Solo woods birding climb

Ok, here's another batch for you. There must be one or two of you who enjoy photos of tree branches.

This is a tree I climbed (sort of) last year. It was very intimidating to a new climber (me). I was mostly clinging to the trunk saying to my self "holy %#$@!". It still is an intimidating old relic of a leaning maple but it was kind enough to let me stay awhile in the canopy without letting me get into too much trouble.

I did a 65 ft. SRT entry on the down side of the lean then switched over to DdRT in the canopy. A classic forest tree, all trunk, canopy up high:
Old red maple climb



This climb was in part intended to do a single point census of breeding forest birds. The following were observed visually or heard during the climb:
Rose-breasted Grosbeak, 1m
Scarlet Tanager, 2m, 1 in a nearby Scarlet Oak
Winter Wren, 1
Red-eyed Vireo, 4
Eastern Pewee, 2
Great Crested Flycatcher, 3
Ovenbird, 2
Wood Thrush, 2
Pine Warbler, 3
A. Robin, 2
Rufous-sided Towhee, 1
Black-capped Chickadee, 2
Common Grackle, 4
Red-bellied Woodpecker, 1
Downy Woodpecker, 1

I too am a birder as you know. I recently saw this bird soaring around in circles above my head. Maybe you can help me identify it.

It was black. Wing span of about 5 or 6 feet. It had a red hood, it appeared. It also had these feathers at the wing tips that looked like finger tips.

Carion you to identify it?

You've described a Turkey Vulture. I had one float low over an oak I was in recently, lovely to see, they are masters of the air.
-moss

Cool! Birding is fun. We've got tons of birds from around the world here in Hawaii, which is very exciting. The true thrill, though, is in sighting some of the rare and exquisite native birds.

I remember climbing a tree once in the woods in Texas and popping my head up through the top of the canopy just as a turkey vulture was soaring past just over the tips of the branches. I think we both we both really surprised to see each other!