174 days old Eurasian Griffon Vulture fledgling

Slowly but surely it's time to say goodbye. Just 3 more weeks before departure to my sabbatical year "On vulture's wings around the world"!

That's why I like to visit my favourite Eurasian Griffon Vultures in the Zoo of Duisburg some more time. And today I saw them having a tasty carrion go!

Especially the 174 days old Eurasian Griffon Vulture girl gorged on carrion as if she did not eat for some weeks!

Some magpies tried to steal some little pieces of meat.

Vulture-daddy on the left seemed to be very weak. It's so sad to see him more and more decrepit. And I badly fear he will not be here anymore when I will come home next year :-(((

Beautiful Griffon girl.

Vulture-daddy.

What an amazing beauty! Not even half a year old...

A big surprise was waiting for me at the enclosure of the separated vultures...

...they were very busy collecting the best nesting material!!!

All the time they were collecting clumps of grass or breaking off little bamboo branches. Did they start building their first nest???

In the meantime vulture-mommy mixed with the Marabou colony.

Marabous...

And for once I would like to present a new "Special Guest" I never saw before: A cute Pelican chick!!!

So white and fluffy...

Very cute: Loudly yawning to the camera!

111 days old Eurasian Griffon Vulture fledgeling

After three weeks of withdrawal I visited the Eurasian Griffon Vulture chick in the Zoo of Duisburg today. Well, what can I say!? It's not a chick anymore, it's a fledgeling!!! This time I never saw the cute vulture-girl inside the nest, but anywhere else. Next to the pond, next to the Marabou colony, lying in the grass, sitting on trunks...

Carefully cleaning her feathers and arranging them after a morning swim.

Oh, what a beauty!!!

Even if the vulture-girl looked very small and shy next to the big Marabou, she's a deep me! Just few minutes later she turned around, shooing away the whole Marabou colony!!!

Poo...

It's so cute, when she's shaking and ruffling her plumage:

Short rest, thinking up new pranks.

Sad view: Her wings have to be cut, because she's able to fly and could escape from the open enclosure.

Vulture-mommy prefers the warm metal support for a rest.

Vulture-daddy snoozing in the grass.

Even if her wing-feathers are cut she tries to fly. Maybe she will move to another zoo with a big enclosure one day, where she can enjoy her ability to fly.

Unusual view: The vulture-girl is protecting her mommy against the big porcupine.

Vulture-mommy.

Vulture-daddy.

Vulture-girl.

Family getaway to the "lake" ;o) Vulture-daddy infront, vulture-mommy in the middle and vulture-girl on the right.

Vulture-girl behind, vulture-mommy infront.

Vulture-daddy infront, vulture-mommy in the middle and vulture-girl sitting on a perch.

And here some pictures of my "Special Guests", Marabous:

Please, bring me the little stick.