Visiters in the vacantlot...

[Goldwinger]

Came home after work to find a black vulture dining next door in an over grown field. I got with in 30 feet and while he was a bit cautious my presence didn't seem to bother him that much so, I got off a couple shots before my dog came running up barking and scared him off. With all the high weeds it was hard to get a clear shot and the light was fading fast so, I got what I could.
#1


#2 This is after my dog chased him in to a tree.


#3

#4


#5
Don't know what this is, some kind of wasp... anybody have an ID from such a poor shoot?


That's it for this weekend.

[Hawgwild]

Great Buzzard shots, GW. Not sure about the bug, but if I was to guess, it would be a moth of some sort, just looking at the antennae. We don't have any such critter this far north LOL..

Robert

My bad, those aren't antennae, they're part of the plant. Now I'm TOTALLY clueless..

[Goldwinger]

Thank you Robert,
I agree, its not the best shot for identifying it but, thought if somebody was familiar with it...

[penolta]

Actually is is a moth that looks like a wasp and is active during the daytime -- a tropical species that breeds on Oleanders -- the Polka-dot Wasp Moth. In the US they were only found in Florida, but now may have spread beyond the state. It is also known as an Olelander Moth. It has a bright orange caterpillar with long black bristles. I remember being fascinated by them as a kid - there was a large colony of them on large Oleanders across the street from where I was living.

[Goldwinger]

Ah, Thank you Pen. I was hopping you would chime in.
Now that I know what it is, I won't be afraid to get closer next time I see one. Actually I shot this over the fence into the neighbors vacant lot so I couldn't get any closer on this one anyway.

[penolta]

Nothing to be afraid of, GW, the moths are harmless in spite of their bright warning colors, but not so the Oleanders. You know how dangerous Oleanders are, don't you? Since Oleander sap is toxic to vertebrates, the moths may be warning off predators, but as long as you don't try to eat one, you should be safe!

[Gumnut]

thats a cool looking bird
the weeds give it a feeling of insitu rather than at a zoo or somewhere like that

but wheres the vulture in flight shots ???

[Angler]

I love the second one of him in the tree, just a little darker and it would be a classic Buzzard silhouette.

Ed

[mole]

Great detail on that handsome vulture face!!
Interesting moth - thanks for sharing, and thanks Penolta for the ID and information.

[Keltech]

Nice Vulture shots! They are grim looking birds. Cool moth shot as well.

Lou