Turkey vultures aren’t the most attractive birds, but they do play an important role in the environment by cleaning up recently dead carrion. And there is something fairly dignified in the way they survey the landscape from above.

I’m never sure, whenever I see Canada geese gathered alongside the bike trail, whether they’ll stand there calmly and let me pass or decide to get aggressive and come at me. This morning they mostly ignored me and carried on nibbling at the weeds — but this guy checked me out very carefully as I trudged by.

I was curious as to why he was standing on one foot, so I did a little research — apparently, it’s to conserve body heat. Who knew geese had such a problem with their legs getting cold?