France in Focus

Blackcap

Little beauty !

Vautour fauve with a textured layer ... Bioparc, Doué la Fontaine

Blaze wrote: ↑Wed Sep 15, 2021 3:48 pm Vautour fauve with a textured layer ... Bioparc, Doué la Fontaine

Vautour fauve.jpg

Do you put fat balls out for that one?
Not seen one of these in the Cher.

[mention]Blaze[/mention] What a stunning creature, I wouldn't scare it away if it landed here, they are so vital in the general health of the world in some areas but are facing danger from human activity.

The Doué la Fontaine Bioparc (49) works for endangered species by breeding then returning some to their country of origin, mostly South America. These vultures are beautiful, in a vast volière and you can get surprisingly close to them. It's a fantastic place, built in a former quarry with different levels. The owners are passionate about what they do. We were members for many years and it's one of the things I really miss about moving away from the area.

Many years ago on my first visit to deliver 2 rescued fox cubs to a wild life rescue in Normandy I was taken on a tour of the whole place. Most memorable was being taken into a large enclosure and told to stand still. A large Buzzard flew from the other end straight at me to perch right next to me. Yes, I know, Buzzards, common as muck, I see them all the time round here, but not that close and a very wonderful experience.

Sitting having breakfast this morning when this beauty alighted on the washing line - l believe it's a Great Tit.

We get so many birds on our feeders. The only ones I can name are a male and female spotted woodpecker.

Regarding the Vulture, obviously a lawyer in disguise, at the Zoo de Doue Fontaine, there is a covered in enclosure were you walk through, don't stop though its full of Vultures, there was a popular one with only one eye, they were tame but still very wary. Its a fascinating zoo as its in the old quarry workings and all the animals are in the various parts, the monkeys are free to roam, and try to pinch any food you may have, also there is a very old fossilised Shark deep underground, you go down via a spiral staircase controlled by traffic lights, Attenborough bit finished.