Following on from yesterday’s blog about the Dartmoor lammergeier (see here) I can report that on Wednesday 18th May there were no ‘official’ sightings of the bird.
Noel Reynolds Lammergeier (Gypaetus barbatus) via Wikimedia Commons
However I did receive an email regarding a sighting on Monday 16th May
‘I have also received a sighting from a couple walking their dog nr Cox Tor who looked down on a very large bird flying down the valley from Merrivale towards Whitchurch direction. They reported a very large dark bird and at first thought Grey Heron and then as it turned instead of seeing legs/feet they saw a “spoon-shaped” tail. They believe this was the Lammergeier. The time was 6.30pm on Monday evening (16th May) – if the bird was then seen nr North Hessary Tor the next day that would all tie in. (Lots of bones in that area!)’
And this one from Wednesday the 18th May.
‘Hate to tell you this Adrian, but my husband saw it today (Weds 18th), as he was mowing the lawn, in the Dart Valley. He said all the small birds and buzzards shot off pretty quickly when it arrived. Don’t blame them, looking at the size of it!’
This intriguing message was also posted yesterday by Birdguides
I just wonder how easy it will be to ‘acquire’ a dead sheep. Am still waiting for the further details …..
That Birdguides post reminded me of my favourite one of all time regarding a Yellow-browed Warbler in Blackpool from 2002.
A Dartmoor blog 