RE: [Maine-birds] Turkey Vulture Eclipse Behavior?

After posting this I did find an interesting document:

Observations on the Behavior of Animals during the Total Solar Eclipse of August 31, 1932
http://www.jstor.org/stable/20023118

You will need an account on JSTOR which I believe are free for limited use(and well worth it!)

It is 38 pages covering observations made by around 500 observers of the 8/31/1932 Total Eclipse over ME/NH/MA.  

 

 

From: maine-birds@googlegroups.com [mailto:maine-birds@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Rob O'Connell
Sent: Monday, August 21, 2017 11:50 PM
To: Maine birds <maine-birds@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [Maine-birds] Turkey Vulture Eclipse Behavior?

 

While setting up my camera to photograph the eclipse today, I realized there was a piece of kit I needed and had to make a mad dash from Cumberland to Pownal to get it from a friend. I jumped in the car about 4 minutes after the eclipse had started (verified with a viewer), and on my way over this approximately 20 minute drive, I saw no fewer than 7 Turkey Vultures, which is more than I ever remember seeing in that stretch and noticed that three were in trees or landing in trees and the others were all within 20 or so feet of the tops of trees. These were spread fairly evenly over the distance of the run as well so they were not all descending on a carcass (at least not the same carcass). I was wondering if they were coming in to roost thinking the sun was setting. I have read several stories of birds "retiring for the night", singing night songs, and such during eclipses.  Just curious if anyone else noticed anything out of the ordinary during this time frame. 

 

Cheers,

 

Rob O'Connell

Cumberland, Maine

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