Huff's Hole Report

Hi all,
On Saturday, April 22nd, Kevin Cooper and I made our annual hiking trip to Huff’s Hole, in the Santa Lucia Wilderness Area, below Hi Mountain Lookout. The Salinas River crossing near Pozo is 4 feet deep, so we had to drive in on Hi Mtn. Rd. from Lopez Lake, park at the locked gate and take the Hi Valley route into Huff’s Hole. We were on the trail at 7:30 am during a light, steady rain.

Wearing rain gear was more important in helping to shed the dripping water plowing through the overgrown drenched vegetation along the trail. It seemed the sheet flow of water off our raingear helped to also shed the abundant ticks , but it remains to be seen if it repelled poison oak oils too!

The rains let up as the day progressed, with high cloudy overcast skies and a cool breeze. We were unable to get all the way into Huff’s Hole due to the downed trees, brush and poison oak beyond Hi Valley Rock- we had not seen the trail blocked by so much downed vegetation in the past 10 years and speculated it may have been caused by the weight of the March snowfalls that may have bent and snapped so many stems and trunks. Much of the Ceanothus more than 20 feet tall and several inches in diameter - regrowth since the 1985 Las Pilatas fire - was shattered and bent over the trail, with poison oak that had been growing in the brush canopy now at face-level and blocking the way. We cut and sawed our way through the downed brush and poison oak until finally having to give up, but had a good distant view of the Huff’s Hole cliffs from a sideways angle, and also from up higher where I climbed up on Hi Valley Rock.

We found a nesting pair of prairie falcons- there were food and incubation exchanges between the adults at a small pothole eyrie located on a large outcrop between Hi Valley Rock and the main Huff’s Hole cliffs. Further down on the cliffs in the distance we could hear another falcon wailing, and with bincoulars finally located a perched bird on the rocks about 3/4 mile from our vantage point- a peregrine falcon. The peregrines are probably also nesting somewhere there on the cliffs at Huff’s Hole, within 1/2 mile and a direct line of view of the prairie falcons, so this is relatively close nesting proximity between the two species often territorial and aggressive.

There were deep black bear tracks in the wet mud from the overnight rains. The bear must have been there only hours at most prior to our passing. We found bear tracks in Hi Valley, around the base of Hi Valley Rock and the trail into Huff’s Hole. Scat on the trail and scratches on the tree trunks were other signs.

Flowers observed from Hi Mtn. Rd. into Hi Valley and along Huff’s Hole trails: black sage, pitcher sage, hummingbird sage, prickly phlox, clematis, ceanothus, bush poppies, mountain mahogany, buttercups, shooting stars, chocolate lily, California peony, sanicula, blue-eyed grass, annual lupine, filaree, blue dicks, yellow violets (Johnny jump-ups)

Bird vocalizations/singing: California thrasher, wrentit, bewick’s wren, house wren, canyon wren, spotted towhee, California towhee, oak titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch, orange-crowned warbler, warbler spp., white-throated swift, western scrub jay, Steller’s jay, ash-throated flycatcher, cedar waxwing, common raven, prairie falcon, peregrine falcon

Turkey vultures were in flight and perching on the Huff’s Hole cliffs. Strangely, what was not seen flying around Hi Valley Rock or Huff’s Hole cliffs was a single swallow, completely absent from the area during several hours of observing.

It was uncharacteristic to hear Kevin complain about leg muscle soreness and fatigue while we were hiking, but then his excuse seemed reasonable being that he ran the Boston Marathon only 5 days previous! My excuse is just getting older… turning 51 years old this weekend. I celebrated my 23rd and 24th birthdays in Huff’s Hole, camped out as a peregrine nest site attendant, so the years are flying by…still grateful to be able to get back in there all these years later.

We hope to get some help - volunteers? - to finish the trail clearing this season and maybe return to check on the nesting status of the Huff’s Hole peregrines. Two years ago we also found a condor perched on the edge of a large cave there.

Steve Schubert
Volunteer Coordinator, Hi Mountain Lookout Project

Read More

10-28 to 11-1-2005, Hi Mountain Lookout

Greetings all,

Just a few notes on my most recent visit to the Lookout. I made it up late Friday and stayed through Tuesday evening. It was typical Hi Mountain weather, ranging from cold and 30+mph winds, to hot and still, to dripping fog, and everything in between. Had signals for several Pinnacles birds throughout my stay, and a few Ventana birds on Halloween. With all the birds at Pinnacles now, seems like we should almost always have a bird or 2 to track from the Lookout. Other bird activity was relatively low, with just the local red-tails, band-taileds, juncos, titmice, Anna’s, TVs, ravens, a few lesser goldies, and one marvelous fly-by from a peregrine. Also had 2 common poorwills on the road by the gate one evening.

There were quite a few human visitors on Saturday and Sunday, mostly on horseback. Seems like the Central Coast Longriders are getting some use out of their investment in our gutters and cistern. On Saturday I was joined by a Search and Rescue team from SLO who were doing some orienteering practice http://www.condorlookout.org/archives/photos/2005/slo_search_rescue.jpg Their crew leader hadn’t been in the Lookout for over 20 years, and he vividly remembered seeing the fire finder in the middle of the upstairs cab!

On Tuesday morning I thought I’d be a hero by calling in a small fire south east of Lopez and Sausolito Ridge. I called it in to USFS and they explained that it was a CDF prescribed burn in Phoenix Canyon.

http://www.condorlookout.org/archives/photos/2005/PhoenixCn_fire.jpg The dispatcher was very thankful for the call, though. It was wild to watch how fast this fire grew, from a little plume of smoke to giant columns of smoke and visible flames in under 30 min.

On my way down the hill, about 1/2 mile below the campground on, I encountered this juvenile bocat trying to ambush a covey of CA quail http://www.condorlookout.org/archives/photos/2005/bobcat1.jpg

http://www.condorlookout.org/archives/photos/2005/bobcat2.jpg This guy was tiny, not much bigger than a large house cat. I was surprised to see him hunting all alone, maybe mom was hiding somewhere nearby.

I’ll be back up to the lookout this Saturday and Sunday, so drop by and say

Hi!

Cheers,
-Paul Andreano

Read More

Open House '05

Howdy all,

Thanks to everyone who made it up the mountain for our 4th annual Open House, our biggest yet. Those of us who braved the weather had a terriffic time. Special thanks to Sandy Wilbur, Jan Hamber, Steve Schubert, the Hopper Interns, and the rest of the hearty souls who stayed for the evening program. We are all very lucky to have such a unique spot and so many smart, interesting, and dedicated folks to share it with.

Best to all, hope to see you next year!

There are a few photos up on the site at:

http://photos.condorlookout.org/thumbnails.php?album=6

Thanks to Nick and Steve for their photo contributions. Please send any photos you might want

to contribute to our site to:

himountainpaul@…

-Paul Andreano

Read More

The Life History of AC2 by Jan Hamber, 2005

Now that AC2 is free, I thought that you all might enjoy reading about AC2 and why this formerly free flying wild bird is so important to the recovery of the species.

First of all, there were only ten formerly free flying wild condors in captivity in 1987 of which AC2 was one.

AC2 and his mate AC3 were first seen on Jan. 9, 1976 by Dick Smith and Jan Hamber as they soared along the escarpment of West Big Pine in the Santa Barbara back country. (There is an assumption that AC2 is the same bird throughout this history. AC3 was identified by Noel Snyder as being the same female that nested at Indian Creek in 1972. He determined this by examining the egg shells that came from the various nestings in Santa Barbara county during the period 1972 - 1985.

The pair was found nesting on the escarpment, successfully fledging a chick in 1976. The fate of that chick is unknown.

In 1977, the pair nested in the same cave. Again, the chick successfully fledged that year. Again the fate of the chick is unknown. The only clue we have is that AC4 and UN1 were identified as possibly being the offspring of the Santa Barbara pair through genetic study. The stud book lists UN1’s possible birthday as 1976 and AC4’s about 1980. This last date is too late as all nestings were monitored from 1980 on through 1985 so we know the fate of each egg.

In 1978 and 1979, the Museum funded only enough time and dollars for a one day per month trip into the back country. The pair was always seen but the nesting sites, if any, were not found during those 2 years. With the founding of the Condor Research Center in 1980,more resources were available for locating nest sites and monitoring them every day once they were found. Many days were spent in the field by a combination of cooperating agencies, volunteers and a few paid biologists.

The following is a catalog of the nestings of AC2 and AC3 from 1980 through 1985:

1980 - AC2/AC3 nested in Big Pine Canyon on the north side of the escarpment. The egg hatched but the chick died of stress during a measuring and weighing trip on June 30, 1980. This death put a stop to a newly given permit to trap condors for radio telemetry. The permit was not reinstated until 2 years later.

1981 - AC2/AC3 again nested on the West Big Pine escarpment in the same cave used in 1976 & 1977. This nest was watched every day. When the normal hatching date was well past, the CRC team climbed up to the nest and determined that the egg had failed and the chick died, either at or during, hatching.

1982 - AC2/AC3 nested in Don Victor Valley. more than 8 miles away from what we thought was their core area at West Big Pine. Again a constant nest watch was instituted from Mid-April, when the nest site was finally discovered, until the end of Oct. This chick fledged successfully and survived until Thanksgiving time, Nov. 1983. The chick, known as Bosley, was killed by cyanide found in an M-44 “coyote getter”. The event changed the way the predator control arm of the USFWS placed out M-44s 0R in condor country. They now were ordered to place only one, not 2 M-44s, in a set.

1983 - An important nesting took place this year when AC2/AC3, with AC2 now carrying a radio and AC3 with distinctive notches in several feathers of her wing, nested back at the old 1972 Indian Creek nest site. This egg was taken for the captive breeding program, hatched and was a female named Almiyi. Because observers were out in the field constantly, we noted the pair driving Bosley away from the nest site. Bosley had fledged early Sept. and thus came from an egg laid early in the season. This proved once and for all that condors could, contrary to Koford’s thesis, lay eggs in successive years even though the chick from the previous year survived. So the reproductive rate of condors was increased by this new knowledge. Formerly (and still quoted call the time) is the statement that condors lay one egg every other year. Now we knew that it was possible for condors to lay 2 eggs in 3 years with a surviving fledgling. The 1983 egg was laid late in April.

1984 - 2 nestings by AC2/AC3 in 1984. The first egg was removed from Mono Narrows on Feb. 12, 1984 and taken to San Diego Zoo. The egg hatched and became a chick was named Ojai. The second nest was situated on Madulce Peak. The egg was taken on Mar. 18, 1984 to the Zoo. The egg hatched. The chick was named Yosemite but it died a few days later from a bacterial infection.

1985 - 3 nestings by AC2/AC3 in 1985. The first egg came Feb. 14, 1985 from a different cave on the Madulce cliffs. This egg hatched. The chick was named Kaweah, the only male produced by this pair. The second egg was laid back at the West Big Pine Nest site on Mar. 18, 1985. This egg failed to develop properly and thus no chick survived from this nesting. If you watch the Audubon film narrated by Robert Redford called “Condor” you will see the E-Team do an egg pickup. The last nesting of this pair occurred in Bluff Canyon on Big Pine Mt. on April 15. The egg was incubated by the pair until a concern for the egg’s safety (ravens were cruising too close to the nest and ravens were a known predator of condor eggs) brought about a nest climb where the fertile egg was taken to the zoo and replaced with a dummy egg to keep the pair close to the nest. On June 17, 1985 the dummy egg was taken, thus releasing the pair from incubating duties. This egg hatched and the female chick was named Malibu. In all, 9 eggs were laid and 4 chicks hatched for the captive breeding project from this pair.

1985/6 - In mid December 1985, biologists noted that AC3 was remaining at Bittercreek (then Hudson Ranch) while AC2 returned to the roost areas in Santa Barbara Co. A constant watch was set up to monitor the AC3’s behavior. It became evident that she was very ill. After several attempts, she was run down, captured and taken to San Diego Zoo where she was found to be suffering from severe lead poisoning. Despite a major effort by zoo personnel, AC3 died on Jan. 18, 1986. This was the end of the five original nesting pairs found by the biologists of the CRC. AC3’s death also ended the discussion about whether to trap all remaining condors for captive breeding or to leave a few wild birds out to be mentors to released captive bred condors.

AC3’s death also ended the discussion about whether to trap all remaining condors for captive breeding or to leave a few wild birds out to be mentors to released captive bred condors. The order went out to trap all remaining condors and any hope for a surviving wild population vanished. AC2 was captured in December 1986 on Hudson Ranch. By the time all the birds were taken into captivity, we had learned that the nesting area for AC2/AC3 covered about 64 square miles of the Sisquoc, Santa Cruz, Mono and Indian watersheds. Access to the area was either by the Big Pine Administrative Road or by way of the Pie Canyon Jeepway through Potrero Seco. Thus the pair could fly from a nest site on West Big Pine to Don Victor Valley in about 20 minutes and it would take a single observer about 6 to 7 hours to cover the same ground.

Read More

MCAS in Audubopn Magazine

Howdy folks,
The current issue of Audubon Magazine features this article on the MCAS and Hi Mountain Lookout.I pasted the text below, or you can follow this link to the story…..
Paul

http://magazine.audubon.org/fieldnotes/fieldnotes0509.html#Chapter

Chapter Spotlight
On the Lookout

It was on an early spring day last year that Steve
Schubert of the Morro Coast Audubon Society set off
with colleagues and family members into central
California’s Santa Lucia Wilderness Area. Clearing the
trail of brush and poison oak as they went along, they
made their way past a pair of nesting prairie falcons
into Hi Valley, then up to an observation point to
view a known peregrine aerie in the cliffs across an
intervening canyon. Schubert scanned the cliffs with
his binoculars. “I found myself saying, ‘Oh, my God,
there is a condor in a cave!’ ” he recalled. The bird,
Condor B168—identified by the numbers on its wing tag
and by telephoto lens and videotaping—is an
eight-year-old male that had been released by the
Ventana Wilderness Society.

The history of Morro Coast Audubon, chartered in 1967,
is spiced with tales of service and adventure.
Schubert (above), an environmental educator who joined
the chapter more than 30 years ago, when he was a
biology major in college, is a past chapter president.
He and Kevin Cooper of the U.S. Forest Service are
cofounders of the Hi Mountain Condor Lookout Project,
which now involves several agencies and institutions
in tracking the wide-ranging condors. Here, in the
Santa Lucia wilderness, the chapter is repeating its
pioneering work in identifying vital bird habitat and
helping reestablish endangered species.

The best known of Morro Coast Audubon’s projects is
its long-running peregrine nest watch. By the 1960s
the falcons’ population had crashed in the United
States, their eggshells thinned by DDT residues.
Biologists then knew of only two nesting pairs on the
California coast, one of them in a pothole cave on
Morro Rock, an eroded volcanic neck emerging from the
sea off the small city of Morro Bay, about 200 miles
up the coast from Los Angeles.

In 1967 chapter volunteers began monitoring the nest
around the clock. The nest guards returned, along with
the falcons, year after year, resulting in much
behavioral data and the occasional arrest of poachers
scaling the rock with climbing equipment. For a time
during the late 1970s and early 1980s the California
Department of Fish and Game paid for a full-time
warden. But as nest failures threatened the continuing
existence of the aerie, chapter volunteers cooperated
with the Peregrine Fund in various projects to
stimulate peregrine reproduction on the rock,
including the placement of captive-bred chicks in the
nest. Falcons that had fledged at Morro Rock spread
across California, helping to rebuild the state’s
once-decimated population, now estimated at more than
250 breeding pairs.

“The falcon pair at Morro Rock successfully hatched,
reared, and fledged two young in 1993, the first
nesting attempt there without human intervention in 16
years,” Schubert says proudly. “Last year there were
two active aeries on the rock. Each fledged
young—noteworthy because in California peregrines
don’t usually tolerate another peregrine nesting pair
nearby.”

— By Frank Graham Jr.

Read More

Lookout News

Hi all

Over this past weekend, Julie, Emily and I went to visit the condors and condor crew up in Ventana. We had an incredible time! First of all… Big thanks to Jim, who spent three days with us, showing us everything, Jess, Sayre, and James. You all were awesome! I look forward to working with you all

again some time! Jim took us out along the coast to track some birds. We got to see some condors feeding at one of the feed sites on a hill and saw bird #164 at one of the coves. Later in the day, we drove out to the base camp in the Ventana backcountry to stay two nights. The backcountry was absolutely gorgeous! We saw bobcat run along the road and some incredible views of the coastline. Our time at base camp was filled with some work and a whole lot of fun. Yes, the work was fun! Jim let us help take… um, condor food… down to a feeding site. More fun than it sounds, really. We also helped paint the base camp cabin in leafy camoflauge. Unfortunatley, there were no birds around the cabin, but we had a great time anyway!

We came back from our Big Sur excursion on Sunday afternoon. On Monday morning, Julie and I were at the lookout bright and early. It was surprisingly cool and cloudy, with a little bit of rain! Julie and I tracked several Ventana birds that had been visiting Hopper as they moved north. It was quite exciting to get some strong 360 degree signals (but no visuals) from some of the birds.

Good times all around this week! Have a great one everybody!

~Jamie Miller

Hi Mountain Intern

Read More