MA - local Black Vultures....at last!

Late this morning while driving south with Matan across the Turner's Falls bridge I noticed a small gathering of roosting vultures atop a tower just west of the Great Falls Discovery Center. I regularly see Turkey Vultures in the area so wasn't over surprised to see them, but the opportunity to see them perched was a good one so I pulled up in the parking lot and made a quick binocular scan - Black Vulture! The left most bird in the group was a Black, careful scanning producing two more Blacks and nine Turkey Vultures. It did seem slightly odd to see them perched and roosting at midday but with complete cloud cover, light rain showers and no wind, the air must have been so lacking in thermals that the vultures just preferred to sit it out.

Black Vulture has become something of a nemesis for me in Massachusetts. I've never chased one preferring that my first should come to me instead. But even so it's been frustrating to hear of multiple reports this year coming from towns like Wendall, Turner's Falls, Greenfield and other sites in Franklin County with none of them coming my way until today! Reports from further south and west in Massachusetts have become well established and I think we can look forward to more Black Vultures joining the Turkey Vultures in Franklin County in the near future.

 Black Vulture - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. May 25th, 2015.  Upper bird in both images (with Turkey Vulture).

 Roosting Vultures - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. May 25th, 2015.  Left most bird is a Black Vulture.

Two other Black Vultures roosting atop the rail are hidden from view at this angle.