Pokhara - A dusty Llanberris

The Pictures from top left to right (1-children , 2- I was unsure about publishing this picture as I feel what we are doing is sensitive work and slightly distressing to the bird and myself, but this chick would have had less than 20% survival chance in it first year if left in the wild, with out this work they may well be extincted in around 5 years time (for the record this is a small chick), 3 - one of the harder trees (35m) with nest in view mid top right, this is the tree that I mentioned in an early post with aid climbing etc (this is the tree with the nest in pic 2), 4 - one of the easier trees with two nests!......both trees sadly had many ants nests!)

Ok in Pokhara and managed to have early morning views of the mountain Machhapuchhre (6993m)..amazing. It looks very much like the matterhorn but bigger. I believe that all climbing is banded on the mountain for religious reasons so that my excuse for not climbing it!...Feeling a lot better today as have not been 100 percent for the last few days (food). But waking up to the sight of the mountains automatically made me feel better. We headed shortly out of Pokhara (a haven for all extreme sports people - parraglydling with hawks (I am on the case), trekking, rafting, mountaineering etc so like a warm dusty Llanberris so I am feeling at home). So we left early after an healthy breakfast and traveled a short distance out of Pokhara. Then we had to tackle many steps and crossing steep sides of Paddie fields (spelling sorry)to arrive at the nesting site after over an hour of slogging with heavy packs (which i always surprizing enjoy). The tree was largeish (30+metres) and tricky as was covered in vines and massive brambles so I decided to take one for the team and climb the tree to get to the vultures nest. It was difficult to get a rope high into the tree but managed with a little bit of flicking and pulling to get the rope into position. Then it was a case of battle through the dense shrubby layer to get into the bottom part of the tree. To climb further it was a jungle in the tree so had to use many different skills of pulling vines and minimal cutting to find a way through the sharp brambles and vines ( i am now one shirt down). All went well with the climb and never got frustrated with the brambles as its too hot for that. Soon with a bit more battling I returned to the ground with the chick (4.8kg!) and a hour and half after leaving the ground. I am now resting and licking my wounds. Hopefully I will attach some pictures. Thanks again Steve ps thunder is building loud in the mountains!!! pps ok we have reached the half way mark with the Vulture conservation work but the sites are getting further a field and spread out and numbers as very much down on last year (further knowledge of the mass decline in there numbers) ....i have become very aware that time is running out. thanks again and hope everyone is good.