Turkey Vulture

[Napper]

hey Folks

I've been reading reports of TV sightings North of Toronto already.

I spotted my first of the year today along Fourth line Milton, South of Britannia.

Napster.

[lovetobird]

Yep, I spotted a TV at Sunnidale Park in Barrie on Wednesday, let the migration begin:)

[Leslie]

Hamilton on Sunday (March 21), south of 403 near Coote's Paradise.

[Bird Brain]

Speaking of Turkey Vultures, check out the following site:

http://www.frg.org/HMS/HMS_TV.htm#tracking_table

It would be really thrilling to sight a tagged TV!  

Jo-Anne  

[Axeman]

They finally made it a little further north to Ayton...saw my first on March 29

[Leslie]

Interesting, there seem to be 3 distinct North American populations, none of them ours.
ie a west coast sample that journeys up & down the west coast (Pacific)
    an east coast pop'n that journeys up & down the east coast (Atlantic), & probably stays east of the Appalachians
    a mid-continent pop'n that migrates along the eastern side of the Gulf of Mexico & parallel to the Mississippi River but a good bit to the west.

So what route do "our" turkey vultures take, & where do they winter?

[Axeman]

They winter in Fiji.

[GStuart]

I just hope they don't fly Skyservice.

[Bluffs Birder]

Fiji?  Over 24,000 kms return and mostly over ocean water?  Not sure where you got that information from Axeman.

Hi Leslie,

Our (Eastern) Turkey Vultures winter in the south-eastern United States (Florida to Texas), Mexico and the rest of Central America, and even as far south as the northern parts of South America.  From the north, they fly pretty much due south but must navigate their way around the Great Lakes.  Some pass through the Niagara Region but the majority fly down and around the western end of Lake Erie and then continue southward.  It's an incredible sight to see during fall migration, if you can get to one of the many Raptor Watch sites along the north shore of Lake Ontario or Lake Erie.

Walter

[Leslie]

Thanks, Walter.

I usually see the beginning of TV fall migration, as I've picked up at least one kid from music camp just northwest of Parry Sound on Labour Day weekend.  (Some years they get a dozen over the camp's lake & fields the day before parents arrive.)  We usually go down the 400 with them, but we stop in Toronto & they don't.

I used to visit the hawk watch at High Park, but I don't think it ran this year.

Leslie