Large Bird of Prey 2100m in Morzine (French Alps)... what was it? (1 Viewer)

[AlpineWatcher]

Heh all new here but am an avid bird of prey lover. I'm used to seeing Red Kites, Buzzards etc and habe been to Morzine in the French Alps for the last 29 years mountain biking.

Every year I see buzzards (possibly honey buzzards) but this year I went up to the top of Pointe we Nyon which is 2100m high. On the way up there were 3 large birds, 2 possibly kite sized but not arrow tailed and the 3rd was absolutely huge... white wing insert dark outer colour with fingered wing tips if that makes sense. Again it was not arrow tailed and as I see Red Kites daily at home this bird was huge in comparison.

Does anyone have any clear ideas of what it could be?

There were also two hawks circling around but I couldn't make out the colours... one was incredibly long bodied and tailed but still only a hawk sized bird.

Thanks

 

[Gladiator96]

The likely candidates would probably be Golden Eagle, Griffon Vulture and (less likely) Lammergeier (aka Bearded Vulture)

 

[AlpineWatcher]

I was hoping you'd say Golden Eagle. The colours seem to match that and the size was huge from what I'm used to seeing. It had two other similar shaped birds with it but were smaller. I didn't think Golden Eagles would be this far down or as low as 2100m. Was a wonderful sight anyway.

 

[Butty]

It's a good description of an immature golden eagle. (Though don't be misled by size: judging the size of a lone bird is notoriously unreliable.)

 

[AlpineWatcher]

Two were possibly juveniles and the one which stood out was similar distance away as the others but was a good 3rd of the size bigger. I was going up on the Nyon chairlift and seeing these three just gliding around easily whilst the two hawks were spiralling around diving and banking.

Looking at the outline of the Griffon Vulture.. it may even have been one of these.