'Lammergeier take me on your flight'

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Please take your time... and enjoy it large on black

Birds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision. They are defined as any bird that hunts other animals. Their talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh. Large birds of prey have always been persecuted and have only found refuge in the most inaccessible parts of mountain ranges, often at very high altitudes. Although protected for the past twenty years or so, they show no inclination to recolonize the lower altitudes and plains. The Pyrenees were the last refuge in the whole of France for certain species, while offering shelter to birds of prey known in other mountains. It is this wealth of wildlife that the various nature reserves throughout the range -from the national park in the west to eastern reserves- all aim to conserve. In the 1970s, just before birds of prey were placed under legal protection, the situation was critical. Today, most small and medium bird of prey populations have risen to an acceptable level. The larger birds of prey are more sensitive to disturbances of all kinds. The time taken before reaching sexual maturity, the few young born per couple the long breeding period and the numerous failures all serve to slow down reproduction and hinder the renewal of generations. Higher up in the mountains, above the tree line, we enter their territory. This is where you might be lucky enough to spot a Royal Eagle. The eagle is a hunter by nature. In the Alps, they have become expert marmot catchers. Marmots have been successfully introduced into the Pyrenees in several different places. But they have not spread everywhere yet and eagles have to content themselves with smaller prey: squirrels, voles, moles and reptiles appear regularly on their menu. We should always keep one eye on the sky in the hopes of seeing a fleeting silhouette or even the soaring flight of one of these large birds of prey in their own domain. Large Birds of Prey which can be spotted in the Pyrenees are: Peregrine falcon, Royal Eagle, Egyptian Vulture, Griffion Vulture, Beared Vulture -Lammergeier and Golden Eagle.

We were high up in the Pyrenees at the top of the Col d'aubisque even higher at 1,750 m. The weather had been cold, cold enough for snow on the top of the mountains. The white mountain tops are reaching here higher than 2600 meters. The highest peak in the Pyrenees is 3,404 meters high. Here above the tree line we entering the Birds of Prey territory. I was lucky to spot a Beared Vulture -Lammergeier which suddenly cames out from the fog above my head . A Bird of Prey with a wing-span of 3 metres.

Het nationaal park van de Pyreneeën is een waar beschermd heiligdom van de natuur en observatiepunt voor de wilde fauna gemzen, roofvogels, marmotten, Pyreneese flora. Het Nationaal park van de Pyreneeën werd in 1967 gesticht en strekt zich uit over een oppervlakte van 500km2 van de Aspe-vallei -in het westen tot het massief van Néouvielle -in het oosten en eindigt aan de Spaanse grens. De fauna en flora en de schoonheid van de natuur zijn hier onaangeroerd gebleven. In dit gebied torenen de mooiste toppen van de Pyreneeën boven het landschap uit. Dit is ook het gebied van de grote roofvogels. In de jaren '70, vlak alvorens de roofvogels onder dierenbescherming werden geplaatst, was de situatie kritiek. Vandaag, zijn de meeste kleine en middelgrote roofvogel bevolkingsaantallen toegenomen op een aanvaardbaar niveau. De Pyreneeën was voor een aantal grote roofvogels het laatste toevluchtsoord in heel Frankrijk. In de Alpen, is o.a. de adelaar een deskundige marmotvanger geworden. De marmotten zijn nu ook met succes geïntroduceerd in de Pyreneeën in verscheidene verschillende plaatsen. Maar zijn nog lang niet overal verspreid en de adelaars moeten met kleinere prooien tevreden zijn zoals: de eekhoorns, de veldmuizen, mollen en reptielen. In het dunbevolktegebied van de pyreneeen zijn zeldzame soorten als Lammergier, Steenarend, Vale Gier en Dwergarend soms wel van 30 meter dichtbij te zien. Eigenlijk een prachtige plek om deze roofvogels te fotograferen. Hoog in de bergen geeft de aanblik van deze lammergier die plotseling uit de mist boven m'n hoofd zweeft, met prachtig oranje-gele verenkleed, een beeld wat mij altijd bij zal blijven.

Comments and faves

  1. ★

    ef@, DEVENDRA PAL(AWAY), Panorama Paul, christian.senger, and 912 other people added this photo to their favorites.

  2. ef@ (43 months ago | reply)

    wow!!!

    Ben this is really awesome!!!
    amazing view and colours!!!
    hugss

  3. Richard Roscoe Photography (43 months ago | reply)

    Splendid !
    -----------------------
    Seen in my contacts' photos

  4. Mansour Ali (43 months ago | reply)

    Wow really perfect

  5. DEVENDRA PAL(AWAY) (43 months ago | reply)

    Hi, I'm an admin for a group called !!THE MASTER OF MASTERPIECES (INVITED ONLY) P1/ C2. SWEEPER, and we'd love to have this added to the group!

  6. DEVENDRA PAL(AWAY) (43 months ago | reply)

    Hi, I'm an admin for a group called !CREATIVEYE UNIVERSE (Post 1/Award Any 3), and we'd love to have this added to the group!

  7. DEVENDRA PAL(AWAY) (43 months ago | reply)

    Hi, I'm an admin for a group called *****C&C MASTERPIECES (P1/C3), and we'd love to have this added to the group!

  8. moggierocket (43 months ago | reply)

    Prachtig!

  9. Panorama Paul (43 months ago | reply)

    Wow... excellent tones... and fantastic details in the dark bits!!

    Have a great weekend my friend... hope you manage to take LOTS of new photographs!!

  10. christian.senger (43 months ago | reply)

    Perfect capture with the eagle!

  11. d'ici ou d'ailleurs...(retour programmé) (43 months ago | reply)

    This is fantastic...

  12. John D F (43 months ago | reply)

    Three dimensionally lovely. A feast.

  13. NEOPIXX Photography by Christopher Schmid (43 months ago | reply)

    amazing shot !!

  14. Pieter Musterd (43 months ago | reply)

    Heftig, prachtig. Indrukwekkend

  15. Arjan Almekinders (43 months ago | reply)

    Fantastisch, wat een juweeltje.

  16. RijkV Fotografie© (43 months ago | reply)

    Machtig !!!

  17. HiYall (43 months ago | reply)

    my my my ... wow

  18. rhermans (43 months ago | reply)

    Magnifieke foto

    ~~~Seen in my contacts' photos.

  19. Elaine m Silva (43 months ago | reply)

    Definitely a WOW !!!

    So I was just writing in one of your images and I spent so long looking that you have uploaded another one ( more than 20 min i think) :p
    Need to run to work now so this one stays in my mind during the day as inspiration and scape :) Have a great day "Big Ben" !!

  20. Sash´s Kitchen-Studio Photography (43 months ago | reply)

    Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Images for the Little Prince Invited Images only / Award 3, and we'd love to have this added to the group!

    globetrotter, Ben

    happy weekend, my dear

  21. beeldmark (43 months ago | reply)

    een echte Ben: een goeie foto in een sprookje veranderd. Erg mooi eindresultaat.

  22. Steve-h (43 months ago | reply)

    Terrific capture !!!

  23. mau_tweety (43 months ago | reply)

    Beautiful picture!

  24. yuliang11 (43 months ago | reply)

    holy! unreal .looks like LOTR

  25. kelsk (having a break) (43 months ago | reply)

    dit is gewoon geweldig!

  26. A.Alwosaibie (43 months ago | reply)

    very beautiful shot!!

  27. old tea (43 months ago | reply)

    Amazing work!!!

  28. Walter Watzpatzkowski (43 months ago | reply)

    Wow magnifiek!!

  29. Tanyaluk Photography (43 months ago | reply)

    Wonderful shot

  30. छायाचित्रकार (43 months ago | reply)

    too good!!!loved this one.

  31. pinktigger (43 months ago | reply)

    fantastic shot!

  32. Akbar Simonse (43 months ago | reply)

    Schitterend Ben!!
    --
    Discovered using FlickrFox. ( ?² )

  33. mirandagr2000 (43 months ago | reply)

    amazing !!! dreamy !!!

  34. ouToFfocuS. (43 months ago | reply)

    wow............. amazing...!!!!

  35. Hj.Esa Md. Yunos (43 months ago | reply)

    what a Nice Shot:) Congratulations!
    you have been invited to join
    *★ Beautiful Shot ★

  36. RhodesBadBoy (43 months ago | reply)

    Unbelievable capture.

  37. AnneliesW (43 months ago | reply)

    Hi, I'm an admin for a group called In Fine Style (Invite Only) , and we'd love to have this added to the group!

    Aaaaaaaadembenemend mooi, Ben!

  38. Werner Schnell Images (2.stream) (43 months ago | reply)

    wonderful

  39. Arend Jan Wonink (43 months ago | reply)

    Prachtige plaat, vooral door de kleuren. De vogel is de kers op de taart!

  40. Alice H van der Plas (43 months ago | reply)

    Wow, wat een kleuren en landschap, prachtfoto!

  41. Fracarlo [deleted] (43 months ago | reply)

    Seen this fabulous piece of art :


    Images for the Little Prince Invited Only

  42. Jurjen Harmsma Photography (43 months ago | reply)

    Sprakeloos ben ik ben! haha

    Schitterende bewerking hier !!

  43. Relfy (43 months ago | reply)

    Oooh!

  44. anoldent (43 months ago | reply)

    Well done!

  45. Ferdi's - World (43 months ago | reply)

    Allemaal familie zie ik! (LOL) Mooie bijna sprookjesachtige foto!

  46. mimmopellicola (43 months ago | reply)

    Seen this fabulous piece of art :


    Images for the Little Prince Invited Only

  47. evamathemat (43 months ago | reply)

    GENIAL BEN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    --
    Discovered using FlickrFox. (?)

  48. AnnuskA - AnnA Theodora (43 months ago | reply)

    this is so impressive!
    what an atmosphere! love it! ;D

  49. rasenkantenstein (43 months ago | reply)

    the purple colours are awesome! the two birds classic, too. only the leaves are a little strange. they dont really fit in. but it doesnt matter too much
    --
    Seen on my Flickr home page. ( ?² )

  50. B℮n (43 months ago | reply)

    Rasenkantenstein yeah the leaves.. can't help it ;-)

    Thx all for your faves, comments and invites ;-))

  51. drshrinker (catching up) (43 months ago | reply)

    Wow!

    I don't mind the leaves at all.

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