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Transcription
Notice
Pacific Standard time goes into use with this Page. e.m.
California Condor Eben McMillan 28 October 1963
A pall of smog engulfed the San Joaquin Valley to an elevation enabling
it to flow, and ebb, from the valley to the Los Angeles Basin, and Antelope Valley
of southeastern Kern County, through Pastoria Canyon. I arrived at
the San Emigdio Ranch at 8:10 a.m. After obtaining a key for gate locks,
on this ranch, I drove west from the ranch buildings. An adult Golden
Eagle flew from a perch on the top of an electric power pole, and flew
one quarter mile south and alighted on another power pole, that stands
less than two hundred yards from the nearest house of the headquarters
buildings of San Emigdio Ranch. This instance points up that promiscuous
shooting must not be of common occurrence on this property.
Green grass has a very good start here on the San Emigdio Ranch. Even out
on the flats of the valley floor, it has a fine start, and higher up in mountains
it is doubtful that the new grass has looked this good for many years. A good
ground cover of old grasses is helping hold the moisture in the ground from the
last rains. Walter [illegible] San Emigdio foreman, told me that more than two and
one half inches of rain had already fallen this fall. This situation should rains
continue, [illegible], could minimize condor food in this area. The
Tajón Ranch feed situation is very similar to that of San Emigdio.
At the mouth of Santiago Canyon, on the western edge of San Emigdio
lands, I heard a Golden Eagle calling from the foothills but could not see it.
Several Red-Tailed Hawks and as many Marsh Hawks were seen along the edge of
the foothills.
Returning to Ranch headquarters at 9:30 a.m. I drove up ridge that separates
San Emigdio Canyon from the Plaíto Canyon watershed. The north slope of the
general mountain mass that confronts the San Joaquin Valley, backed on the
southland is represented to a great degree by San Emigdio's Ranch holdings, is
one of the largest areas of steep, rich, grassland in California. Most of these