More Ravens

I want to thank Karbon Kounty Moos for stopping by and telling me that ravens are a problem for calving cows out in the west. Here they are merely something unusual to see on a cold winter day, and from the sounds of things I hope they stay that way. Moos left a link about them that is worth visiting so I moved it up from the comments section to make sure that you didn't miss it.

Here in the Northeast, we have had little problem with predation by birds, although we have more than an adequate supply of extra-large coyotes and coyote-dog hybrids to keep us busy.
However, there is a large colony of turkey vultures that nest a few miles up the road at Little Nose Mountain. (It is on the left in the picture. Back when Magnum was alive I rode the trails pictured in the story at that site. It is an amazingly wild area for being only a few yards from a major highway.)

The turkey vultures followed the interstates north a couple of decades ago, feasting on road kill as they came. It is said that black vultures are following their path and that worries me. They are known for harassing livestock and doing serious damage.

However, last summer even the turkey vultures pinned a pair of newborn Holstein calves under a feeder wagon and were very hard to discourage. There is no doubt about identification either.

I hope this isn't the start of a trend. It is hard enough to discourage predators on the ground without having them dropping in from above as well.
vultures
ravens
livestock predation