...................

I keep telling myself the following;

"I have a job I need a job I have a job I need a job I have a job I need a job"


So I am working and not spending every second of daylight scanning the Dartmoor skies...




Thing is, I've seen Lammergeiers.


It was long ago and it was far away [oh gCENSORED ] [[Sorry.]]



The first time, I fell off the mountain.


Ok, so Spain isn't that far away, but it was a fair while ago. I was a mad young geology student out learning mapping the hard [and fun] way. I didn't get many new birds, what with having other priorities, but Chough aside, those I did see were, well.. Big Ones.


The immature[s] were like SuperRavens, but the adult was a dream come true, as if my wishes had flown right out of my head; held there since I'd first picked up my parents' Collins [the old white one] as a teeny youngster. The soaring raptors page in particular [[why has nobody else done that? It was brilliant]] still sits in my memory.


But yeah, the first one... So, I was on this ridge on the mountain we were playing on and looking at an exposure. I had climbed up it to see if a particular stratum was silt or mud stone [for which you need a fresh surface], when something made me glance around. Naturally I gave the sky a quick scan and- bird! Bins up [they were also useful for being able to avoid crossing valleys to look at outcrops] and all thought stopped.

There I was balanced on this rock face, with THAT BIRD cruising by. Effortless.  It was a sunny day [of course] and the glare from the white limestone lit it beautifully.

It kept going and I twisted to follow it and so on and.. you can guess the next bit, right? Yup, the top half can turn only so far before the legs have to move and you can't stand on fresh air..


S
h
i
THUMP

Bugger

Fortunately I only fell about 4 feet. Unfortunately I landed rather badly and spent the rest of the trip hobbling..

It was worth it, though, even with 2 more sightings to come, under less damaging conditions.



So.... Lammergeier. What a bird. [What a name.]




I hope and pray that it's found an ex-Sheeeep or two and decides to hang around at least as long as that Pelican; two Giants in the south west.




Be Seeing You..