Subject: RE: more space shuttle . . . + Whooping Cranes
Date: Nov 9 08:15:44 1998
From: "Jerry Tangren" - tangren at wsu.edu


I just got back from Florida and can testify to the
constant presence of both Turkey and Black Vultures
in the air after the morning sun warms the terrain.

Because these are long distance shots, it would almost
be impossible not to have a vulture in the picture.

I was in Orlando on the day of the launch and was
surprised that the launch was visible even from that
distance. The conference I was attending pretty much
shut down at 2 PM and moved out into the parking lot.

Probably the best birds of the trip were two different
small groups of Whooping Cranes derived from the current
project to start a new flock in central Florida. I posted
a not so great picture taken with my point and shoot at
http://www.tfrec.wsu.edu/staff/jt/crane2.jpg

--Jerry <tangren at wsu.edu>


-----Original Message-----
From: TWEETERS-owner at u.washington.edu
[mailto:TWEETERS-owner at u.washington.edu]On Behalf Of Don Baccus
Sent: Saturday, November 07, 1998 10:27 AM
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: more space shuttle . . .


At 09:15 AM 11/7/98 -0800, Diann MacRae wrote:
>Hi, Tweets
>
>I can't resist! I wasn't able to watch the live lift-off of the shuttle,
>but watched its landing this morning at 0904. And what were the first
>birds cavorting in the background from the front view as the shuttle
>touched down? Vultures, of course; hard to tell if they were black or
>turkeys with the exhaust.

Exhaust? The space shuttle glides to its landing field, it's not under
powered flight (well, I guess you could say it's an extremely underpowered
flight :)

They keep the shooters a long ways away, though, so I suspect you were
just seeing the effect of a very long telephoto shooting through a lot of
hot air.

Anyway, nice story! TV birding - television, the bird, and the poster's
e-mail address. Cool!




- Don Baccus, Portland OR <dhogaza at pacifier.com>
Nature photos, on-line guides, and other goodies at
http://donb.photo.net