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Original poster

A bearded vulture has been spotted in the U.K.

83 replies

Soubriquet · 11/10/2020 16:39

And even more amazing, she’s been seen in my local area.

There are so many videos on my local Facebook group but this is the best photo of her so far (yes it’s female)

It’s amazing thing as it’s only the second one to ever be spotted in the U.K.

Isn’t she beautiful?

A bearded vulture has been spotted in the U.K.
OP posts:
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7
Franticbutterfly · 11/10/2020 16:39

Yes. Thanks for sharing.

musicalfrog · 11/10/2020 16:42

Where would these usually live?

Drogonssmile · 11/10/2020 16:43

Ooh she's gorgeous.

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Original poster
Soubriquet · 11/10/2020 16:46

@musicalfrog

Where would these usually live?
You know what, I’m not sure!

I’m pretty sure they are natively African but I’m not 100% certain. Would have to google

However, she’s surviving fine over here. She’s flying well and she’s been spotted feeding well too.

The local bird conservationists are keeping a close eye, and are happy to leave her be as long as she’s feeding and flying well.

They will intervene if they feel she may be in danger

OP posts:
Original poster
Soubriquet · 11/10/2020 16:47

No!! They are a European bird!

More common in the alps area but how about that!

A bearded vulture has been spotted in the U.K.
OP posts:
RHOBHfan · 11/10/2020 16:47

Wonder how on earth she got here? (I have no idea if they fly long distances but assuming they do and that’s how, I wonder why no others do and what made her do it?)

She’s gorgeous.... do birds get lonely though?

Letsnotargue · 11/10/2020 16:50

She’s been around the Peak District over the summer. I follow some bird people on twitter and they were mostly “went to see the Lammergeier. Found it in the first 5 minutes.” So if you want to go and have a look your chances might be good

NanTheWiser · 11/10/2020 16:50

It’s a Lammergeier, the bone-eating vulture, and is native to Alpine regions (not Africa, Soubriquet). Amazing bird, and a rare sighting in the UK.

IHateCoronavirus · 11/10/2020 16:52

They are from the Alps/Pyrenees, apparently it has been spotted in Belgium and Holland too. The worry is it keeps dropping onto roads for road kill, and it may get hit by a vehicle.

Original poster
Soubriquet · 11/10/2020 16:53

Yeah I did see she was tracked from the Peak District

She’s been spotted in Crowland and Eye (Peterborough) area over the last week or so

OP posts:
userxx · 11/10/2020 16:53

Has she escaped from somewhere do you think? It's a shame she isn't with a mate, don't like to think of her alone.

Original poster
Soubriquet · 11/10/2020 16:54

@IHateCoronavirus

They are from the Alps/Pyrenees, apparently it has been spotted in Belgium and Holland too. The worry is it keeps dropping onto roads for road kill, and it may get hit by a vehicle.
You can’t blame her that really...easy dinner.

I just hope she manages to keep herself safe though. It would be sad to have her survive all this time to be taken out by a car Sad

OP posts:
Sexnotgender · 11/10/2020 16:55

Beautiful ❤️

Original poster
Soubriquet · 11/10/2020 16:56

@userxx

Has she escaped from somewhere do you think? It's a shame she isn't with a mate, don't like to think of her alone.
No she’s completely wild!

She’s been alone all this time so she probably isn’t lonely in a human way.

She may have that urge to find a mate in which case she may fly back to where she came from but for now, she seems content

OP posts:
AliceLutherNeeMorgan · 11/10/2020 16:59

Oh wow! What an great photo. Really exciting news!

toffeekiwi · 11/10/2020 17:04

Ah, that might answer a question for me then. We see a lot of buzzards around here so we all know them well, they are a daily sight for us, but the other day DD saw a bird which he said was much larger than a buzzard and wasn't sure what it was. I'll show her the picture and see what she thinks - thanks OP.

GerundTheBehemoth · 11/10/2020 17:04

She's only a baby, not ready to pair up and breed yet. Juveniles of the bigger birds of prey often spend their first few years wandering long distances before settling in a suitable territory.

LookToTreblesGoingTreblesGone · 11/10/2020 17:06

My son in law went to see her a couple of weeks ago in the Peaks and was delighted to have spotted her. She's lovely!

DonkeysDontRideBicycles · 11/10/2020 17:09

Thanks for this OP, I hadn't heard about her.

Original poster
Soubriquet · 11/10/2020 17:11

Amazing really isn’t it

I know twitchers have travelled over distances to try and get a photo/video of her, and honestly I don’t blame them

How often would you see a bird like this in the U.K.?

Someone has even managed to snap a photo of her flying with a red kite flying just above her. I’ll see if I can find it

OP posts:
Original poster
Soubriquet · 11/10/2020 17:13

This was taken in Thorney. You can see the large vulture lower down and the smaller red kite above her.

Two beautiful species of bird

A bearded vulture has been spotted in the U.K.
OP posts:
RHOBHfan · 11/10/2020 17:16

She's only a baby, not ready to pair up and breed yet. Juveniles of the bigger birds of prey often spend their first few years wandering long distances before settling in a suitable territory.

That’s good. I know you shouldn’t assume animals behave and feel like humans (absolutely cannot remember the word) but.... you know...

RHOBHfan · 11/10/2020 17:17

@Soubriquet

This was taken in Thorney. You can see the large vulture lower down and the smaller red kite above her.

Two beautiful species of bird

Wow.... she dwarfs the Kite!
Parkandride · 11/10/2020 17:18

She's beautiful, hope she stays happy here.

We've had a hoopoe nearby in yorkshire for a couple of weeks, not as rare but unexpected! I love watching the crowds of twitchers as much as the birds themselves

ProperVexed · 11/10/2020 17:20

Superb! If you had told my younger self that I would be a twitcher in later life I would have laughed....but I am. I'm often out with a camera hiding in bushes! We had ospreys in our harbour this year, and a small toed Eagle was found collapsed and washed up on a local beach. Only the forth ever seen in this country! Sadly it died though.
Once you have seen a kingfisher, or Osprey, or heron swallowing a fish you are hooked. Tragic!

A bearded vulture has been spotted in the U.K.