May 18, 2026

(Don't read today's post if you are eating. Or, if you are on a diet and struggling, continue scrolling, it might stop you from eating. I took the photo, forgot I took it and was snacking when I downloaded the photo and it came up for review.  Not a diet plan for everyone, but it sure slowed me down!)

I am a Turkey Vulture

Minding my own business in the grass

Dee thought I might be on a nest

I was eating my lunch, I bet she wish she had asked!

(It was a very demised and stinky wild hog, but I've never photographed maggots for the blog before. Now I remember why...)

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park

Sources: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Turkey_Vulture/overview

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

September 16, 2025

We are a pair of Sandhill Cranes

Having breakfast with our friends, the Black Vultures

We get along well

But sometimes the smell

Makes us question their Epicurean culture.

Location: Cocoa, Leroy Wright Recreation Area

Sources: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/epicurean
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Sandhill_Crane/overview
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black_Vulture

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

July 6, 2025

I am known as a Turkey Vulture

I'm probably a migrant from some other place

If I was Costa Rican I'd have white lines on the back of my neck

And I'd have no white caruncles on my face.

Location: Sarapiqui River, Heredia Province, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica

Sources: https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/turvul/cur/systematics#geovar

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

December 28, 2024

I'm just a regular Turkey Vulture

I have no melanin issues

But I practice ballet

With such finesse and grace

You'll weep with joy, bring your tissues.

Location: Goodwin Waterfowl Management Area, Fellsmere

Sources: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Turkey_Vulture/overview

Photo and text © 2024 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

December 27, 2024

I am a partially leucistic Turkey Vulture

That means my colors aren't quite right. 

If I were albino, I'd have no melanin (pigmentation) at all

But instead it's just one wing that is partially white.

As described in the linked article, "... leucism [is] the partial loss of all types of pigmentation, including carotenoids. Leucism causes white coloration, white patches, spots, or splotches on the skin or fur. Leucism is also discernible from albinism because leucism does not affect the pigment cells in the eyes."

Location: Goodwin Waterfowl Management Area, Fellsmere

Sources: https://www.nps.gov/cabr/blogs/albinism-versus-leucism-in-the-wild-and-at-our-parks.htm

Photo and text © 2024 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

November 23, 2023

I am an immature Turkey Vulture

You can tell by the black tip on my beak

Soon my beak will be white and I'll have a red head

But I'll retain my dead-sexy physique.

Location: TM Goodwin WMA, Broadmoor Unit

Sources: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Turkey_Vulture/id

Photo and text © 2023 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

December 22, 2022

These are the remains of a Turkey Vulture

But the poor bird ran out of luck

But looking closely you can determine

Who it was that committed the snuff

If the feathers were torn out it was probably a mammal

If it was a bird such as a hawk, the feathers were plucked

I had to delete a line from this poem

For those who know me, it won't be hard to deduct.

(Special thanks to Ann for teaching me this!)

Location: Stan Blum Boat Ramp, Fort Pierce

Sources: https://poultry.extension.org/articles/poultry-management/predator-management-for-small-and-backyard-poultry-flocks/

Photo and text © 2022 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

November 21, 2022

I am a Turkey Vulture

Sometimes in the morning it's cold

So I spread out my wings to warm myself up

While dreaming of modeling for a totem pole.

Location: Orlando Wetlands Park, Christmas, FL

Sources: https://web.stanford.edu/group/stanfordbirds/text/essays/Spread-Wing_Postures.html

Photo and text © 2022 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

October 25, 2022

I am a young Turkey Vulture

With my mom, see how her face is red

My head is still gray

Excuse the cliche - 

But we now must leave to go find something dead.

Location: Orlando Wetlands Park, Christmas, FL

Sources: https://avianreport.com/turkey-vulture-identification/

Photo and text © 2022 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

April 5, 2020

Location: Goodwin Waterfowl Management Area, Broadmoor section, Fellsmere

I am a Turkey Vulture
From below you can see that my primaries are white
All the way from the tips to my armpit,
But they look solid brown in a slight different light.

Sources: Cornell Lab All About Birds - Turkey Vulture

Photo and text © 2020 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

June 2, 2018

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park, Fellsmere

I'm known as a Turkey Vulture,
My benefit to the environment is unrefutable
I clean the meat right off the streets
Don't hate me cause I'm beautiful.

Sources: Cornell Lab - Turkey Vulture

Photo and text © 2018 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

December 26, 2017

Location: Cocoa, City dump

I am often asked, "Isn't it difficult,
counting all those birds"?
"No," I say, "It's simple, count the eyes and divide by 2!"
(to quote my fathers words.)

(This picture was taken on the Cocoa Christmas bird count. It shows a mixture of Laughing Gulls, Ring-billed Gulls, Black Vultures, Turkey Vultures, and there were even a few Bald Eagles around, although not shown in this photo.)

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

April 14, 2017

Location: Fellsmere, Goodwin WMA

I'm a Turkey Vulture.
I'm brown with primaries that are off-white.
Sometimes I spread my wings like an Anhinga
To rid myself of mites.

(I got some other pictures today too.)

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

January 30, 2017

Location: Fellsmere, Tennessee  Ave.

Dawn Chorus, Victor A. Vulture conducting.

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson