Monday, November 17, 2008 This Should Explain Alot

My Dad raised birds in retirement, and that is how concerned neighbors came to bring him a large egg that mischievous boys had removed from a nest. It was 1996.

He was excited when it showed signs of life, anxious to find out what kind of bird he was incubating.

When it hatched, a turkey vulture chick popped out. Dad reared the little vulture with care in hopes of releasing him when he was grown. When that day came, the turkey vulture (now known as “Ichabod”) preferred to stay. After his “release” he continued to follow Dad around the yard and hang out around the house.

Knowing that Ichabod could not survive on his own, Dad contacted a local raptor center and they accepted Ichabod, where he is still active in school visits as part of their education program.

When Dad passed away in 2002, Mom had his gravestone engraved with his favorite photo – one of him holding Ichabod.

On a recent visit to the local school, Ichabod’s handler asked if she could visit Dad’s grave. The photo below is from that visit.