Lammergeier (or Bearded Vulture), Howden Edge, Peak District National Park, 13 July 2020
AFTER TWO HOURS OF SLOGGING ACROSS PEAK DISTRICT MOORLAND from Derwent Dam, the first hour of which was in darkness, I reached the marker on the OS map above Howden Edge at 4.30 am. Finally the Lammergeier’s lair was before me, a remote gritstone crag by a small waterfall at the head of Abbey Brook and there it was in the half light, a prehistoric-looking creature, cloaked by a dark hood, its evil white eyes peering across the narrow valley at me every now and again. I was able to watch it for nearly two hours, during which time a male merlin and a couple of ravens passed by, then it suddenly flew off the crag, gliding down to land on the scree below before it took to the air again and gained height, its shockingly massive almost 3m wingspan seemed to fill the valley. It left stage right, heading downstream at around 6.20am, after which it turned north and flew over Margory Hill. The fact that it is missing its third wing is a bit disappointing but presumably it tells the story of a rough time this massive out-of-place vulture has endured. Let’s hope no-one has taken a shot at it in what is one of the worst areas for the persecution of raptors in the UK. All it is trying to do is to clear up dead sheep carcases! It still looks pretty good head-on and doesn’t seem to mind the birders dotted round its chosen territory at the moment. If I return I will probably pick a sunny day with blue skies and try the Mortimer Road approach as despite this being much boggier, it has minimal ascent compared to the 500m+ on the 12km return hike from Derwent Dam, which includes a couple of nasty sections with very narrow sheep paths and drop-offs.
A hike in the dark to Lost Lad 518m
The Lammergeier’s roosting cliff on the east side of Abbey Brook, viewed from Berristers Tor
The Lair of the Lammergeier, Abbey Brook
Only the second British record, this bird is presumably from one of the southern European reintroduction schemes but we can at least be sure that it has made its way here under its own steam having been seen in Belgium before it crossed the Channel and took up residence in the High Peak of the Derbyshire/Yorkshire border. We now know they can obviously cross the Channel and with this bird so hot on the heels of the one in the southwest who knows what might happen if this one stays and another one joins it? It is not such a crazy thought now! However, I can’t imagine the super-conservative BOU will add it to the British List in a category other than E even though the birds from the reintroduction schemes appear to be flourishing, at least as well I am told, as White-tailed Eagle was when it was placed in category C3 (as well as A), thanks to the Scottish breeding birds. Bearded Vulture would be a very popular addition to the lists of the many birders who have made the pilgrimage to see it over the weekend. Whatever category it ends up in, it is a wild-bred Lammergeier, which migrated to England and that alone is something and a very fine sight over the Peak District landscape too. A bright light during the Covid-19 pandemic. Well, if it survives long enough to regrow its tail that will be something else…
Finally, thanks to Alan Lewis and Sam Viles for viewing tips beforehand and to Ray Scally and Alex Lees for keeping me company on the long walk back, not to mention all the other birders and toggers who behaved well and let the Lammergeier do its thing without disturbing it. The last time I saw a UK lifer on 13 July was 35 years ago, a Marsh Sandpiper at Hauxley in Northumberland, followed by a chilli (made by Nick Watmough, sorry this slipped my mind Nick!!!) and watching Live Aid with old friend Ken Shaw. Happy days!