With fascination and puzzlement we watched a number of Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura) aka “buzzards” zooming low over the house and in and out of our bare-limbed, backyard trees. From the trees they dropped down into the gully behind our house. What drew their interest? I don’t know. During a pause in their activity, I went out to peek into the area they were visiting, I was expecting to find a dead deer or other animal they’d been scavenging. I saw nothing. Still, they returned and stayed at least into dusk. The big birds (six-foot average wingspan) returned today but seemed content to remain perched ominously in the tree; at one point there were *13*. Happy Halloween, I guess!

• A group of vultures in flight is called a “kettle”, a group of vultures that is feeding is referred to as a “wake”, while a group of vultures on the ground or in trees is called a “committee”