To get your own copy of the DNA Series, click on the image above to go to my web site...

Alex Douglas-Kane shares her experiences and understanding of Discover Nature Awareness


Tuesday 2 June 2009

We are not at War with Egyptian Vultures...

While serving in Bosnia in 1996 as part of IFOR the first NATO troops to be deployed there. I encountered an Egyptian Vulture. The story goes...

My boss had to return to the UK and his replacement arrived in theatre, so one day it was agreed that I would take around our area of operation to introduce him to key people and to familiarise him with the routes and locations of the Gun Battery's.

We where based in Jace and as we were approaching Sippavo I could a large bird sat on a telegraph pole in the distance, and it looked to be an Egyptian Vulture but I thought to my self it can't be they do not come this far north.

As we got closer I realised that it was indeed an Egyptian Vultures at which point I brake sharply and jumped out from my land rover, John also jumped out but he proceeded to load his weapon. I said to him what are you doing he replied "aren't we getting attacked"? I said no don't be silly I stopped suddenly so I could see the Egyptian Vultures. At this point he went into one and while still jumping up and down he shouted "They F%$@ing told me about you".

It is fair to say he saw the funny side of it all, I can only image what the guys told him before leaving perhaps something like this...

"Where you off to then"? "Geoff is taking me around the see the Battery's today" big smiles all round "Good luck with your birding trip then, expect to be stopping all over the place".

I am sure it was much more colourful than I have just described. He he...

No comments: