Whoever coined the time period wake for a gathering of feeding vultures clearly had a way of humour, however had not, I count on, ever witnessed such an occasion at shut quarters. I did simply that within the Spanish Pyrenees final week: it was a memorable expertise that I’m unlikely to neglect. The truth that as many as 300 vultures got here to the wake made it visually spectacular, nevertheless it was their behaviour that was so entertaining.
Vulture restaurant – don’t disturb
The Land-Rover Defender bringing the vulture’s breakfast
The view from the cover. The primary vultures are already arriving earlier than their breakfast has been unloaded
Initially, I’ll set the scene. The wake I attended was simply outdoors the enticing Pyrenean village of Aínsa, a medieval settlement on the banks of the tumbling Rio Cinca. (Search for Dippers and Kingfishers – I discovered each). Surrounded by spectacular massifs, it’s 869m above sea degree (virtually 3,000ft) and is within the coronary heart of vulture nation. Spain helps extra Griffon Vultures than every other nation on this planet, and these large birds are at their best density right here within the province of Aragón. Look to the sky when you’re in Aínsa and it’s troublesome to not see a hovering vulture.
Griffons are among the many largest of Europe’s birds
Griffon Vultures are huge birds that want quite a bit to eat, so throughout Spain there are actually vulture eating places, the place fallen livestock or waste from the native abattoir is put out for the them. Because of this Spain’s inhabitants of Griffon Vultures is larger than it has ever been. Up to now these birds have been closely persecuted; many have been shot, whereas nice numbers died from poisoning, typically by consuming meat laced with strychnine put out to kill wolves or foxes. At this time vultures will not be solely protected, however the native individuals have come to understand the dear position they carry out. An data board on the Aínsa vulture restaurant informs readers as to how way more environmentally pleasant disposing of waste meat with vultures is, in contrast with incineration or different strategies.
Griffon Vultures may be aged by the color of the iris. This can be a younger chook (underneath 5 years of age) with a hazel-coloured iris
However again to the story of the wake I attended. My companions and I arrived on the restaurant at 9am, breakfast-time for the vultures that had already gathered on the close by hillside. We adopted a brand-new Land Rover Defender (lent to the undertaking by the corporate JLR), into the restaurant, taking our seats within the two hides overlooking the feeding space, a grisly patch of floor lined in horns and bones – the inedible bits of useless animals. By the point we had taken our seats the motion had already began. Even if the contents of the Defender’s trailer (an unappetising combination of cow stomachs and bits of sheep) have been nonetheless being unloaded the primary vultures have been already pouring in, with squadrons extra following behind.
A fresh-plumaged grownup Griffon, with brilliant white ruff and trousers
At the least 200, presumably as many as 300, Griffons have been now only a few toes in entrance of us, feeding as quick as they may. There have been transient fights, quite a few squabbles and loads of hissing and screeching as they wolfed up their breakfast. I’ve been to quite a lot of wakes, however by no means one fairly like this. It was a lot noisier than I anticipated, and much more violent. The fights have been clearly fairly ritualised, with the aggressor pecking, barging and even knocking over its rival, utilizing each toes and beak, with wings raised, neck outstretched. These encounters critical, however they have been are throughout in seconds, with no apparent injury aside from a number of flying feathers. You barely had time to level your digicam on the squabbling birds earlier than order was restored.
Fights and disputes are often over rapidly
After all of the griffons had arrived a single grownup Egyptian Vulture joined them, trying surprisingly small and sensible. A bit like a scrum-half in a rugby match, it dodged confidently amongst its greater cousins to select up the scraps. It didn’t keep lengthy, however a couple of minutes later one other got here, or was it the identical chook returning?
An Egyptian vulture joins the fray
In contrast to the largely resident Griffons, Egyptians Vultures are summer time guests to the Pyrenees
Earlier than lengthy birds that had eaten ample had hopped away to the sides of the restaurant, sitting round fortunately with a full crop. Others continued feeding, nevertheless it was not lengthy earlier than all the straightforward meat had been consumed, and shortly all however a number of of the vultures have been simply sitting quietly. They did so for a while, with solely the odd chook flapping off, however then there was sudden mass departure, with solely a single chook remaining. Most flew to the scree slope on the closest mountain, the place they simply sat and waited, anticipating the second course which arrived an hour later. We then loved a repeat of the motion.
A Griffon departs
This time the birds hung round for for much longer, giving the prospect to check plumages, The oldest birds have been the palest with the whitest ruffs, the juveniles darker and plainer. One fresh-plumaged grownup was late to hitch the social gathering: he was a really sensible chook with immaculate white trousers and ruff. Shut inspection of the assembled firm revealed a variety of ages. The previous birds have an iris that may be a pale yellow-brown, whereas with the youthful birds (as much as 5 years) it’s hazel-coloured. The older birds additionally show a lot paler plumage than the children.
Previous Griffons turn out to be rising pale, as may be seen with this chook on the left
By now it was turning into scorching and stuffy within the cover. The vultures have been now not proving any motion for images, so there was an opportunity to take a look at the opposite birds on the website. Two cock redstarts have been flitting about constantly, whereas different birds to place in an look have been Pied and a single Noticed Flycatcher, a juvenile Whitethroat, a Tree Pipit, a pair of Serins and a crowd of Home Sparrows. A Blackbird and a Robin additionally appeared briefly. Fly-overs included a single Crimson Kite, a pair of Ravens and a pair of Carrion Crows.
A passing Raven
A cock Frequent Redstart prospecting among the many bones
It’s not simply vultures: this migrant Tree Pipit was additionally photographed from the cover
This specific restaurant was, we have been advised, well-liked with Lammergeiers or Bearded Vultures, and we have been have been hoping that people would are available. The Spanish identify for this chook is Quebrantahuesos, which interprets as bone breaker, for bones kind the most important a part of this vulture’s food regimen. They have an inclination to reach after the Griffons, as they’re within the bones fairly than the meat. Frustratingly, none got here in, although a single particular person flew over simply as we left the hides at 2pm.
Later within the afternoon we visited the Eco Museo de la Fauna Pirineaica, housed in Aínsa’s previous fort, the place we had the prospect to be taught extra in regards to the raptors of the Pyrenees, and the significance of the Quebrantahuesos to the ecology of the realm. The presentation we got was excellent, and far beneficial. It was right here that I managed to {photograph} an entire flock of Bearded Vultures (see under), although these weren’t the images I hoped for.
The hides my images have been taken from are owned and managed by PhotoLogistics (https://www.photo-logistics.com), an organization that specialises in offering wildlife hides for images all through Spain. Birding tourism is far inspired in Aragón, with devoted lodges and skilled guides all through the province. For extra particulars have a look at https://birdingaragon.com/en/birding-aragon/. The web site consists of particulars of the birds you may see, the very best routes to take, in addition to such necessities as to the place to remain.
Subsequent week David describes a day in Ordesa Nationwide Park within the excessive Pyrenees.
