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2010–1999 Video Condor Milestones Release Life History Cool Facts Lead Exposure
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Condor Reintroduction Notes from the Field
November/December 2011
John Muir once wrote that storms and other ecological disturbance events are nature's way of redistributing beauty. This is a reminder that the endangered giant scavengers we work so hard to protect are members of living communities that flourish in dynamic, regenerative systems; a fire and a wind storm work together in cycles over multiple years to renew and transform a landscape from habitat to habitat, from one form of beauty to another. Working in Big Sur we've grown accustom to these dynamic patterns of giving and taking. We accept ebb and flow as a natural part of the ever shifting and rugged coastal landscape that makes this part of Condor Country special. However, these last months of 2011 have been months of giving and taking on a scale that the Big Sur Condor Program has never experienced before. Standing in its wake we are both awed and perplexed as one form of beauty shifts into another interpreting the dance of life and death that Condors need for survival. Until now, the giving and taking of life that is so essential for a thriving scavenger community has never included the taking of a biologist so dedicated to protecting and restoring Condors. Early in November our staff flew east to track 499 who had been missing for several days. Our last sighting of her was releasing her of her mentoring duties in the flight pen and she flew straight east to Pinnacles. We ended up locating a mortality signal for her from the plane and a few days later Pinnacles biologists found that she had died on a remote ranch. Not long afterwards, in a twist of giving, 566 was bold enough to take his first steps to freedom from the flight pen where 499 had mentored him and his three other young companions. 566 was released by Mike Tyner less than 12 hours before the wind storm picked up that took his life. During that short period after the release Mike was elated. He was engulfed in joy in our last sight of him - laughing and happy on his ATV - and it was a kind of release all its own; a release from mentoring, a release from the uphill battle of conservation that he so passionately invested in. Mike gave his life to help endangered species flourish and his life is a reminder that we can all play a part in devoting ourselves to making the world a healthier and more beautiful place. Releasing a young condor into the wild was not only Mike's last act of service to our earth community, it was an act that captured the essence of Mike's legacy - one that will go on indefinitely. With everyone's help Condors will continue to have a chance at fulfilling their purpose as a tribute to Mike in the way he fulfilled his purpose as a tribute to them. In other news, in early November we celebrated the end of our hard work with PG &E that buried three miles of power line in Big Sur that was responsible for taking the lives of three Condors we had released in years prior. Other than lead, this was the main source of Condor mortality for the first decade of the project. It was a long awaited celebration and an unprecedented investment in wildlife conservation by Pacific Gas and Electric.
The unusually warm weather from November continued into December. This has been the driest December on record for Monterey County and one of the driest winters in California history. We are all waiting for rain and there is talk of another draught on the lips of most locals. This seems to have sped things up a bit for breeding Condors. San Diego Wild Animal Park had its earliest Condor egg on record with an egg laid just before Christmas! Here in The Sur several pairs have been seen displaying and 222 and 251 were seen successfully copulating before the year's end. In the meantime, we have released another young Condor (569). It seems inevitable that 2012 will bring new life. Mike Tyner~ 1976-2011~ Rest in Peace Vulture, By Robinson Jeffers I had walked since dawn and lay down to rest on a bare hillside
October 2011
The end of October brought with it the end of our fall trap up season. The effort went smoothly as the field crew found its groove. Ultimately, we were able to successfully treat the condors that came through with lead poisoning and observe some hopeful trends within our Central California Condor flock. September and October have historically been the months when Big Sur's condors have had the highest levels of lead in their bloodstream. This was likely due to the use of lead ammunition for deer hunting in that time of year. Since the lead ammunition ban of 2007 this trend may be changing. This year we observed higher blood lead levels during our spring trap up than in the fall. Additionally, more birds were treated at the LA Zoo for high lead exposure earlier in the year. We are happy to see some positive steps being made in the realm of condor conservation and hope that the threat of lead poisoning continues to lessen for this flock. We are thankful to the recreational hunting community for their cooperation. The four pre-release chicks (559, 566, 569, and 583) have been adapting well to their surroundings and the social hierarchy of the free-flying flock. The chicks had the equivalent of a speed dating opportunity this month as many of the wild birds spent some time with them in the flight pen. They appear to be eating very well and learning their place at the bottom of the condor totem pole. These four young ones will be released following the imminent completion of PG&E's removal of the Anderson Peak overhead power line. This important project will reduce the risk of electrocutions for condors and eagles. Our field crew has been monitoring construction efforts daily and working with helicopter pilots to ensure equipment and condor safety. We are excited to see such an effort made on behalf of endangered wildlife and look forward to introducing our chicks to the slopes of the Central California Coast. Eventually, it appeared as though the Condors were fed up with our antics during trap up. At the end of this month most of our Big Sur birds headed east to spend some time around Pinnacles National Monument. Among those few who stayed behind was our ever-determined female 306. Only she remained in 251 and 222's territory. We may have a trio on our hands once again next breeding season, but recently, 222's old mate, 204, has been showing interest in a nearby canyon and possibly setting up a new territory, maybe 222 will join him, but it's still too early to say. It has been a clear, sunny October which will be missed as the cold of November begins to set in. We will, however, take a collective sigh of relief when the fire season officially comes to an end. Until next time,
September 2011
Fall bird migration has started at Andrew Molera State Park, so that means fall trap-up is now in full swing for the central coast condor flock. The condors know the game and without hesitation the bulk of the flock became somewhat aloof once we started trapping. Although we have managed to trap more than half of the birds, it has been difficult to lure them back. Thus far we are fortunate to report that only two representatives trapped needed to be sent to the LA Zoo for lead exposure treatment: condors 242 and 251. We were quite surprised that these Big Sur locals were lead stricken since both regularly feed at our release site. Meanwhile, as the vitality of our four pre-release chicks continues to increase, adult female condor 222 is assisting 499 with mentor duties in the flight pen while her wild mate, 251, is away. Since the Basin Complex fire of 2008 a sea of chaparral and ceanothus has engulfed the charred grounds around basecamp and the release slope trail has melted back into the earth from all the fallen trees and branch blow-downs. After two days of sweating it under the hot sun, among soaring condors and clouds of flies, we cleared a significant firebreak in the seemingly impenetrable chaparral and we completed a massive facelift on the release slope trail- laying over 30 steps. Big thanks to Santa Barbara Zoo crew! You made a real difference for the safety and efficiency of the work we do to keep condors flying high in Big Sur! Also this month, VWS brought on intern Erin Brannon to replace the excellent work Alison Nevins did for us while completing her internship on the condor crew. Alison's positive outlook and "ready to work anywhere at anytime" mentality was an invaluable contribution and she will be missed. Good luck Allison! So that about does it for yet another beautiful September in Big Sur. Keep an eye out for the big birds (and us!) along the coast…until next month.
August 2011
"Silent, inaudible, invisible flow. The very mountains flowing to the sea. The great heart of the hills sending its life down in streams. Mountains die that we may live." These words of John Muir depicting earthy cycles could have easily been written to describe Big Sur and its interwoven rhythms of beginnings and endings in the heart of Condor Country. This month brought the end of another nest and the beginning of four new condors to Big Sur. During the first week our crew went to Pinnacles National Monument to assist with a 60 day nest entry only to find an injured chick inside. 317 and 318 were not long in abandoning the nest after the crew lifted the chick with a broken wing to get the medical help it needed to survive. Now, thanks to the specialized expertise of the LA Zoo the chick has a promising future. Big Sur has welcomed stud book numbers 559 (M), 566 (M), 569 (F) and 583 (F) all of whom hatched in April of last year at the Los Angeles Zoo, except 583 who hatched in May at the World Center for Birds of Prey. Our first wild fledged chick of the flock, 444, is currently serving as mentor for these younglings, but with fall trap-up just over the horizon "Ventana" could likely find herself replaced with an older bird.
Our own wild flock continues to grow and change as well. Congratulations to Zeka Kuspa who recently joined our crew as our newest intern. Zeka's help comes at a perfect time as our trap up season gets started.
July 2011
Aldo Leopold once stated, "A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise." If this is nature's axiom, we have done something right because things have been very stable and routine in Big Sur condor country this month. All birds were accounted for this month and we are still waiting to see if they find the washed up whale carcass on Big Sur's south coast. Department of Fish and Game announced that rifle-hunting season for black-tailed deer in central California opens mid August. We ask all hunters to use the required non-lead ammunition when hunting in the condor range and help protect all wildlife from the dangers of lead poisoning. We will begin capturing condors for lead checks in late August, two weeks after deer hunting season opens. In other news we would like to wish a fond fair well and happy travels to one of our most popular interns, Katie Lannon. In additional to her internship in the condor program, Katie worked for VWS in multiple capacities over the last five years. Her knowledge of the Central Coast and both its human and wildlife communities complimented her ability to conduct field biology and education exceptionally well. We will miss her infectious smile and positive presence- Good luck Katie!
June 2011
June came in with a bang and went out on the same note this year! This month Condor Country along the coast got an unexpected winter storm watch early on. Coincidently, Mother Nature brewed up a cyclone over the ocean and decided to dump it over Big Sur the same weekend we had planned our annual fundraising event- Wings Over the World. Instead of using the catering tents as a sun block, we used them as umbrellas that nearly blew over! Guests braved the gusts and penetrated the deluge to show their support of the free-flying flock. Given the circumstances, we had a great turn-out and the episode created warm memories by the fireplace inside the ranch house. With the extra water late this year, we have had golden staircases of deer weed climbing the mountains under still verdant potreros above. Getting out of the truck on back country roads the sumptuous smell of nearly knocks you over- not to mention all the Lupine, Monkey Flower, Indian Paintbrush, Penstemon and other insect loving plants in bloom. The hills are a constant buzz. The summer solstice finally ushered in more consistently dryer and hot weather. Meanwhile, at the end of the month five young Condors made an exploratory trip visiting an excited community just east of San Jose at Mount Hamilton. To read about this historic account click here. Lastly, a cheerful crowd of tourists watched several Condors as they discovered and fed on another California sea lion that washed up from the crashing surf below highway 1 south of Grimes Point. Recently a crew member also spotted a Humpback whale washed ashore! Stay tuned for more Condor adventures next month- here's hope for the birds! May 2011
The weather for May has been pretty normal, warm and sunny with only a few late showers. The condors are out flying around enjoying the warm weather as the weeks pass by. The wild flowers continue to bloom covering the land with bright and beautiful colors. But as the weather gets warmer you can see the grass slowly turn from a bright, peaceful green to the typical brown of summer. The song birds continue to flood in and you can hear the chorus of their different songs all along the coast. As the nesting season comes to a close we are happy to report that out of five nest attempts we had one successful chick #603 (#251 & 222). The 30-day check showed low lead levels and the chick's West Nile vaccination. We are very happy that it is doing well and we look forward to see him out and flying with his parents. We hope his health continues to remain good and we still see the parents switching off in the care of their chick. With the ending of the nesting season we look forward to next year and hope that we can have a few more successful and happy stories such as #603. The spring "trap-up" is going well and is coming to a close. We have only a handful of birds left to catch in the flock and we are hoping to continue with the successful trapping. So far this spring we've only had a handful of birds that had to be taken to the zoo for high lead, and a few that were treated on the spot. Since many of our birds have come in relatively free of lead it has been a happy "Trap-up" and we hope the trend continues. We will have to keep our fingers crossed that the rest of the birds in our flock come in with low lead as well. We continue to monitor the health of the population through daily tracking on the coast and up at our base camp. The condors have been getting regular feedings that are free of lead up at our release site and we are happy to report that most of the flock has been spending most of their time there. As summer begins to arrive we look forward to a healthy and happy flock.
April 2011
Spring has sprung and it is high time to get out and do some condor viewing! Since the March road closure, our regular Condor Viewing Tours have been halted but we are back in action and so are the birds. Highway 1 re-opened from Big Sur to Carmel mid-month, and the spring winds have been providing a giant playground in the sky for the birds to stretch out their huge wings. Despite the excitement of some early April snow, and the predictable April showers, the weather and local environs are shaping up to be downright dreamy! There's a bounty of migrating songbirds, a respectable showing of petite and vivid wildflowers, and fuzzy, young deer everywhere...what spring was made for. Let us not forget baby condors too. In Big Sur, on April 9th, our first captive-bred condor egg hatched into bald-headed, scruffy and fluffy, white-downed chick, aka studbook # 603. Basically at this point #603's only resemblance to his/her parents (#251 & 222) is a naked head sporting a large beak and the fleshy protrusion of a crop from the sternum. Still actively brooding their little one, the parents maintain the classic "switchout" behavior they have been displaying since the original egg was laid in the wild nest in February. Mom and Dad take turns showing up at feedings to gorge and take home food for the chick, kind of like a revolving door. This behavior allows us to remotely monitor the family's health from a safe and unobtrusive distance. On a down note, we lost a foster chick shortly after it hatched with wild pair 168 and 208. We found the chick dead below the nest tree on April 30th and the cause of death is currently unknown. The hatching process is extremely precarious for any bird and many things can go wrong in the final stages. This may have been the case here, but until we know more about the cause of death, we can only speculate to what may have happened. We can only express how sorry we are for this pair's loss…there's always next year. We still have one pair that will be receiving a foster chick in early May, so 2011 will still be a very reproductive year for the Big Sur flock. Health monitoring is the dominating focus of our daily operations. Next month we will be physically checking chicks at the nest sites to vaccinate for West Nile Virus and to monitor their lead exposure levels. This month we began our annual spring "trap-up" where we aim to capture each wild condor in order to test for blood lead levels, give a physical check-up, and replace damaged wing ID tags and radio transmitters. We had a very successful first handling day of the season with VWS staff, Pinnacles staff, and a veterinarian from the Oakland Zoo participating. Everyone involved was pleasantly surprised to see that not a single one of the ten birds processed had blood lead levels near the dangerous field test level of 0.25 parts per million (ppm). None of the birds even came close. In fact, veterans of the Condor Recovery Program came to consensus that they had never before left a processing day feeling this positive, but we all know that can change very quickly, so we will proceed with caution through the rest of the trapping season. For more information on the issue of lead exposure in California Condors click here. In the coming weeks we will be spending long days in the blind luring these curious and hungry birds into our trap until we check every last one of our Central California flock. Wish us luck and low lead scores...The Condor Crew March 2011
March has had its fair share of madness for all who dwell in Big Sur. Here with the Condor Crew we've managed to keep field operations running as usual through this bizarre month of road closures and extreme weather, but not without a bit of sacrifice and extra driving. On March 16th a section of Highway 1 north of Bixby Bridge collapsed, resulting in a hard closure of the roadway, and rendering us southbound for all goods and services until further notice. Basically three extra driving hours were just added to a simple trip to the grocery store, until a hopeful mid-late April single lane opening. Subsequent multiple day closures of the road to the south have periodically left us as an island with no road out or, at best, with one long, windy way out. Field crew leader, Mike Tyner, and the entire VWS staff (with the exception of two intrepid interns!) live north of the slide out. This means that all who intend to come join our condor party are now obligated to a near circumnavigation or bisectional traverse of the Santa Lucia Mountains. With a two week rain total of nearly 20 inches at the end of this month, our beloved coastline reminds us daily of just how dynamic she really is… by way of falling rocks, that is. Throughout all of our crazy weather and re-routing, this month has been riveting on the condor front as well. The trio trouble has been solved. Last month we updated you on 306 and her interest in breeding pair 251/222. This month we are here to tell you she will not be interfering with their breeding success. She has been captured at our condor sanctuary and soon will be transferred home to Pinnacles National Monument, where she will keep other captive birds company and think about what she's done…kind of like bird time-out. She'll remain captive until the chick, coming in April, is hatched and imprinted on its foster parents 251 and 222. A trio instance in Southern California years ago led to a bad end for the offspring, and we're trying to avoid a repeat. Until Next time…The (isolated) Condor Crew
February 2011
In the realm of condor observation, February is a narrowly focused month with all eyes on breeding behavior. We are interested to see new pairs forming and successful breeding pairs persisting. So far 2011 has not shown us any hopeful new pairings, but we do have exciting news to report on a few of our breeding pairs. In other pair news, we have some seasoned veterans of backcountry-nesting at it again. The coming months will surely keep us fit while we search to find the two possible nest locations, and hike out to observe these nests through the spring. The Pinnacles Condor Crew has confirmed two nests involving Big Sur and Pinnacles birds. And on top of all of this, there is still potential for a couple more nests in Big Sur! The slippery, fallen-tree road conditions prevented our dear Sayre Flannagan from one last nostalgic work-visit to base camp before moving away. That means she'll just have to come back and visit us and the birds in better weather! Ventana Wildlife Society, colleagues throughout the California Condor Recovery Program, and the community of Big Sur will all sorely miss that great smile and all of her passion for condors and conservation. Sayre has been an important liaison between the scientific community and the community at-large in Big Sur. She has inspired others to contribute, trained and mentored dozens of budding biologists, and dedicated her heart and spare time to this project. We wish her well with her professional development studying Spotted Owls in Oregon, and we thank her for her seven years of service at VWS. Until next month…The Condor Crew January 2011
The condor breeding season is in full swing as Valentine's Day approaches – the condor sanctuary has become a confusing jumble of activity, and so have our behavioral observation notes! When many condors congregate at our supplemental feeding site it can be challenging to record all events as they unfold, with feeding, soaring, socializing, displaying and copulation often happening simultaneously on different parts of the slope. While our established pairs are displaying many times a day, sexually mature condor #242 has been playing the field, displaying to many females both single and paired, throwing an extra wrench of unpredictability into our observation sessions. Paying close attention to the frequency and duration of copulations is essential at this time of year; using this data, VWS biologists can pinpoint the date of egg-laying and precisely time nest entries to determine egg viability at the earliest possible juncture. Our crew is still hopeful this year that #298, an unpaired but sexually mature female, will catch the eye of aforementioned "bachelor-seeking-fun-loving-carrion-eater" #242. Perhaps this month's biggest victory was the capture and radio tagging of Big Sur's youngest condor, #567. Arriving for the first time at the condor sanctuary on January 14th, he finally joined his peers to feed, socialize with, and integrate with the rest of the flock. His arrival prompted field crews to excitedly man the blind in an effort to trap this very important youngster and, after days of close calls and frustrating no-shows, he finally decided to brave the trap and was captured on January 24th. His extremely careful and expeditious handling revealed a strong and healthy fledgling with low lead levels and a calm disposition. Not surprisingly, our signal detections this past week have indicated #567 frequenting his home canyon almost exclusively. It is typical for fledglings to expand their individual ranges slowly and cautiously but next month we hope that #567's will work up the courage to venture north and discover some of the excellent condor hang-out spots between Point Sur and Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. In other important news, Ventana Wildlife Society awarded Veterinarian/volunteer, Dr. Amy Wells, for her 5+ years of caring for sick and injured condors. She has been able to treat condors locally in her clinic in Monterey, saving many of these birds from the stress of traveling 6 hours to the LA Zoo for treatment. The Condor Crew would like to extend extreme gratitude to Amy for all her help and assistance- Thank you, Amy! Archived Condor field notes dating back to 1999
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