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 had all three birds to our NW, possibly near Shandon or Paso. From 1350 to 1441, I had intermittent signals from R-107 and Y-213 between 60° NE and 100° E. At 1431 I suddenly had a strong, soaring type signal from B-155 out over Castle Crags. About that same time I also began receiving strong signals from W-222 near the TV towers off Cuesta ridge. Almost as soon as B-155 showed up, she was gone, but I continued to track W-222, Y-194, and Y-192 as they joined Or-204 and Or-208 back up N. At 1610 I got a round of signals from R-107, R-108,and Y-125. All were strong and consistent at 100° E, maybe at the top of the Sierra Madre. At 1741, B-155 again gave me some strong signals from the Castle Crags area. At 1839 I was joined by Nick Todd who got moderate and inconsistent signals from Or-204 and B-164 somewhere SE of the Lookout(110° E/SE).He also picked up B-155, again near Castle Crags. -Paul Andreano