Amy Bickel @KansasAgland

For those who are superstitious, my little hometown of Gypsum could appear to have a few bad omens.

It proudly displays the fact, outside of town, that it has 13 exits. And if youre in town in the right season, youll find dozens of turkey vultures roosting on the rails of the water tower.

But alas, Ive never superstitious or fearful of disaster. The buzzards, however, are just a nuisance. Every evening they would come home after circling the skies for death and decay.

Thankfully, most of them already have left this summer, except for a few that cant seem to get the hint.

Q: My wife and I were walking in the 20th and Adams area. There was a real commotion in the tree, and we heard fluttering. We watched to see what all the racket was about - turns out they were turkey vultures. They were certainly bigger than a blackbird and bigger than a crow. They had red heads. What really struck the two of us was how many there were - we couldn't count them because there were so many. We've seen a few here or there driving off to McPherson but never that many of them and never that close. I didnt smell anything foul - whats up?

Dont worry, its not because there is a lot of roadkill.

While they devour anything dead, vultures, or buzzards, also have to find a place to rest, which is most likely what these birds are doing, said Mary Clark, Dillon Nature Centers director.

They search for food during the day and roost together in the evenings. Typically, you will see them around 30th Avenue - an area they have been known to roost for years.

Buzzards migrate south for the winter and now some of them will stay in Kansas from late spring to early fall, Clark said.

It is kind of a historic place, Clark said of the area around 30th Avenue, adding she has seen them on her rural property all summer. They like the northern part of Hutch - it might be historic - I dont really know. My guess is mom did it, grandma did it.

Other birds have historical roosting patterns, she said. When she first came to Hutchinson, the little community of Medora was like a scene from the movie The Birds. The area around the town had a high concentration of crows.

Then they cut down a great number of catalpas, she said.

Well, I guess we could remove a few trees if the problem was that bad. But the water tower will have to stay.

Q: With the repair work starting on Woodie Seat Bridge beginning, traffic is down to one lane in each direction. With so many ambulances that use the bridge every week, what is one supposed to do if you find yourself in front of an ambulance with their lights and sirens on? Theres no way to move over for them.

Yes, Woodie Seat will be down to one-lane traffic for several months. Thankfully, I havent seen much of a traffic jam here in Hutchinson - except during the Kansas State Fair. So hopefully this wont happen too often.

But if for some reason you are in a situation where you are in front of a siren-sounding ambulance, just keep driving.

She should precede until she can get over, said Hutchinson Police Traffic Sergeant Brian Hirt. There is nothing you can do until you can get over.

Q: I used to give coupons to the library to send to soldiers. However, they quit taking them. I know a few schools used to take them. Is there a place I can donate coupons?

I couldnt find a place in Hutchinson. The Hutchinson Public Library told me they did indeed quit taking the coupons. I called a couple schools, and they said because of time and personal restraints, they no longer take them, either.

However, you can mail them.

The program, called Troopons, enhances the well-being of military families overseas. In many countries, the U.S. dollar doesnt go as far, according to the website Support Our Troops. In England, it is worth 66 cents, Germany, 76 cents and Japan, 90 cents.

Military families dont get coupons in newspapers overseas. However, the stores on military bases accept U.S. coupons - even expired ones.

You can mail the coupons to: Support Our Troops, P.O. Box 70, Daytona Beach, FL 32115-0070.

Excerpt from:

Ask Hutch: Are vultures overtaking Hutchinson? - The Ottawa Herald