I was following a vulture through the viewfinder of my camera and had locked him in on my 500mm lens. I didn’t want to pull the camera away from my eye and lose him. But when I finally did, this is what I saw:

There were about 10 there, Black and Turkey Vultures, sunning themselves. We were at the abandoned amphitheater, so Thomas and I climbed up the scaffolding over the stage to get some closer shots.

They sure were ugly birds. The red-faced one is a Turkey Vulture. He has a bone-white beak, and you can see straight through his nostrils. The black one was a Black Vulture. You can tell them apart pretty easily.

This is one of my favorite shots of them because it reminded me of a totem pole. They didn’t seem to be bothered by us being so close, but then again, I think I’m more scared of them, than they are of me.