Lookout News

Hi all,

Julie and I had a good three days up at the Lookout! Although we missed Greg since he switched shifts! The weather was nice, about 85 degrees and breezy all weekend long. On Sunday, we took a day off from field work to do a full day of telemetry, and we ended up getting around 25 visitors! There were a couple caravans of about 8-10 people and their dogs that were out for a Sunday drive from Lopez. It was nice talking with everyone. They all seemed very interested in the condors and the work we do at the lookout. We had several visitors on Monday and Tuesday, as well, though not nearly as many as on Sunday.

In wildlife news, we had three Purple Martins fly by the lookout all three days we were there. The California Thrashers are coming back around. I haven’t seen them since early June. There are always at least 8 or 10 Band-tailed Pigeons and a flock of Anna’s hummingbirds at the feeders. Two Allen’s

hummingbirds occaisionally swoop in and chase off all the Anna’s from the feeders, then fly off. It makes for great evening entertainment! We even got a fly-by from a Peregrine Falcon! Alas, no condor sightings…

On Sunday night, Julie set up a motion sensor video camera and scent station downhill from the Lookout. She got some great footage of a gray fox rubbing its face all over the sticks we had covered with the scent oils! I’ve been setting a few Sherman live-traps around the lookout lately, to see what small mammals are running around at night. Over the last two weeks I’ve caught several pocket mice (Chaetodipus californicus), a couple deermice (Peromyscus maniculatus), and a Narrow-faced Kangaroo rat (Dipodomys venustus)! At sunset every night a female mule deer and her two fawns graze along the roadside or on top of Cypress hill. Hi Mountain never ceases to amaze me with its diversity of wildlife and gorgeous sunsets!

Well, until next time… Have a great week everyone!

~Jamie Miller

Hi Mountain Intern