Probable sightings of Vigo the Bearded Vulture in France

Two weeks since Vigo the Bearded Vulture circled high over the East Sussex coast and headed out to sea, Vulture Conservation Foundation has revealed two probable sightings of the bird in central France in recent days.

A report of an immature Bearded Vulture flying overhead in the Allier department, some 200 km south of Paris, on 21 October was followed by another sighting near Lyon on 26th.

Although photos were taken, the quality is unfortunately not of sufficient quality to be absolutely sure that the vulture in question is Vigo. However, there are several plumage similarities that point to the French bird most likely being one and the same. These include the heavily abraded outer primary feathers (which look to show some similarities in their patterns of abrasion when compared to photos from Sussex) and the apparently still regrowing inner primaries.

A photo of an immature Bearded Vulture, thought likely to be Vigo, in France in late October (Bastien Merlanchon / VCF).

If confirmed as Vigo, this would provide the happy outcome that hundreds of observers and well-wishers hoped for when she left south out to sea at Beachy Head on the afternoon of 15 October, for her flight path appears to be taking it directly back towards the Alps.

Vulture Conservation Foundation is asking that observers continue to report sightings of wandering Bearded Vultures via an online form in order to continue to track the birds on their travels around Europe.