Tulip--
I just searched my favorite Native American interpretations and found this:
I find it interesting that you opened up your story by identifying yourself as an ally in the Gulf oil spill clean-up efforts (rock on). It made me see a clear connection between you and the vultures as kind of a cosmic cleaning crew. Maybe not the most glorious functions, but 100% noble and righteous.
Did you know in ancient alchemy, vultures were considered big big juju because of their ability to convert death. Yes! Alchemists (as well as some Native American tribes, and ancient Egyptian philosophies) observed vultures eating carrion, and associated this with eating death. They looked at this as converting death. They saw that by eating inert material, vultures were essentially re-animating life. From this consumption, life could continue (lunching on carrion insured life for the vulture).
It sounds right to me, but are there things in your life that relate to this--to clean-up of messes somehow, reclaiming for life?
The letter that accompanied this comment was about hundreds of them landing silently on a woman's roof.
I also note when predominant birds change in the trees around my house--from woodpecker to raven and back again now. Surely these turkey vultures have a meaning too.
Here is the link in case you're interested further:
http://www.whats-your-sign.com/vulture-symbolism-and-phenomenon.html
Lora