The place is lousy with birds

Several commenters mentioned the large number of vultures in the area shown above (from Park Avenue to Ridge Avenue, between 10th and 11th Streets).
I saw dozens of them swarming around the trees in this area at about 4:30 on Tuesday afternoon.

I estimated well over a hundred in the area shown on the map at the top of this post.
There are over 70 in this shot alone.
I wonder what’s drawing them to this particular spot.  They seem to prefer roosting in large pine trees, which provide protection, but is there enough carrion in the area to sustain this many birds?  Yes, they fly to other nearby areas to find meals, but are there that many animals dying in town each day to supply these birds with enough food?  Apparently so.
Supposedly, they are some of the cleanest birds around, but you wouldn’t know it from looking at them.

What I saw recently

Some pics that have been hanging around my hard drive lately:
 The mighty Tide

 I had an older version of this type of sled when I was a kid.  We used to sled down the hill at Florence Street, which used to be called “Mary’s Hill.”  We’d rub wax on the runners to make the sled slide better.  (Someone always had a piece of wax. Where they got it, I don’t know.)
Sledding was great when the snow was packed solid and had frozen into ice.  When it wasn’t packed down, you just sort of laid there on your sled, sank into the snow, and didn’t go anywhere.

 This piece of junk sat on Locust Street for several days until it finally disappeared.  It was there for so long that I thought someone was about to open a health club.

 I still say there’s a TARDIS in there somewhere.
New sign at Sahd Salvage – 
High marks for graphic design

More info on Jan. 4 wreck at 3rd & Chestnut

From LancasterOnline:

COLUMBIA: Police have released information about a Jan. 4 wreck at Third and Chestnut streets that knocked out power for more than 1,000 people.

Scott Reisinger, 33, of Columbia, failed to stop for a steady red light and his 2009 Chrysler SLX struck an oncoming tractor-trailer, borough police Officer Brent Smith said. His vehicle spun out of control and struck a utility pole.

Reisinger was transported to Lancaster General Hospital for treatment and was later released, Smith said. The truck driver, whom police did not identify, was not injured.

Charges are pending against Reisinger for multiple violations, Smith said.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/803237_POLICE-LOG–Monday–Jan–14–2013.html#ixzz2HzyRPXXP

How did it happen?

 The fence separating Norfolk Southern’s property from River Park has been damaged.
Mangled pretty badly
(It’s less than a year old.)

Here’s a utility pole listing a bit. 
Could it be related to the bent fence?
 The cables connected to the pole were cut.

 Other pieces of cable were cut and thrown onto this pile beside some discarded utility poles.
New poles were installed, but what happened in between that caused the fence to be damaged?
Couldn’t someone have done a better job than this?

What I Saw – 1/13/13 – No Sun, No Railings, No Market House, But Lotsa Lips

As of yesterday morning, WGAL was promising us sun and temps approaching 60 today.  What we got instead was fog well into the afternoon (this pic was taken at about 2:30 p.m.) and temps in the 40s (46 to be exact, when this was snapped).
Damn you, Joe Calhoun!
Don’t you know false hope is worse than no hope?
 By the way, where are the railings at the River Park steps?
 No, really – they’re gone.

 I’m hoping someone put them away for the winter and that they weren’t stolen and sold for scrap.
But if the railings were there for safety, why would they be removed and stored?  Just wonderin’.

 Market House open today!
(Sunday?)
 Guess not.

Oh well, at least someone found Mick Jagger’s lips.
Just heard on the scanner (about 3:50 p.m.): A woman called Columbia Police to report six vultures tearing up her trash on Park Avenue.
Really?
Yes, really.