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Along the Natchez Trace

Monday, January 20, 2014

Isn't Everyone Interested in Roadkill?

Our daughter, Michelle, has this thing about snakes...  she freaks out even seeing a photo of one.  So...  Michelle, and anyone else who needs to... either skip this post or scroll real fast past the bottom photos....

On our walk to town this morning, we saw a  bird in the road ahead of us.... 
Hey!  A Crested Caracara!

But of course it flew by the time we got up to it....

And when we got to that place in the road, I began to have second thoughts about what I'd seen....
Just an ugly, old turkey vulture....
Ugh!
But I will admit that I was happy to see this bird because most of what I'm seeing are Black vultures, and it's nice to break the monotony now and then.

As I'm taking a picture of the vulture, Bill tells me that, yes, there is a Crested caracara in the nearby tree...
Now...  the Crested caracara is also known as The Mexican Eagle..
In fact, it's the Mexican National Bird.
Kinda makes a person wonder why some countries have a national bird that feeds on carrion, doesn't it? (The USA is one as well)

Oh yes...  carrion....  
Bill looks down as I'm looking up at the bird...  
We have disturbed the vulture and the caracaras breakfast....
(bad picture ahead)




This guy was once about 3' long.  I don't know what species he is.
My opthamologist back in Ohio is also a herpetogist, and before I left for Costa Rica he asked me if I'd take photos of any snakes I saw.  Sorry, Dr. McAdoo...  so far all I've seen are roadkills.  

But...  this roadkill answered the question as to why the caracara and vulture were reluctant to fly away as Bill & trod down the road.

I know snakes aren't everyone's kind of interest, but I'm one of those people who are curious about everything...

And look what interesting critters I see as a result...
Pretty magnificent isn't he?  
Even if he does eat roadkill.

That's All For Today!

14 comments:

  1. Yes, he is magnificent and a big thank you to the Mexican National Bird for cleaning up the roads,

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  2. The other day my Canadian girlfriend and I were toodling along behind the Border Patrol (BP) when we noticed a rattler in the road. We got out to help it off only to discover the BP had run over its head. Altho' saddened by the snake's demise, she had been hoping to live off the land i.e., roadkill and providence had, apparently, smiled. We put it in a sack and later, after sauteing in butter, it made a delightful appetizer.

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  3. After having visited the Birds of Prey Center in Idaho, I have a great respect for all the species of birds that eat carrion. They are doing a service in the ecology of nature. Beautiful photos, again.

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  4. I like snakes. Hope you get some pictures of a few live ones. They are fascinating creatures.

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  5. More wandering about and always something interesting to see as well.
    More great photos.

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  6. Not overly keen on snakes, I have to say. Good for the carrion eaters. A much appreciated job.

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  7. More good photos to share with us! I'm not a fan of snakes, but everything has to eat ...

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  8. there is a book out there called "A field guide of flattened fauna"

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  9. Road kill is actually quite popular in some parts of our country. They even have an annual "road kill cook off" food festival that we saw on t.v. the other day...interesting. One good thing about road kill, it saves having to kill your food yourself, unless of course you ran over it. Just cook it up good and tasty, and most folks would never know the difference, right? Good bird photos. We enjoy shooting vultures with the camera when we can. After all, how often can you get that close to them?

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  10. I go to bird shows wherever and whenever I can... they fascinate me. The food chain fascinates me. Always reminds me of that old song of the old women who swallowed a fly then swallowed a spider to catch the fly and so on... ew

    But that's the way nature is ... and I'm curious like you are, Sharon ... you ever watch an inch worm? nature is really something. and roadkill is part of nature? well? wheels have to hit something and creatures have to cross the roads... seems unnatural to me ... but easy pickings for the scavengers ... and on it goes

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  11. I am definitely in favor of only spotting dead snakes:)

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  12. Every time we go to Pierre, South Dakota, I want to see a rattlesnake. I never do. Can't even find roadkill. When I'm not there, they're apparently everywhere.

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  13. Nature's clean-up crew is efficient and much appreciated. Not always pretty but then that's the way of life.

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