August 22, 2026: Beginning Birding: The Turkey Vulture
This month’s installment of beginning birding at the Ayurvedic Wellness Center saw a study of one of the most common birds seen soaring on thermals during Michigan summers; the Turkey Vulture. Following our study, we hiked around the marsh of Kleinstuck Preserve, basking in the morning sights and sounds of the forest.
Our pre-hike briefing table, complete with Turkey Vulture specimen.
It’s late August, and migration is well underway. The Turkey Vultures (Let’s call them TUVU for short; this is their banding code, used in the realm of science and research. TUrkey VUlture) are still present, though usually not airborne until later in the day, once the sun has begun heating the land, creating thermals for these large, broad-winged scavengers to effortlessly soar. We learned what makes a TUVU a TUVU. From the size and shape of the bodies (wings, tail, beak, etc) to their color and pattern, behavior, and habitat, birders began painting a picture in their minds of how to identify a TUVU in the wild.
With our eyes and ears now in “bird mode” (yes, we did listen to the hissing/grunting calls of the TUVU), we took to the outdoors. Right away in the parking lot, the show had begun. In the trees above the wellness center’s parking lot, a cacophony of birds; Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, at least 4-6 migrating warblers, and perhaps most striking of all, a gorgeous male Baltimore Oriole! This was a favorite from many on the hike.
It felt difficult to leave the parking lot, which was packed with so much action, however we did peel away and head into Kleinstuck Preserve. In the preserve, we walked, counter-clockwise around the marsh, stopping at various points to take in the natural world around us.
A male American Goldfinch perched on a branch above the marsh.
The morning marsh at Kleinstuck Preserve.
We spotted an American Goldfinch, and heard many others including more woodpeckers, an Easter Wood Pewee, Gray Catbird, and American Robin.
Making our way back towards home base, we had a chance encounter with a Red-tailed Hawk who had caught a chipmunk! We were very close to him, and watched with awe as he chose a perch where he felt comfortable enough to dine.
A Red-tailed Hawk dining on a recently caught chipmunk.
Seth concluded the hike with a few notes on fall migration, the threats that birds face, and ways you can help our feathered friends make it to their wintering grounds safely. Please read this article by the American Bird Conservancy for easy steps you can take to make the journey safer for migrating birds.
To all of you who joined me this past weekend, thank you! And to those of you who weren’t there, here is a shot of us getting birdy! You can view our full checklist from this adventure on eBird.
The Turkey Vulture Birders of 2026!
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