28-Sept-2002 Field Notes

The thickest, most dense shroud of fog has engulfed and drenched the Lookout. Gusty winds to 20mph and visibility to less than 6′ at times. It is drizzling and muddy, I’m discovering many leaks and drafts in the Lokout today, which should help us get her ready for winter. Have heard that the fog stops about a mile down the mountain. Radio telemetry in this kind of fog is surreal, like doing it with...

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23-Sept-2002 Field Notes

Another hot and gusty day on Hi Mt. Winds hard from the SE to 32mph and temps in high 80’s by 0730! First signals were at 0807, when I had Y-125 strong and directly off of Black Mt. He continued to soar in this area until about 0930, when I lost his signal. At 0807 I also had some strong and close signals from Y-190, Y-194, and Y-192 at 320ºNW. I felt like they could be down near Atascadero and at...

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Still more Atascadero Condors

Hi all, It was a busy weekend for California Condors in SLO, with at least 5 confirmed sightings that I know of since friday. A few of the Hopper birds have been hanging around the Castle Crags/Queen Bee area and have been seen by Gretchen/ USFWS (since Neil’s reported sighting of B-155 and Y-213) over the Carrizo Plain and La Panza and Machesna wilderness areas. Seems that a few of the Ventana...

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Adventures in Condor County

Greetings everybody, Its been an exciting and adventurous weekend on the Lookout, with lots of condor movement in all directions. For the past few days, Gretchen from Hopper has been mobile tracking around the Carrizo, Black Mt., Castle Crags, and the Calientes. We’ve spent a bit of time overworking our cell phones and attempting to triangulate on birds along the La Panzas, north...

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22-Sept-2002 Field Notes

Windy and HOT on the mountain today, with temps in the mid 80’s by 0900! Gusty winds to 30mph. Began tracking at 0730, and Y-190 and Or-212 were still strong and consistent at 280º NW. They had certainly overnighted on the back of the Cuesta ridge. By 1041 they were up and moving around and Y-194 had apparently joined them. About that time I started picking up a strong, soaring signal from Y-213 out...

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21-Sept-2002 Field Notes

Woke up early to 25+mph winds and clear skys. Lots of action around the Lookout today, as the Cal Poly field crew is staying the weekend working on surveys. First signals were at 0856 when I picked up Or-212 very strong to my immediate north (just off Black Mt.). She stayed on or near Black Mt until 1040, when it seemed like she was heading north west again, toward Creston. At 1040 I also began picking...

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20-Sept-2002 Field Notes

Left the lookout at 0730 and drove over Pozo Rd toward Castle Crags with David Harpe. We were hoping to get a look at 155 or 213. Spotted a huge badger and several tule elk along the road west of Turkey Flat. Met up with USFWS/Hopper staffer Gretchen, who we spent the afternoon tracking birds through the oven-like La Panza mountains with. We made many stops, hitting Black Mt, Queen Bee, Parkfield...

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19-Sept-2002 Field Notes

A clear, breezy day at the Lookout. Moderately hazy to north. No signals until 1143, when I began picking up B-168 strong at 320º NW. the signals were definately close and I was thinking maybe Atascadero again….At the same time, I briefly picked up Y-213 to my east (100º E) and I also had an inconsistent soaring signals from B-155 at 60º N. B-155 waslikely soaring out over Castle Crags or the Carrizo...

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17-Sept-2002 Field Notes

Following up on Roger Zachary’s sighting of a perched condor in Atascadero this morning (Tues 18), I headed up Hwy 41E accompanied by Amy Armstrong and Mike Tyner. We stopped just west of the Salinas River bridge off of Cemetary Rrd. atappx. 1010 and immediately had strong signals for the three Ventana condors Roger saw yesterday. At 1015 we stared in total awe as condors Or-212 andY-190 soared over...

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Update from the Lookout 31-Aug to 17-Sept-2002

Greetings everyone, Its been a while since I last posted and so much has happened I’m not sure what I should relay. I’m sure by now you’ve read of my north county adventures this week, getting good looks at Or-212, Y-190, and Or-209 on Tues Sept 16 in Atascadero. I must say, its about time I finally got to see these guys over SLO Co. I spent this afternoon uploading my telemetry notes to the website,...

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16-Sept-2002 Field Notes

Awoke to fog as far as the eye could see to every direction but SW. A thick blanket of fog rested below winds gusting to 30 mph and the view was breathtaking. By 1030 the fog had surrendered to the winds, reforming itself as a coastal marine layer. First signals were at 1024, and I had a good strong one from Y-213 out over Machesna. Y-194 was likely out on the Santa Lucias again,giving strong signals...

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Atascadero Condors

Hi all, In response to Roger’s great condor email…….First of all, I must say I’m very jealous, I’ve spent most of the last few afternoons tracking Ventana condors Y-190, Or-212, and Or-209 from the Hi Mt. Lookout. They were among several birds that I’ve had very strong and broad (indicating close proximity) signals for during the past weeks. Several Ventana birds seem to spread out over Shandon and...

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15-Sept-2002 Field Notes

First signals of the day were at 0630 from, you guessed it, Y-194 at 360°N. Evidently she had a nice stay near Castle Crags and was up and soaring by 0830. The early morning was wrought with gusty, warm winds and a thin layer of high clouds stretched S from the upper Salinas Valley. Y-194 seemed to be exploring the locale, and I had her at 0945 off the Cuesta ridge,then at 1030 back off Black Mt,...

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14-Sept-2002 Field Notes

Spoke to Hopper crew at 0830 and they say W-100 made it home safely. No signals until 1200, when R-111 again popped up at 100° E. By 1300 I also had B-155 at 100° E as well as Y-192, B-171, Or-209, Or-204, Or-212,Or-199, and Y-190 at 320° NW. All signals were strong and consistent and I dusted off the lens on the old spotting scope. B-155 remained consistent and of moderate strength until I lost her...

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13-Sept-2002 Field Notes

Made it up to the Lookout by mid day and got my first round of signals done by 1320. From 1320 to 1640, I tracked Y-190, Or-212, B-171, Or-199, and Or-209 between 280° W/NW and 320° NW, signals varying from very strong to weak. At 1517, R-111 made her presence known with strong signalsdirectly out over Piney ridge, appx 80° E. Its likely that she was between the Garcias and La Panzas, though I never...

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9-Sept-2002 Field Notes

Nick Todd took the first round of signals this morning at 0830, picking up Y-194, Or-208, and B-164 between 100° E and 120° SE. These three birds stayed localized down there for most of the afternoon. At 1047 we began picking up B-155 again, near Machesna Pk. At 1157, we had strong signals from R-111, also near Machesna Pk. By 1600, I only had Y-192, weak and inconsistent to my NW. It was time to...

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8-Sept-2002 Field Notes

The haze has moved back in and I’m not feeling that spotting a condor is likely today. Fall is here, though, and the heat and flies have tapered off nicely. Joined at the Lookout today by several Cal Poly students who are doing field work around the Lookout site. A few of the students tried their hand at radio telemetry, and Y-192, Or-212, and Y-194 obliged by heading S toward Hi Mt. Until 1213, we...

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7-Sept-2002 Field Notes

Another day of tracking Y-192, Or-212, and B-171. First contact was at 0844 when I had all three birds again off the Santa Lucias. The signals were definitely from W of Atascadero and could have been right off Cerro Alto. Signals ranged from consistent to inconsistent between 320° NW and 260°W. By 1248, B-171 had headed back up N and I lost her around 320° NW.Y-192 and Or-212 continued to give me...

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6-Sept-2002 Field Notes

Breezy and mild, storm seems to be clearing out. First signals of the day were between 0930 and 1100, when I began picking up Y-190 and Or-212 to my NW. A visit by Ventura condor staffers Bronwyn Davies, Dinese Stockton, Mike Stockton and Mike Barth made for some much needed excitement and condor talk at the Lookout today. Mike Barth and I ran signals off and on throughout the day. Beginning at 1100,...

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5-Sept-2002 Field Notes

Another morning of heavy skies and tropical temps. Around 0800, showers along the S Sierra and Temblors were strikingly visible. Feels like more showers are imminent and I wonder about lightening rods….. My first set of signals were at 0917 and several Ventana birds were already directly off the La Panzas. Could they have spent the night?? Between 0917 and 1145, I had Y-192,Or-212, B-164, and B-171...

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4-Sept-2002 Field Notes

Woke to heavy skies and forecasts for light sprinkles and scattered showers. Feeling like SEEING condors for a change, I headed out to the Carrizo Plain in search of W-100, Y-213, and B-155. Between 1041 and 1105, had strong signals for B-155 and W-100 from Hwy 58, appx 5 mi. N of Ca. Valley.The birds seemed to be to my SE, likely S of Castle Crags by that time. Drove out Poza Rd toward Castle Crags,...

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3-Sept-2002 Field Notes

No wind or clouds today. HOT and the best visibility in at least 2 weeks.Cone Pk looming clearly in the NW and the Sierra Madres clear to the S. Started the day at 0937 with signals from Y-192 at 320° NW and B-155 at 130°SE. Spoke to Genie, then on McPherson Pk, and she was also getting signals from B-155, somewhere on the Sierra Madre. By 1030, Or-212 was very near the Lookout, giving signals that...

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2-Sept-2002 Field Notes

Another hot and sultry day on the Lookout. Visibility diminished since yesterday and wind only in light gusts. Strong and consistent signals from B-167, Y-190, B-164, B-161, B-171, and Or-212 to my NW all day long. Again,it felt like they were out over Shandon. Somewhere around 1600, B-164 began moving RAPIDLY down the La Panzas. Between 1600 and 1720, this bird had moved from 320° NW to 120° SE....

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1-Sept-2002 Field Notes

Moderately breezy and the best visibility in many days from the Lookout. Signals started early (0900) as Y-190 began to soar out of the Ventana wilderness. By 1110, I was also tracking Y-194, Or-209, and Or-212 to my NW. At times it felt like they had fanned out over Chalome Hills or Shandon, and I continued to strain for a visual. By 1315, I had also picked up B-168,B-164, B-167,and Or-204 to my...

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