California Condor field notes, v1401
Page 27
Image from the Biodiversity Heritage Library. Contributed by Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley. | www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Transcription
Gymnogyps californianus June 5, 1946 Whiteacre Pk., Calif. circled again, then soared ¼+ mile S.W., rising. The Two soared over me (200±') at 11:30. One had puffed cheeks - perched & in air - and thus resembled one which nested on N. side of Whiteacre Pk. before. The other carried feet down. One had #6 right and #7 left primaries short. Neither was the 5:15 bird of yesterday. They dove off to NE about 11:35. Slept 9/10 circa 4 min. stratus; fair S. breeze. I continued on to the old nest on S. N. side of Whiteacre Pk. near the trail, arriving 12:10. This nest cave showed no sign of recent condor use. Returned then to summit of trail arriving at 12:45. I found on the open rocks there the remains of a coyote which Sid Beyton had removed from one of Norman Keene's traps earlier this year, & next to the carcass under a stone I found one fresh condor alula feather. The spine from occiput to next to distal tail vertebra was in one piece, ribs & pelvis attached. A few tips of small ribs were broken but most intact. Both hind legs still articulated with pelvis but were skinned out & flesh eaten halfway down the shin. One foreleg was inside bone ward pulled out of shin to just forward of elbow. The other was separate from carcass & free of flesh & hide to the toenails. Both had all bones present attached still. The bill was inside out & had 1 twist.