Turkey Vulture Watch- Day 30 "Still No Chick"

No chick, but Amelia has managed to keep her remaining egg safe from, what I now know with much certainly, is a female raccoon.  How do I know it is a female you ask?  Because today, as I was switching out the memory card in the trail cam I heard a strange squeaking noise.  After climbing into the rafters and searching above for several hiding places I followed the noise on the floor but to a very difficult place to get a good visual.  We have several doors, as in 5-8 leaning against one another at the end of the barn wall.  Behind the very first door I could barely make out Mom and several very young babies, probably a day or two old, tucked into a very tight area.  It was so tight that I couldn't even get my camera lens in to get a picture.  Probably just as well as I'm sure mom was not very happy that I located her noisy brood.  I am not very happy about this new twist for two reasons.  I feel it may jeopardize the vulture chick's chance of survival and it pretty much assures that after planting and weeding our garden, I will not be getting any sweet corn again this year!  I've already replanted my green beans because of our pesky little ground hog.  I guess that is the price you pay for living in the country.

Fun Fact #2
There are 23 species of vultures world wide.  Vulture species are divided into two groups:
     1)  New World (The Americas and the Caribbeans)
     2)  Old World (Europe, Asia and Africa)
New World vultures are more closely related to Storks than raptors.

You will notice, or maybe not, that I changed the position of trail cam again.  Since we are nearing the end of the incubation period I thought it would be a good idea to move farther away from the nest so I won't be quite as intrusive.  I'm glad I did and I think the new angle picks up more of their movements, especially at night.

These first two photos were the closer camera position

I moved the camera back a little closer to the stairs but farther from the nest.

For some reason I had very few nesting photos from the other angle.  So I guess closer isn't always better.

Momma raccoon, I shall hence forth call her Bandita.  Out at 2:30 am.

Back at 4:30 am.

Amelia is sitting tight.

Time to turn that egg!