It pays to be in good shape on the Tibetan Plateau. We saw Himalayan Vultures (高山兀鹫, gāoshān wùjiù, Gyps himalayensis) perching on hilltops near the road. Elevation: a lofty 4380 m. I wasn't going to miss a chance to get close to these imposing birds. I walked straight up the hill, stopping only when I began to feel dizzy, catching my breath, then continuing. Usually one sees these common birds soaring hundreds of meters above; here, I managed to capture the bird taking off. I found this vulture at Qīngshuǐhé (清水河), Qinghai, China. Nikon D3S, 600 mm, F/9, 1/3200, ISO 1600, hand-held.
very nice, TFS species from China we often don't see on this forum, it must have been quite a challenge to hike with the Nikon 600 and then handhold it. You got good exposure, details and I like the darker clouds in the BG. I might crop this one tighter removing space from top and left a bit
Killer wing position and composition here. Great to see a new species from China. You could do as Arash suggests with your crop which would show off your bird more, but the OP works as well.
Hi Craig, I like this flight pose, and overall well exposed and sharp. Good job climbing to that altitude, and I can only imagine was lies below the 'edge' of the plateau you shot this from.
Imposing vulture, indeed. Thanks for sharing this species. Great flight position, and the inclusion of the hill is very nice. I agree with the crop suggestions above if the IQ holds.
Himalayan Vulture, Qinghai, China
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