While probably all of us on MDOsprey would greatly enjoy a vulture roost
within scope distance of our warm cozy house, living near a vulture
roost is not without consequence. Many of you have visited Pickering
Creek Audubon Center (winter home of the loggerhead shrike); PCAS hosted
about 500 vultures in a few trees near the house in the 1980's. The
resident lost 13 sets of windshield wipers before giving up and moving
her car to a new parking spot a quarter mile away. Her car needed a new
paint job too. In addition to windshield wipers, vultures also enjoy
rubber weatherstripping around windows. And that's not to mention the
"creepy" factor: a line of curious vultures walking in a line behind
you wherever you go.
BTW, after about 5 years, the huge majority of the vultures left,
without any obvious reason. I feel that something has been lost, but I
didn't have to live there!
Bryan MacKay
Catonsville |