# Vulture with 9ft wingspan filmed over Dartmoor



## wiskey (May 17, 2016)

> The bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) is the only bird of prey that lives almost entirely on the marrow from the bones of dead animals.
> 
> It can swallow bones up to the size of a lamb's femur whole, or bite through brittle bones. The bird has learned to crack bones too big to be swallowed by carrying them to a height and dropping them onto rocks below.



That's a BIG bird!

Apparently also seen over the Bristol Channel over the weekend.







First UK sighting of rare vulture on Dartmoor


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## friedaweed (May 17, 2016)

Bird watching thread >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


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## friedaweed (May 17, 2016)




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## StoneRoad (May 17, 2016)

I presume that one has flown off from a bird of prey collection ...


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## ska invita (May 17, 2016)

Was posted in the bird watching thread but. It is big news...deserves its own thread...

My theory is we've had three warm unbroken weeks in the south and its followed the thermals over from Africa

First Ever sighting of such a bird...climate change business


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## wiskey (May 17, 2016)

friedaweed said:


> Bird watching thread >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>



nah that's for your LBJ and so forth ... this is an omen!


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## ska invita (May 17, 2016)

No joke but I genuinely thought that too when I read about it


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## wiskey (May 17, 2016)

It's pretty terrifying tbh


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## ska invita (May 17, 2016)

wiskey said:


> It's pretty terrifying tbh


This is what got me in to birds...look at the fucker! And it can fly! Amazing creatures...ancient animals


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## friedaweed (May 17, 2016)

Wont somebody think of the children


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## twentythreedom (May 17, 2016)

Amazing


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## Treacle Toes (May 17, 2016)

Absolutely amazing but slightly UK-Centric chilling at the same time...A 9ft wing span is dinosaur bizniz by our experience here in the UK. This bird will block out the sun and create a serious shadow over you if it ever swoops at you


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## chilango (May 17, 2016)

I was in Dartmoor this weekend 

Went to a vulture reintroduction project in Southern France a few years back. Fascinating.


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## ska invita (May 17, 2016)

Rutita1 said:


> Absolutely amazing but slightly UK-Centric chilling at the same time...A 9ft wing span is dinosaur bizniz by our experience here in the UK. This bird will block out the sun and create a serious shadow over you if it ever swoops at you


Big old wings allow birds like this to glide on thermals without having to move a muscle...Ive seen a pair of what mightve been sea eagles circling on thermals in scotland - so high up but still a big presence - never seen a bird that high up before - i watched them for a couple of hours i reckon - i dont think they flapped a wing in all that time

and yeah, they can see you better than you can too! they dont call it eagle eye for nothing


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## wiskey (May 17, 2016)

Rutita1 said:


> Absolutely amazing but slightly UK-Centric chilling at the same time...A 9ft wing span is dinosaur bizniz by our experience here in the UK. This bird will block out the sun and create a serious shadow over you if it ever swoops at you


And then it will wait patiently for you to die so it can crunch your bones


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## weltweit (May 17, 2016)

Not the only sighting it would seem:


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## Treacle Toes (May 17, 2016)

I am in awe and reverence.


wiskey said:


> And then it will wait patiently for you to die so it can crunch your bones



I will need padded motorcycle gear  including crash helmet so it doesnt rip my face off even though I only like to hike rather than ride innit?


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## Treacle Toes (May 17, 2016)

weltweit said:


> Not the only sighting it would seem:




From that vid I feel I can still take it!  I will err on the side of caution though and learn to shot before I venture into those areas EVER.


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## wiskey (May 17, 2016)

I've seen storks in North Africa riding the thermals and that was pretty impressive. 

How big are condors?


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## friedaweed (May 17, 2016)

wiskey said:


> I've seen storks in North Africa riding the thermals and that was pretty impressive.
> 
> How big are condors?


They normally come in 50 gram pouches


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## ska invita (May 17, 2016)

love the wing plumage


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## ska invita (May 17, 2016)

weltweit said:


> Not the only sighting it would seem:


seen in devon too


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## wiskey (May 17, 2016)

friedaweed said:


> They normally come in 50 gram pouches




I'm not that old


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## SpookyFrank (May 18, 2016)

wiskey said:


> I'm not that old



How come the condor has a shorter wingspan than the griffon vulture in feet but a longer wingspan in metres?


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## Treacle Toes (May 18, 2016)

ska invita said:


> seen in devon too



It's a sign


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## BigTom (May 18, 2016)

SpookyFrank said:


> How come the condor has a shorter wingspan than the griffon vulture in feet but a longer wingspan in metres?



The crane and eagle are also both a foot shorter than the griffon vulture but the same length in metres.


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## Gerry1time (May 19, 2016)

I for one welcome our new vulture overlords.


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## twentythreedom (May 19, 2016)

Albatross are the kings of long distance  They are amazing creatures (as are they all tbf) 

Albatross - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## ice-is-forming (May 19, 2016)

I did actually have a puppy stolen by an eagle once ! right in front of my eyes, from my back yard. I had ten more at the time so it wasnt too heartbreaking.

I also found a Guinea pig that had been dropped ( I presume) by a bird. Dead in the garden,perfectly round and flat, just a bag of fur with all the insides still inside .

But pelicans! I saw one fly off out to sea with a chiwawa in its beak once !!


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## wiskey (May 19, 2016)

The pelicans here regularly upset tourists by eating pigeons at the surpentine. 

Roald Dahl is entirely responsible for their nice fluffy image.


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## ice-is-forming (May 19, 2016)

A wonderful bird is the pelican,
Its beak can hold more than its belly can ...
 Yeah right, like small dogs


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## wiskey (May 19, 2016)




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## planetgeli (May 20, 2016)

wiskey said:


> I've seen storks in North Africa riding the thermals and that was pretty impressive.
> 
> How big are condors?



I have some pics of condors from Colca Canyon ("valley of the condors") in Peru. I'll stick 'em up in the bird thread when I get on the PC, and if they are good enough pics to merit it.


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## weltweit (May 20, 2016)

It must be the same bird, cruising around the west country looking for carrion.


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## Treacle Toes (May 20, 2016)

ice-is-forming said:


> I did actually have a puppy stolen by an eagle once ! right in front of my eyes, from my back yard. I had ten more at the time so it wasnt too heartbreaking.
> 
> I also found a Guinea pig that had been dropped ( I presume) by a bird. Dead in the garden,perfectly round and flat, just a bag of fur with all the insides still inside .
> 
> But pelicans! I saw one fly off out to sea with a chiwawa in its beak once !!



  

I can't decide how best to feel about this post..


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## ice-is-forming (May 21, 2016)

Rutita1 said:


> I can't decide how best to feel about this post..



It's the circle of life...


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