Riding home last night after having spent hours in the Burger King making use of their wonderful Wi-Fi, I noticed a lot of buzzards in the darkening sky. Oddly, on my way to town much earlier in the day, a lone bird stood in the road just outside the estate. Standing motionless, it was seemed to be staring off into the desert at God knows what. The buzzard only moved when I stopped my bike to take a picture. Very camera shy these carrion eaters.
The first thing that sprang to mind was the scene from Wild Hogs where Woody, Doug, Bobby and Dudley (played with hilarious precision by William H. Macy) are walking their motorcycles along the desert road and a buzzard is patiently following the small group of men. I was not too perturbed as the featured creature was not paying any attention to me at all.
As I rounded a corner of the road, just before a deep wash that reeks of either dog or coyote, off to the right about 25 feet from the pavement lay a deer. Face pointed to the road, long eyelashes still as death and not a mark on him or her, at least not that I could see. It was quickly getting dark and despite the light being strong enough for my old eyes to see everything in stark detail, the iPhone 5 could not compensate for the dwindling sunlight.
I took a few pictures and then had to “tweak” them at home in order to make out the details. After remounting my bike, I started again for home. The buzzards who had been circling the deer flew down to the fresh carcass to join the one bold chappy who did not mind me taking his photo. There were roughly 10 of the birds scattered around the deer.
After a couple of strong pumps on the pedal, I was on my way. I looked the the left and broke out into gooseflesh. On two trees, mesquite I believe, there were another 30 buzzards all waiting for their turn. I know it was 30 as I stopped and counted. I was so shaken by this sight that I quite forgot to attempt a photo. It was, by now, a lot darker and most likely would not have come out.
Today on my way into town I watched for the body. I could not remember how far away the poor deceased creature lay from my house. Much further than I thought as it turned out. The huge amount of buzzards had disappeared and only around 5 to 10 were feasting on the creature’s body.
As I approached, using the video on my iPhone, the birds all took off. This enabled me to get a bit closer to inspect the “damage” done.
WARNING: This next bit is not for the squeamish.
Last evening, the deer was pretty much whole. It could have been sleeping as, from what I could see, there was no apparent cause of death. I remember wondering if it had been bitten by a rattlesnake as no wounds were visible. Today, the animal’s remains were dramatically reduced from their full state the day before. Apparently after I left the area a feeding frenzy ensued with not only buzzards eating their fill but coyotes as well?
Here is the uncut video:
I wondered, ever so briefly, whether or not this was the same deer who almost crossed in front of me back in February as I walked back to the estate after dark. It certainly had the same “lack of horn” as that one did, but it is highly unlikely. Just another reminder that the desert is not just full of life but death as well and that both rely upon the other to exist.
27 April 2015
Michael Knox-Smith
Ouch!
LMAO!! Like another old west series…”Have Pun will Travel…” LOLOL
I couldn’t help it. I was overwhelmed by punnyness.
Okay! Thanks for that…Can you tell I lived in another country for 32 years? LOLOL I like the “dead” giveaway thing!
Buzzards, in old west terminology ARE vultures. That red meaty head is a “dead” giveaway.
LOL I keep referring to the birds I’ve spotted as buzzards, but they could be vultures…I know that they have that raw-meat red colored head and are as ugly as homemade sin. 🙂
I saw the deer, but my fingers typed coyote. I’ve been doing that a lot lately. Mental disconnect. We have a lot of deer around here, but usually in the deer vs. car incidents, both the car and the deer fare badly. Often, no survivors on either side. Haven’t seen any vultures but I am told we have them.,
The carcass is actually that of a deer, and it was a good 20 feet from the road. It could have been sent airborne by a vehicle on the road as they do tend to drive quite fast out here!
The coyote was probably hit by a car. We lost a dog that way. Not a mark on him, but dead. A quick hard clip to the skull. I think more animals are taken out by cars than by hunters.