Lammergeier, the Bearded Vulture in Cornwall

5/23/2016

Location: Helman Tor, Cornwall, UK
Photographer: Rowena Castillo-Nicholls

Sooo lucky to be the "FIRST" one to have seen and photographed the Bearded Vulture, also known as the LAMMERGEIER or OSSIFRAGE in Cornwall. Me and my husband Rob Nicholls cannot believe our luck.

We were actually in Breney Common doing a butterfly survey in preparation for our fieldtrip on Monday, 30th May for the Cornwall Butterfly & Moth Society Fieldtrip and to see the rare Marsh Fritillary.

It was a sunny afternoon, about 2:30pm. We were looking up towards Helman Tor when a large bird, soaring high, came into sight over the ridgeline, heading in a south westerly direction. It’s just gliding gracefully in the sky. The wingspan was probably 9 feet or more, 3 metres.

It was very high, maybe up to 2,000 feet and had a small bird in tow - which was not getting too close. The small bird turned out to be a buzzard!

The Lammageier did not flap its wings. It was just gliding gracefully across the sky. It was huge and unlike anything usually seen in the skies over Cornwall.

Luckily I was already prepared with my camera and was able to take some pictures.

We were able to watch it for about 12 minutes, before it went out of sight.

Perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime sighting.

It's nice to sometimes be in the right place, at the right time!

Species seen in Breney Common:
Lammergeier (bearded vulture), Marsh Fritillary, Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Small Copper, Common Blue, Small Heath, Read Admiral, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Orange Tip, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Brimstone, Speckled Wood and a lot more...

Species seen in Goss Moor:
Dingy Skipper, Large White, Small White, Orange Tip and a lot more...

Species seen in South Cornwall Coast:
Cornish Choughs, Painted Lady, Wall and a lot more..