Hello Tweets,

Here is the May, 1998, turkey vulture report for Washington and British
Columbia:

01 - 3 at Fall City
02 - 7 at San Juan Island (British Camp), 5 at Maryhill State Park (+ 11
more in the area)
04 - 1 at Seattle (Bitter Lake)
09 - 27 from the Clallam County sector count, as follows: 5 at the
Dungeness River, 2 at Morse Creek, 1 at Ediz Hook, 6 from Clallam Bay to
the Twin Rivers area, 5 at Little Hoko River, 7 at Neah Bay, 1 at Graysmarsh
09 - 48 from the Klickitat County sector count with all six sectors
reporting turkey vultures; average count was 8 vultures per sector - sector
counts were 2, 4, 5, 6, 11, and 20.
11 - 2 at Joyce
12 - 1 at Vancouver, BC
14 - 2 at Humptulips River, 3 adults at Littlerock, 3 at Johnson's
Landing, BC
15 - 1 adult south of Tumwater
17 - 2 at Joyce
19 - 1 at Reifel Refuge, BC
20 - 1 at Northrup Canyon (north of Coulee City), 1 at Joyce
21 - 5 west of Joyce, 1 northwest of Coquitlam, BC
22 - 1 at Ellensburg (Hungry Junction Road)
23 - 1 at Ellensburg (Reecer Canyon Road), 10 at Pitt Meadows, BC, 1 at
Langley, BC
24 - 1 at Wenas, 2 at Big Qualicum River, BC
25 - 3 at Discovery Bay Firehouse, 1 at Sequim (Port McWilliams)
30 - 2 at Joyce
31 - 1 at Joyce

I think that's about it for the spring migration. Numbers have fallen off
dramatically at the eastern hawkwatches, so now it's time for housekeeping.
Our northern turkey vultures usually nest from late April to mid-June, so
before too long we should start seeing a few juveniles among those soaring
about.

I would be pleased to receive any type of turkey vulture information over
the summer. Behavior, flight, nesting - it's all of interest and gives us
insight into this rather secretive raptor (never a stork!!).

Thanks again to all who sent in reports this month. And, it's only turkey
vultures who reportedly have a sense of smell, not the black vulture and
all those others!

Have a great summer,

Diann

Diann MacRae
Olympic Vulture Study
tvulture at halcyon.com