Himalayan griffon - juvenile?

[Kaustuv Chatterjee]

Gliding along the valley and rising with the thermals, this wild juvenile? made a fine sight against the backdrop of the tamed terraced cultivated hills
Nikon D 90, Nikkor 70-300mm, 300mm, ISO 500, 1/1250s - F/5.6

[Mrudul Godbole]

Liked the gliding pose. The wing spread looks nice. The hills in background give a idea about the habitat. I think in rainy season the hills will look all green, with the paddy fields. Where was this photographed? Thanks for sharing.

[Roopak Gangadharan]

nice pose kaustuv and the scene below looks good , you got the focus right. wud been super if you had got this closer. Certainly looks like a juv H griffon to me.

TFS
Roopak

[Kaustuv Chatterjee]

Thanks...this was about 10 kms beyond Pangot in the forests above it. Its a birding paradise. Yes it was far and this was the closest it came. These beautiful stately birds are a treat to watch. An adult and the juvenile glided in soundlessly behind us into the valley and first flew downwards into it. Then they started circling and gradually rising, till they eventually rose high into the sky and flew off over the mountain. I was reading later that they wait for the morning sun and fly into such valleys to use the rising warm morning thermals. Using this they effortlessly glide in ever higher circles thus conserving energy. Flight is controlled by the 'stop action' feathers at the periphery of the primaries.