Friday 15th July (Bird-watching from an Armchair)


Mr. Kite looked out of his bedroom window as dawn was breaking. Grey clouds made the gloomy morning more gloomy. The road was silent and the birds were still sleeping although after a few minutes later two Swifts flew between some houses.

As Mr. Kite had repairs to be completed he worked all morning and then settled in his armchair to watch Etape 13 of Le Tour de France from Pau to Lourdes. Now Mr. Kite knows this area of The Pyrenees and it is spectacular. So settled in his armchair Mr. Kite watched 'the tour'. After one hour an interesting thing happened; the camera turned away from the cyclists and focused on a large group of Griffon Vultures feeding on a carcass. These large brown creatures were on a hillside and looked magnificent against the lush green grass. They bounded around the hill as they competed for flesh, guts and organs.

Then something more interesting happened the commentator said that he wanted to see an Egyptian Vulture. This made Mr. Kite more keen so he scanned the vultures looking for the 'smaller black and white bird'. Mr. Kite did not spot one before the camera returned to the race. Now that was a great moment.

So to celebrate the sighting of a Griffon Vulture and not spotting an Egyptian Vulture Mr. Kite had a dark tipple of Sadler's Mud City Stout. Cheers from Mr. Kite; a lover of The Pyrenees.