June 21, 2007
I left home yesterday for a business trip until July 1. Lamentably, I have not found any time
during the preceding week to survey our woods to check for breeding birds - too much to
do in the way of farm projects and chores. Tree swallows seem to be doing very well in the
"bluebird" boxes, actively feeding young in the boxes. I hope they are not all cowbirds. In
daily morning walks around the fields (June 16 - 20) I saw no activity in the one box that
actually had bluebirds in May.
One notable sighting occured yesterday. Sunday night a young doe was struck and killed
about 250 meters south of our house on Flint Ridge Rd. By Tuesday night the smell was
detectable nearby, even to human noses (fortunately not as far away as the house.) During
our morning walk with the dogs yesterday (Wednesday), as we walked up the hill and
approached the roadkill site, a black vulture flushed from the roadside trees. I have never
previously seen the species at our farm, although turkey vultures regularly patrol the skies.
Black vultures are common in Licking County, particularly near Granville, and in eastern
Muskingum County near New Concord. I have been expecting them any time, although not
with any eagerness given their reputation (deserved or undeserved) for baby livestock
depredations. Our lambs are generally born in the barn, not on pasture, so this is not a real
concern to us. But I can imagine the reactions of my neighbors if black vultures become as
common as they are some places. I have had many discussions with local folks in recent
years following reports in the newspapers (complete with graphic details) about the species
expansion northward. I hope they will not become as common as starlings, which used to
be rather uncommon on our farm, but whose population has exploded the past couple
years.
Anyway, the presence of a single black vulture brings the "yard" list to 123 species.
Bob Evans
Geologist, etc.
Hopewell Township, Muskingum County
DeLorme 70 A1
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