turkey vulture.jpgOne creature’s misfortune is another’s meal. A reader sent in this picture of a reportedly HUGE turkey vulture about to snack on a raccoon at the corner of Essex Ave. and Warren St. in Bloomfield the other day.

I slowed when I saw large objects in the road ahead of me. It turned out to be a turkey vulture ( I confirmed this by looking at many pics of them on Google before writing this) picking at the carcass of a rather large raccoon. The bird was trying to pull the whole raccoon out of the road where the cars kept disturbing him when an official Township of Bloomfield truck arrived & took the dead animal. I wasn’t able to capture the true scale of this bird on film, but it was HUGE!! When it looked at me I got a bit nervous & retreated to my car.


Spot any interesting action around the towns lately, natural selection or otherwise? Send them to tips@baristanet.com.

6 replies on “Nature Red in Tooth and Claw: Baristaville”

  1. NOTHING says Happy Saturday like a road kill getting its guts eaten by a vulture, complete with a pix and riveting account of the action.
    Is this where I mention the dead skunk I saw on Watchung? I think it had maggots on it…

  2. Funeral services will be held for the raccoon on Monday at 10:30 am at Shook’s Funeral Home on Pompton Ave. Family and close friends will be allowed a viewing at 10:00. There will be a gathering afterwards at Bonnie the Beaver’s.
    The turkey vulture is wanted for questioning in connection with the murder. Any eyewitnesses please call the MPD’s toll-free animal hotline (1-800-RAT-JUSTICE).

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