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 and Redhill, and down in CA valley. We had in and out signals from B-155 and Y-213 most of the time, and we ended up following B-155 with the omni down to Bitterwater Rd. (off HWY 58). The birds seem to have spent the day in and around the Castle Crags vacinity, moving south, then back north, along the La Panzas. We met Darryl Twissleman, a long time rancher and condor watcher, along Bitterwater Rd. While we talked, B-155 moved past us and back toward the Crags. Between 1459 and 1530, we had moderate and inconsistent signals from B-155 to the SW of Queen Bee O.P., and Y-213 to the SE of the O.P. Returned to the Lookout at 1845, when I had strong, broad signals from Y-190 and Or-212 at 280º NW, in the direction of the TV towers on Cuesta Ridge. I continued to track these birds until 2329, when they were still strong and consistent on the Cuesta ridge. Looks like they are spending the night… -Paul Andreano