An Immersion With Rémuzat Griffon Vultures / Private Tour Report January 2020
After welcoming our 2 guests at the bed and breakfast, we take the road to observe the vultures around 9:30 am. This couple from Switzerland discovers the region for the first time. Along the way we already observe our first vultures in flight. Before arriving at our destination, we stop at a strategic place where vultures regularly land. We observe from a distance our first vultures perched. I take the opportunity to present the species to our guests. We take the car and as soon as we arrive we already spot a Golden Eagle! There aren't many birds in flight yet, but a Griffon Vulture comes to land not far from us!
We observe it and take a few photos without moving too much. As the temperature warms, the Griffon Vultures begin to fly more and more! It is perfect to teach our two participants the settings to adopt to photograph them in flight.
The hour is ticking and we have to eat. It is difficult to take pictures while eating but we have to take the time to stop for a moment! At this very moment we spot an extraordinary bird: the Wallcreeper!
After this good typical meal based on local and organic products we continue to enjoy this incredible place. More and more Griffon Vultures are passing by!
And suddenly a new guest arrives: the Bearded Vulture! Placed in a strategic place where the birds take the updrafts, this juvenile Bearded Vulture passes right in front of us!
Incredible and very unusual scene, the Bearded vulture being on the trajectory of a Griffon vulture, the latter attacks the Bearded vulture !!!
The Bearded Vulture being a very territorial species, it is normally he who chases the Griffon Vultures out of their territory. Later in the afternoon a couple of Cinereous Vultures will also come to greet us by passing just below us.
Further away we can see a huge group of over 200 birds in flight! The scene is magical. The day ends slowly as we leave to go take a look at one of the places where vultures often spend the night. Good call, at least 10 Griffon Vultures, 2 Cinereous Vultures and an immature Bearded Vulture (therefore different from the one observed earlier) are perched! We return to the bed and breakfast for dinner and spend the night there. A delicious hearty meal awaits us.
The second day we start by going back to the best observation point in the area. When we arrive, the Griffon Vultures are already flying. And in large numbers! Light is absolutely superb and allows participants to work on their images by playing with the shadows. I help them develop their creativity so they can make photos that are both beautiful and original. They are doing really great.
In addition to dozens of vultures passing in flight right in front of us, we even have the chance to observe 2 different Griffon Vulture couples mating.
All of a sudden, an immature Bearded Vulture and 2 Cinereous Vultures pass in front of us, greatly lit by the sun, with the moutain in the background in the shade. The moment is beautiful. Our participants create dream images that they will not soon forget!
Time flies, the Bearded Vulture leaves but the Cinereous Vultures will remain until we leave in the middle of the afternoon. It is time for our guests to head home, their head full of memories and their memory cards full of stunning images.
This private wildlife tour in Rémuzat was exceptional.
Luca
Guide Salva Fauna
