Subject: [Tweeters] Turkey Vultures and Blue Tongue
Date: Sep 26 21:05:48 2004
From: mike denny - m.denny at charter.net


Hello All,
Yesterday morning( 25th) MerryLynn and I watched as 15 Turkey Vultures lifted off from their roost site along the Walla Walla River 2.3 miles west of Whitman Mission. This is the largest number of TVs we have ever seen in the Lower Columbia Basin and in Walla Walla Co.. As these TVs lifted off they began to move east along the river seemingly searching for a meal or two. With good reason as it turns out. We have an outbreak of " Blue Tongue" in the area. This is a cyclic disease spread to deer by a small biting midge. It is a hemorrhagic fever and causes deer to move towards water in an attempt to reduce the high body temperatures that result from the virus. Many deer die and frequently in or near water. So does this account for this flock of foraging vultures? Interesting that these vultures would appear just as this virus starts killing deer in this region.
Later Mike

PS.....Also observed an adult Peregrine Falcon in the same area out after a flock of Killdeer.

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Mike & MerryLynn Denny
1354 S. E. Central Ave.
College Place, WA 99324
509.529.0080 (h)

IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN BIRDING, YOU HAVEN'T LIVED!
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