Rare bearded vulture sighted over Derbyshire made 'buzzards look like blackbirds'

The wild bird of prey has been spotted swooping over the Peak District, with the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust encouraging visitors to ‘keep their eyes on the sky’ for a chance glimpse of the animal.

It is now thought that the ‘lammergier’, as the species is also known, may have travelled towards Sheffield after residents reported sightings over the city.

It follows sightings in the Edale, Castleton and Goyt Valley areas of Derbyshire.

Russell Saxton said he saw the large bird over Heanor, adding: “It made the buzzards look like blackbirds. I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

Sally Soady, who lives in Hope Valley, said: “Think I might have seen it on Monday from my dining room. There was what I had assumed was a large buzzard acting oddly, mobbed by jackdaws.”

The Derbyshire Wildlife Trust believe the vulture originated in either the Alps or the Pyrenees and has been touring Europe.

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