NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
I live in the small southern New Jersey town of Wenonah. I've always known Wenonah as a nice, friendly city where the grass may have been greener on the other side, but the property taxes were still equally as high. But for the most part there isn't any kind of large turnover in the population.
Except for the vultures.
It seems that about two hundred vultures have come to roost in Wenonah over the past nine or 10 years. Upon hearing this, I realized that up till now my knowledge of vultures has been quite limited.
Vultures have always had that kind of an image problem. The finest public relations firm in the country would have a hard time rebuilding the reputation of these birds. So a group of organizers in Wenonah have decided to do the job themselves.
On March 6, Wenonah will host the East Coast Vulture Festival, running from 1 to 10 p.m. It opens with the Vulture Day Children's Fair in the afternoon, featuring live birds and other animals presented by the Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge.
There will also be guided walks to the roost area, which give the humans a bird's-eye view of their vulture friends.
I found more vulture information available at the Turkey Vulture Society. Ninety percent of Wenonah's birds are turkey vultures, and the Society informed me that these animals are very necessary, and they perform a vital function. They feed on roadkill or other decomposing animals.
The Society also reports that turkey vultures are playful, gentle, and seem to enjoy living close to humans. But it is not recommended that anyone adopt a vulture as a pet.
And vultures have a sense of humor. Before roosting at night they play tag, soar into the air and play follow the leader.
You don't usually think of vultures as humorous. Of course, I remember when migration approached one year, and two elderly vultures doubted they could make the trip south. They decided to go by airplane.
When they checked their baggage, the attendant noticed that they were carrying two dead raccoons. "Do you want to check the raccoons through as luggage?" she asked.
"No thanks," replied the vultures. "They're carrion." 
Further research tells us that the turkey vulture is able to locate this carrion by his acute sense of smell. They also possess superior intelligence and keen vision. The vulture has a body length of twenty-four to twenty-five inches, a wingspan of five to six feet, and weighs between three and a half to five pounds.
He is recognized by his bald, red head and found across the United States and Canada. Turkey vultures have to eat dead animals because their talons are not strong enough to kill prey.
But the Wenonah residents could tell you all of this. The nighttime portion of their program, the Evening Roost, begins at 6:30. It includes an Academy of Natural Sciences program titled "Animals with Bad Reputations." An alligator, snake, skunk, and turkey vulture are expected to appear.
The evening will also include a performance by One Heart, featuring traditional American Indian Pow Wow songs, stories, and dances. Also, singer/songwriter Jim Six will appear with Greg Potter.
And the Turkey Vulture Society wants you to know that the vulture plays a big part in helping to keep your community clean. That part would be their vulture droppings. Their uric acid is so strong (because of the nature of the vulture's diet ) that it kills bacteria.
Now if that isn't a ringing endorsement for the value of vultures, then I don't know what is. But Wenonah would prefer that you were not fooled by a vulture's reputation. These birds play an important part in recycling of the environment.
And these misunderstood creatures may need to work overtime this year to complete their mission. Hey, who knows what lies underneath all that snow?
