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Turkey vultures tagged

In the middle of July, David and Darlene Goodwillie were sightseeing by their cabin on Sec.
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Bruce McFadyen and Michelle Latulippe hold one of the turkey vulture offspring tagged Aug. 5 near the Battle River southeast of Waseca. Note the 34-inch wingspan on the young bird.

In the middle of July, David and Darlene Goodwillie were sightseeing by their cabin on Sec. 48-46-24 W3rd, which is southeast of Waseca close to the Battle River, when they discovered a nest of turkey vultures in the attic of the old John Goodwillie house.

They reported the sighting to Dr. Stuart Houston of the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon. He sent a couple from Denholm, who confirmed the sighting and nesting and arranged to have the two offspring tagged.

Aug. 5, Mike Blom and Michelle Latulippe, graduates of the U of S, came and tagged the two chicks, No. 61 and No. 62, and returned them to the nesting site.

Bruce McFadyen, an avid bird watcher and friend of birds, supplied me with material for this story. McFayden, well know for his birdhouse building hobby, has now built more than 8,700 bird houses.

The turkey vulture is one of the largest birds of prey in America. My bird book tells me they breed across the prairie provinces. It is just in recent years that they have been seen in the area of the Battle River where they are now breeding.