grosses some people out.<\/p>\n

Hey, even the two species of eagles we have here in North America will eat carrion.<\/p>\n

\"TurkeyTurkey Vulture over the shoulder look on a June morning – Nikon D500, f8, 1\/1250, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

When the Turkey Vultures have migrated south for the winter I miss seeing them soaring on the thermals, warming up in the morning and seeing them on the roads while being nature’s cleaning crew.<\/p>\n

The Turkey Vultures I photographed yesterday morning were on fence posts at first and they seemed to be taking their time before lifting off to sniff out their breakfast from overhead in the sky.<\/p>\n

\"AdultAdult Turkey Vulture on a poop stained fence post – Nikon D500, f8, 1\/1250, ISO 500, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

I photographed all four of the Turkey Vultures in the first group before they flew away because each one looked slightly different.<\/p>\n

\"TurkeyTurkey Vulture in front of a sage covered hillside – Nikon D500, f8, 1\/1250, ISO 500, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

I’d never get a photo like this back east because there aren’t any sagebrush covered hillsides there. I love sage,\u00a0 I love the look of it and the smell of it.<\/p>\n

\"OddOdd looking Turkey Vulture with white feathers – Nikon D500, f8, 1\/1250, ISO 500, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

Then there was this vulture who when it lifted its wings over its body looked a little odd to me because of the white feathers that were exposed in this position. Young Turkey Vultures are white for a bit but this is an adult bird and it doesn’t look the same as the adult vulture in nearly the same exact pose<\/span><\/a> that I photographed two years ago.<\/p>\n

\"TurkeyTurkey Vulture flying in front of mountains – Nikon D500, f8, 1\/1600, ISO 500, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

I wanted to share a photo of one of the vultures that took flight with the mountains in the background because this is a view of these birds that I frequently see while they are on the wing.<\/p>\n

\"TurkeyTurkey Vulture shaking its feathers on a fence post – Nikon D500, f8, 1\/1600, ISO 500, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

I had nice light yesterday when I photographed these Turkey Vultures which made it easier to show all the fine details in their dark plumage.<\/p>\n

\"TurkeyTurkey Vulture with pooh covered feet and legs – Nikon D500, f8, 1\/1600, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

Did you know that when it is hot Turkey Vultures defecate on their legs and feet to cool off? That is why this vulture’s feet and legs look chalky white.<\/p>\n

As a bird photographer I have found that it is easy to make any species of owl look interesting and appealing in my images but it is more of a challenge to do that with Turkey Vultures but that doesn’t mean I don’t try. I will always try.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to view more of my Turkey Vulture photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As a bird photographer I have found that it is easy to make any species of owl look interesting and appealing in my images but it is more of a challenge to do that with Turkey Vultures but that doesn’t mean I don’t try. I will always try. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":156295,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27,1148,1315,26],"tags":[4004,2663,4322,4098,3830,4052,4122,751,4069,8301,8300,6565,4394,2817,4502,2315,2443,4618,4617],"class_list":["post-52571","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-box-elder-county-utah","category-turkey-vultures","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-birds-of-prey","tag-cathartes-aura","tag-desert","tag-fence","tag-flight","tag-flying","tag-hillside","tag-mountains","tag-photograph","tag-photographing","tag-poop-stained","tag-post","tag-sage","tag-shaking","tag-summer-3","tag-turkey-vulture","tag-vulture","tag-vultures"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/turkey-vulture-sage-fence-post-mia-mcpherson-1411.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-dFV","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":70255,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/05\/26\/adult-turkey-vultures-thermoregulating\/","url_meta":{"origin":52571,"position":0},"title":"Adult Turkey Vultures Thermoregulating","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 26, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"In April there was a bright, sunny morning when I had several opportunities to photograph adult Turkey Vultures warming up after a chilly night by thermoregulating.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Close up of an adult Turkey Vulture thermoregulating in Box Elder County, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/turkey-vulture-thermoregulating-close-up-left-mia-mcpherson-2298.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/turkey-vulture-thermoregulating-close-up-left-mia-mcpherson-2298.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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McPherson","date":"March 30, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"I'm itching to get back out into the field because I want to see my first of the year Turkey Vultures on the wing.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Turkey Vulture on a grassy hillside, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/turkey-vulture-hillside-mia-mcpherson-5703.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/turkey-vulture-hillside-mia-mcpherson-5703.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/turkey-vulture-hillside-mia-mcpherson-5703.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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