Sunday, January 1, 2012

of cliffs and eagles

We went walking in the mountains again today, and look what we found.  A turnstile in a barbed wire fence!  


That's seems a little weird, but if you think about it, it isn't too unreasonable, it's to keep the cows out.

Then again, if you look at what's on the other side....


Not a typical walk. No?


If you look carefully at this picture, there is a very intrepid, individualistic, possibly rock climbing cow.

"I vant to be aloooone."


View from the top....


ENORMOUS birds kept popping up over the edges of the cliffs, they were too fast in the strong wind for me to get the telephoto going, so these photos aren't so great, but they had a HUGE wingspan.  When one appeared over our heads, Chuck gave a half-hearted sort of woof, the bird was bigger than he was easily, and better armed.  (a Eurasian Griffin Vulture  wiki here.  The bird is HUGE!  240 to 280 cm wingspan!!!  That is up to a 10 foot wingspan!!!)



It was, truly amazing, one flew by us, no more than 50 yards away.  Amazing.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

wow, that's an amazing sighting! Hope it didn't feed on a cow :p

Boo and Trev said...

A turnstile is hilarious you would think a stile or a kissing gate would do the trick. Amazing pictures of the vulture.

Helen said...

The vulture pics are fantastic. Love the turnstile - not usually the sort of thing a farmer has lying around though.

thecatalanway said...

It's amazing seeing those huge birds isn't it! We are so lucky to be here and have this landscape accessible. Are you still away ? What a wonderful holiday for you all - glad that Chuck is enjoying himself too! K xx

oreneta said...

ElP, we found a completely empty hoof later in the walk......I'd have taken a photo but I forgot to bring the battery recharger so I have to be very very careful with the photos....any dead cow would be g.o.n.e.

Boo and Trev, there isn't a tradition of stiles here like in the UK, I think they probably haven't seen the design....I have to admit, I haven't much either - do a post with photos of different stiles? Could you?

Helen, I do wonder where the heck the thing came from.....

K. Still away indeed.....it is an amazing bit of countryside...now that you have the camper van should be easier to get here! And it is brilliant.

Boo and Trev said...

Ah Helen is the one to talk to she does actually keep a photo record of unusual stiles

oreneta said...

Now there's an idea...I'll comment to her! Thanks

J.G. said...

Wow, that is some walk! Lovely views, plus weird stuff and wildlife. :-)

oreneta said...

It was great.....

we've both been taking some nice walks lately, no?