Hanging out in Leetonia

Early in the morning it is common to see several large birds hanging out in a tree sunning themselves in the rising morning sun. The color of their feathers and size is similar to turkeys, but as you get closer you realize they are Turkey Vultures.
The soaring vultures are often mistaken for eagles down around Pine Creek. This could be because of their size. Vultures lay their eggs on the ground. It takes 3 months for the young to be able to fly.
It is believed that when the Vulture returns in the Spring the danger of frost is over. It got down to 37 last night so the danger of that belief being erased got real close.
Another early belief was that in the beginning of time the sun lived very close to the earth and the animals wanted to move the sun further away. The fox was the first to volunteer and grabbed the sun inside its mouth and began running away. The sun became too hot and burnt the inside of the fox's mouth. That is why the fox's mouth is black on the inside. Then the opossum volunteered and wrapped its tail around the sun and tried to carry it away. This is why there is no hair on the opossum's tail.
Then the Vulture volunteered. The vulture was the most beautiful and powerful of all birds. Upon its head was a beautiful mantle of rich feathering that all birds envied. The vulture placed its head against the sun and pushed it away from the earth. The heat from the sun burnt the vulture's beautiful feathers off for all eternity.
The information about the vulture was from Ted Andrew's Animal Speak book. Ted passed away October 24th, 2009 after a bout with cancer. He was taken too early but I am sure he is walking with the animals in spirit that he loved so much here on earth.
Next time you see a vulture in the air may you now look at it a bit differently. Mountain girl, Paula, logging off.