Lammergeier

 

I had just arrived home from photographing the Grey Phalarope at Widewater when a message popped up on Twitter to say that the Lammergeier had been seen near East Dean. I knew it was travelling south and I had joked about getting a garden tick, but I hadn't really expected to get a chance to see it. The obvious route for it was down through Kent and out across the channel.

There really wasn't any choice, I jumped back in the car and headed off towards East Dean which is about a 50 minute journey. I pulled over just after crossing the Exceat bridge to check the Twitter messages for updates and realised that it had moved and was flying above the Friston Forest. Quite frustrating really as I was sitting in Friston Forest car park and couldn't see anything through the trees.

I had to retreat to more open ground at the Exceat bridge to get a view out over the forest.

The Lammergeier was distant, only really visible with binoculars, but there was no mistaking it as glided over the forest accompanied by a flock of crows and at least one Buzzard.

I tried driving along the Litlington Road but couldn't get any views of it so ended up at High and Over along with a lot of other birders and watched it from there. It was distant all the time I was observing but it is amazing what detail the camera can pick up given that it was barely visible without the binoculars.

I watched until it went to roost in a tree just north east of the Long Man Brewery on the Litlington road. It had made one close pass at High and Over before I arrived there, so I am sure there will be some good pictures about. There is also the chance to go and see it leave the roost in the morning but I get the feeling that it might be a bit busy along there. Perhaps if it is still around in a couple of days I might give it another go.

The main event of the day was meant to be photographing the Grey Phalarope but that ended up being a bit overshadowed by the Lammergeier. Still, an excellent bird for the local patch and well worth recording.

As with most Phalaropes it showed little fear of people, often approaching within a few feet of the observers.

It makes it easy to get good pictures but perhaps a little less rewarding in that the skill element necessary to get that picture is non existent.

I also find that I am starting to gather a lot of  images of these "rare" but easy to photograph birds. The Red-backed Shrike is another example.

Great bird though and who can turn down the opportunity of adding just a few more good pictures to the collection.