See I would think so too, but then last few years, we have had a lot of turkey vultures hanging round town. That is different from what we used to see 10 years ago. I can imagine, in more rural areas, that to see vultures of some variety, circling, would not be terribly unusual. I am not near VA. but where I live, carrion birds hang out much more so in more rural areas than city, and I can tell you - I do not think twice anymore about turkey vultures, in my childhood unseen unheard of, in the city, circling and landing in the road over dead vermin.
Same here. I'm in richmond and they're everywhere, I ignore them.
Do we know that they didn't follow up on a tip or was one not called in until later?