Photo of the Day: Basking Vulture
February 25, 2013
One of the pleasures of driving out to Tablas Creek on winter mornings is arriving to see the vulture display. On these chilly but sunny days, vultures pick a high point where they can spread out their wings and soak up the sun, often ending up silhouetted against a deep blue sky. One of their favorite spots is at the top of what we call Mount Mourvedre, the hill behind our winery building.
Like many creatures that are essentially without predators, the vultures let you get fairly close before they flap heavily into the air and glide away. I managed to get within twenty yards of a trio of them this morning, and my favorite photo is the one below, with a vulture observing me amid the pattern of wooden end posts and newly pruned Grenache Blanc vines.
If you want to see the vulture display, just make plans to come out some chilly morning and look up, above the limestone walls that line our parking area, past the solar panels and all the way up the hillside of Mourvedre vines. You can't miss them.