Lookout Visit

Hi all,

Today I drove a van field trip to Hi Mountain Lookout- with 11 participants- for a “Condor Country” class offered through Cuesta College Community Programs. Along Hi Mtn. Rd. we met up with the Pozo
Wildflower Weekend field trip led by Charlie Blair, President of the SLO chapter of the California Native Plant Society. After we looked over the vegetation growing on the serpentine outcrop along Hi Mtn. Rd., the wildflower group of 6 joined us at the lookout for lunch and discussion about the condor radio tracking project. In the afternoon we picked up a signal from one of the Pinnacles condors to the NW…that was the only condor radio signal we detected. Hopefully, a few new volunteers have been recruited for the project. Surprisingly, one of the participants in the wildflower field trip introduced herself as a past condor intern at Hopper Mountain N’tl Wildlife Refuge and this was her first visit to Hi Mtn.

The swallowtail butterflies are now up on the ridgeline in numbers, the deer flies are starting to bite, and this afternoon there was a flight of 1000’s of ladybird beetles all over the chaparral-covered ridgeline at Hi Mountain and swarming around the lookout- a constant movement of flying insects all about.

Compared to only one week ago, along Hi Mtn. Rd. there has been an ‘explosion’ of Mariposa lilies, Farewell-to-Spring (Clarkia), Larkspurs, and Chinese Houses flowers.

Steve Schubert

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Events

Hi all,
On Saturday, May 7th a group of a dozen volunteers and staff put in a 9 hour workday at Hi Mountain Lookout. A number of maintenance, repair, and general cleaning tasks were completed and everyone enjoyed the opportunity to talk and socialize throughout the day, catching up on things. This upcoming weekend (May 14th) is the annual Pozo Wildflower Weekend field trip up Hi Mountain Rd. to the lookout, sponsored by the U.S. Forest Service, and I will also be bringing a field trip there through Cuesta College Community Programs.

Steve Schubert

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Condor Sightings in SLO Co.

Hi all,

During the last ten days, 3 different observers with good descriptions have reported 2 condors flying together at the following locations: Santa Rosa Creek Rd. and Cypress Mountain Rd. intersection (12 miles east of Cambria), east Cuesta Ridge near the towers, and at Beartrap Mountain in the La Panza Range (historic condor nesting location). We will use the telonics to radio track condors at Hi Mountain Lookout this weekend, beginning a new field research season.

Steve Schubert

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