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 and I continued toget signals from her in this general location all day long (until 1654).Tracked 168 throughout the day also (until 1445), with little change in signal direction. Around 1220, Hopper bird R-112 popped up, somewhere near B-155 on the east side of the La Panza. I had intermittant signals from this bird at 1220, 1300, 1330, and 1338, all in the same direction with little change. Ventana’s Or-212 and Or-209 came into my range at 320ºNW from 1300 to 1654. The were likely near B-168, though they had come down south a ferw hours behind him. At 1654 I got R-112’s signal at 120º SE, she had moved down onto the Sierra Madre, maybe toward Lion Canyon, and could have been headed home to Hopper. I’m guessing she moved low along the east side of the La Panzas, out of my range from Hi Mt. My last signals were at 1700, when I had B-155 (m/c 60ºN), R-112(s/c 120ºSE), and Or-212 (m/c 320ºNW). A flock of western bluebirds gathered to watch the sunset with me, and a nice one it was…. -Paul Andreano