Todd's Fork of Little Miami RiverI pass Todd’s Fork every day—a small stream feeding the Little Miami River. Their junction, the little river town where I work in the public library.
At times of high water, the narrow road lining it is closed. And, days later, the trees standing beside it wear remnants of debris—the high water mark well outside its banks.
But in times of drought, the streambed widens, the chunks of river rock thrown haphazardly from one edge to the other. Collecting the fallen leaves of a stand of Sycamores aptly placed.
Today wearing black--
of the Turkey Vultures roosting in their bare branches.
While close to fifty circle above, soaring atop a column of air.
Warmth from an autumn afternoon.
Turkey Vultures, Cathartes aura
See more Skywatch here. 
44 comments:
Beautiful as always, Nina. I love rocky stream beds they are my favorite spot to sit and ponder.
So beautiful. I love the picture of the birds in the treetops.
Riverbeds, as your beautiful photo illustrates so well, have so much character -- dignified and placid on a warm autumn day --roaring and angry when the rains come.
Oh to be a bird soaring above such a stream !
It's so much fun to watch life from one spot (in photos). You've captured a great variety of Todd's Fork. Great series!
love ur blue sky
Mine SWF post in HERE. Hope you have time to visit. Thanks.
Turkey vultures are ugly birds up close, but they can be beautiful as they soar through the sky.
Great post. You always take such interesting and varied photos. I always like them a lot and spend some peaceful time studying them.
thanks for sharing.
Nice "Sky Watch" today.
Come visit our Sky Watch over, Cooks Inlet, Alaska.
Troy and Martha
.
Those are very nice photos. I love the reflection in the stony river.
Marnie
Great pics as always, Nina! I love the first one, with the sky peeking out between the rocks in the stream. And I'm always captured by a roosting tree like that. I can't tell you how many times I've been told, "It's just a bunch of buzzards in a tree," when I stop to take in the sight.
Happy SkyWatch!
~Kyle
Wow, what a beautiful post. I enjoyed these shots very much.
You know, Nina, you say some lovely things. Todd's Fork - who were the Todds? You walk by each day and I guess there are samenesses but also each day is slightly, even amazingley different. You capture a stream or even a bloated rush of water and you still see the tiny changes, the leaves, the stones . . .
I love your posts, keep them up.
Ray
Very beautiful pictures indeed!
Beautifully documented river that you obviously know well and love.
I love the shot of the river gurgling between the exposed stones, the vultures and all the others as well as your commentary.
Beautiful photos, love the 1st, the pebbles are so dramatic.
Pretty pictures... I cannot believe how many vultures are sitting in that tree!
We don't get those birds here in the mountains...
~Michele~
Mountain Retreat- Canada
I love the one of the stream and the one of the trees...and don't you wonder what the vultures think of us when we are taking their photo.
Very nice pictures
Beautiful pictures! I like the tree with the turkeys!
Beautiful pictures! I like the tree with the turkeys!
Always beautiful especially the fresh water stream
Nina, vultures for the Skywatch before Halloween are just right! Lovely photos and narrative. Thanks for this.
Most of the turkey vultures have departed our fair city. We have had lots of beautiful blue skies though.
A beautiful Skywatch, Nina. Loved the way you gave the sky and tree and vultures their place by the stream for us, so we could "see" the whole place. You always have such a wonderful way with words and photos together. I love it.
I loves me some Turkey Vultures!
Love the turkey vultures flying high in the sky. We don't have any here. Rocky streambed looked calm and peaceful.
Thanks for sharing.
hi nina! I love these shots, every one. This is a place I'd love to walk around in...
Nina: A stunning series of neat sky shots, well done.
Great picture of the leaves among the rocks.
Pardon my ignorance, but do turkey vultures prey on live birds, etc.?
I like this post from so many levels: as a hydrologist (the river), as a Floridian (Little Miami River), its discussion of exposed river bottom from low "fall" water levels, but mostly the sheer poetry of the words and photos. The ending is sublime.
The nice thing about blogging is that you get to meet and talk to other people who like vultures.
The rocks are nice, too, :)
That's a lovely shot of drying up creek. This time of year they're down to trickles up here in Minnesota.
Thanks for your visit and comment. I think I was here at your blog once before, several SWFs back, but how I didn't manage to bookmark it and come back...well, anyway that oversight has been corrected! You have a wonderful blog.
Wonderful series! Happy SWF!
Wonderful photos here. The stream bed suggests an almost Thoreau-type environment.
Wonderful river views and description. Looks like the perfect place for a photorapher to ramble along :-)
What a lovely shots of the birds.
Definitely looks like a place I'd enjoy myself...
I love the sycamore leaves tangled in the bare rock. Ode to a dry spell. And the buzzards are perfect for Halloween. I am so looking forward to meeting you in West Virginia.
Love your images today. Just right for this Friday.
Brenda
Thanks for the interesting tour of Todd’s Fork.
Great photos , the one of the Turkey Vultures is grea. You don't get them over here in the UK!!!!
Thanks :-)
The pictures tell a whole story in beautiful images. So well done!
Great photos! It's hard to get the birds in flight.
Hope everyone is having a very Happy Halloween and a Blessed Samhain!
TERRIFIC skies! Beautiful captures.
Post a Comment