2006 VWS Bald Eagle Survey Results

Hello Everyone: I would first like to THANK all of the volunteers who spend hours each year monitoring the Bald Eagle nestsites in your area. Many of you are recipiants of this e-mail. If I missed anyone, please forward. A heartfelt thanks for your continued dedication and support. This Survey includes confirmed bald eagle nestsites along the Calfornia Central Coast Region, excluding Lake Cachuma...

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Condors on KSBY TV

Tonight on the news Anchorwoman Wendy Thies aired her onsite interviewsand reported on the recent California Condor release at Bitter CreekNational Wildlife Refuge. The 5 minute news ‘exclusive’ was well-donewith a very good overview of the history of the condor recovery programand the efforts there at Bitter Creek refuge. Our own Hi Mtn. volunteerMarcelle Bakula also attended the release that day...

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10-22-06 Condor Sighting

Last weekend, Oct. 21-22, I was at the lookout and received insane signals east of the lookout. I searched with my binos but no sign. So on Sunday, I thought maybe, just maybe I would see that bird. So on Sunday morning when I did the telemetry I did not recieve any signals…needless to say I was disappointed & thought I must have missed the bird. So I went about my daily activities and about...

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Lookout Project Donations- 2006

The following donations to the Hi Mountain Lookout Project have been received. Thank-you! Supplies, Materials, and Labor: Marcelle Bakula, Cambriadisplay board design and exhibit materials; business card design and xeroxing; Hi Mtn. hat design (for sale) Jeff Osborne, San Luis Obispoconstruction of natural rock and concrete water bars on the trail downslope to the outhouse (built with assistance...

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2006 Open House Event

Hi all,On Saturday, Oct. 14th, more than 60 people attended the 5th annual Hi Mountain Lookout Project open house event. Quite a diverse group, including staff, interns, and volunteers representing the California Condor Recovery Program from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at Hopper Mountain and Bittercreek National Wildlife Refuges, the U.S. Forest Service at Los Padres National Forest,...

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Open House Birding Field Trip Report

Hi All,At the Hi Mountain Lookout Project Open House event this past Saturday, Al Schmierer, field trip chair for Morro Coast Audubon Society, led a birding field trip from Hi Mountain downslope to Hi Valley, in the Santa Lucia Wilderness Area. Following is his field trip report: Subject: eBird Report - Hi Mountain , 10/14/06Location: Hi MountainObservation date: 10/14/06Number of species: 35 Mountain...

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Open House birding field trip numbers

Hi All,At the Hi Mountain Lookout Project Open House event this past Saturday, Al Schmierer, field trip chair for Morro Coast Audubon Society, led a birding field trip from Hi Mountain downslope to Hi Valley, in the Santa Lucia Wilderness Area. Following is his field trip report: Subject: eBird Report - Hi Mountain , 10/14/06Location: Hi MountainObservation date: 10/14/06Number of species: 35 Mountain...

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Open House '06 Birding Trip

Sunrise from the top of Hi Mountain on Saturday was nothing less than spectacular! Only three of us showed up for the birding field trip to Huff’s Hole. The rest of you missed a fun walk!! Among the 37 species: About 200 VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS spent the morning around and sometimes well over the peak. There was 1 VAUX’S SWIFT and a few WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS also at the peak. On the trail we heard...

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Bittercreek Release

Well, I feel SO lucky to have gotten to be at the “release” (not quite actually) of two juveniles . . .It was amazing and exciting and challenging . . . (I know all the Hopper folks were excited since it has been three years since the last release) I sent a few photos . . .Some are of Dan Tappe & the interns we met down there: Sean, Joe (Cal Poly) & Helen. Also, Wendy Thies & a cameraman...

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5th Annual Open House and Campout- Event Schedule

Hi Mountain Condor Lookout Project 5th Annual Open House/ CampoutSaturday, October 14th, 2006 Schedule of Activities:Birding Field Trip 8am-11:30amHi Mountain to Hi Valley, Santa Lucia Wilderness Area, Los Padres National Forest. Meet at Hi Mountain Lookout. Habitats: chaparral, blue oak woodland, riparian woodland, rocky outcrops. Strenuous hiking conditions and steep slopes. Bring water and snacks....

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5th Annual Open House Press Release

For Immediate Release Hi Mountain Lookout 5th Annual Open House and Condor Campout October 14-15, 2006 The Hi Mountain Lookout (near Pozo) has been restored as a California Condor research and interpretive center. Come visit the Lookout and discover one of the world’s most endangered and largest birds, the California Condor. The day will include condor tracking demonstrations, native plant and...

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"California Condors back"- by John FitzRandolf

Special to The SLO Telegram-Tribune by Hi Mountain volunteer John FitzRandolph Posted on Sat, Sep. 09, 2006 For those keeping track of significant dates in California wildlife conservation history, mark April 19, 1987, in bright red ink. On that day, the last free-flying Gymnogyps californianus — California Condor — was plucked from the wild and moved to a captive breeding program at the San...

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BEARS!

Hi all, The past couple weeks at the lookout I haven’t tracked many condors in the area. I think I could count the number of signals I picked up on one hand. Although there were few condors in the area the past couple weeks, there were other guests of the lookout- furry ones. I finally saw some bears, two to be exact. They were scampering along Hi Mtn Road between the campground...

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Last Weekend at Hi Mountain

So this past weekend was the end of my intern and as I drove away I left part of my summer behind. I would just like to say that Hi Mtn was an amazing opportunity and I’m so glad that I was able to partake in it. Ever since my first time to the lookout (fall 2005), I loved the views, the wilderness, and the actual lookout. This summer was a< blast! I’ve met a lot of really interesting/cool people....

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Condors and Hi Mt. Interns

As a Hi Mtn volunteer, I wanted to give another perspective on thissummer’s interns & their visits to the two condor release sites . . . First, I want to say that I think these trips are important since theinterns are tracking these birds every day and otherwise, might neverget to see them! The intern’s interaction with the field biologists andthe work they do to help the condors recover is...

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Week Trip

Just thought I would let everyone know that the Hi Mtn Interns had a blast at Ventana. I would just like to extend my thanks to everyone at Ventana for having us! Besides extremely bad poison oak and mosquito bites I had a lot of fun clearing brush in order for a new flight pen to be built. I found it amazing how we watched the sunset and ate every meal with condors near by. Hi mountain was the...

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Condors and Cats

Hi all! I’ve just returned from my stay at the mountain and had a great time, as usual. Seeing as how Kelly is off enjoying herself in Hawaii (taking classes of course) we had to do a bit of schedule flip-flopping and Joel was kind enough to take over Sunday at the lookout. Thanks foreverything! Monday was beautiful and a bit chilly which was a nice change. I’ve been hearing...

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Another week and no Condors

But it’s okay. Karine and I, maybe Stuart, Marcelle, and John are going to Ventana next week to meet more people in charge of helping these awesome, majestic birds recover. Honestly, I can’t wait. One, I love Big Sur and two we’re going to help build a flight pen! Update at the lookout: No sightings of condors, but I did see another Bobcat and a bunch of birds. The weather once again was weird...

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Summer 2006

This summer has been amazing! We started the summer with a trip to Hopper, where we saw about 10 Condors. This was amazing must of us had never seen a California Condor so it was a thrilling experience. The rest of the summer has been spent tracking these wonderful birds, some days we get over 10 different signals, other days fewer but everyday is a new experience at the lookout....

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Crazy July up at Hi Mt.

The month of July has been an exciting month for all the interns. We’ve been able to master the equipment, track condors successfully, and learn to manage life in the wilderness. So far we haven’t seen any condors hanging out by the lookout, but we’ve been tracking a lot of Pinnacle birds and a few from Hopper and Ventana. Hopper called us the other day, because they lost signals...

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Hi Mt. Visit

Hi all,I sent this out to some of you, here it is again. Good feedback for the project.Steve Date: Sat, May 27, 2006, 9:34pm Subject: A nice surprise! Steve,I am an avid outdoorsman and Dual Sport motorcycle rider and would like to put in a good word for the volunteers who were working the lookout on May 27,2006. I was a first time visitor today and had no idea there would...

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Hi Mt Visit

I am an avid outdoorsman and Dual Sport motorcycle rider and would liketo put in a good word for the volunteers who were working the lookout onMay 27,2006. I was a first time visitor today and had no idea therewould be anyone up here. Well I have to say that I was quite surprisedto see someone here and was rewarded with a warm welcome and tour of thefacilities. What a treat it was to be in such a...

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10-Year Anniversary Event

Hello all,Twenty-two people attended the Hi Mountain Lookout Project 10-year anniversary event. During the lunch break we were joined by another 15 who were attending the annual Pozo Wildflower Weekend field trip. Special guest Don Parham shared his recollections of the 1970*s Huff*s Hole peregrine falcon nest watch. Hi Mountain Lookout was staffed by volunteers from Morro Coast...

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