California Condor Eben McMillan 29 June 1963 Left home at 7:30 A.M. in the hopes of getting to the La Panza-San Juan River area early enough to catch the condors coming down the San Juan Valley from the Bear- Trap Rocks if this is where they are staying. I met Pedro who was watching his flock about 1/2 mile below La Panza Bridge on the San Juan River. He had lost no sheep of late nor had he seen Condor about. He told me of the plans of the Sheepman to come and dock the tails of the lambs on the river as well as castoriate the young bucks. Pedro thought this would be done this afternoon or tomorrow and that there was a good chance some of the lambs would die from loss of blood or infection. He thought it a good chance that Condor would come in to feed should any of the lambs expire. I climbed to the top of the pointed hill that is located 1/2 mile south of La Panza Bridge and on the west side of the river and from where I had a commanding view of all the surrounding country. During the course of my stay on this hill a brisk breeze was blowing from the East. Turkey Buzzards came by where a sat at intervals seeming to come in groups, for when one Buzzard would swing by to investigate me, others would also be along shortly. Their flights, on this hilltop, were very erratic due to the updrafts of the brisk wind as it passed over the top of this hill. Two Young prairie Falcon remained about the top of this hill, playing with one another on the wing and screaming or begging. Raven also came and went, swinging in enroute to look me over. At 12:45 P.M. I saw a Condor at a distance of about three miles away circling just above the top of Navajo Ridge out to the west of Swallow Rock. This Condor circled a few times just above the ridge-top then seemed to hit an updraft of air that carried it to a great height in the matter of only 2 or 3 minutes and during the course of 5 or 6 circles. From this good height this Condor too far away to identify as to age or—