Image from the Biodiversity Heritage Library.
Contributed by Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley.
| www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Transcription
California Condor
Eben McMillan
18 February 1964
Both these adult Condor remained circling above sulphur Creek
for some time. Neither came close enough for me to identify them
by missing feathers. An adult golden eagle stooped at one of
these Condor and drove it close to the hillside on the brush
Covered, North, face of Sulphur Canyon. This eagle continued to
drive at this Condor until it left Sulphur Canyon and flew out of
sight around the east face of Sulphur creek at 12:35 P.M. The
other adult Condor soon followed, heading up Hopper Canyon.
Three Golden Eagle were circling above the east top of Hopper
Mountain at 12:39 P.M. Except for brief periods of time during the
day, Red-tailed hawk and Golden Eagle could be seen flying
somewhere in the area. The red-tailed-hawks were all immatures.
I saw at least two adult golden eagle and at least as many
immature eagles. One of the immature Golden Eagles was
undoubtedly a specimen that had been here for some time and
had been seen on other occasions. It has long white stripes
under the outer wings and the tail is very white.
At 3:56 P.M. an immature Condor came out eastward over the
top of Hopper Mountain. It moved on eastward, then northeastward
over North Sulphur Creek ridge and went out of sight behind
this ridge momentarily before returning again to area above
Hopper Mountain where it sat on the wind, that was blowing strongly
from the east, until 4:06 P.M. when it flew out of sight through
North Sulphur Creek pass at 4:08 P.M. During the twelve minutes
this bird was in the area it made only three complete circles.
Otherwise it faced into the wind continually, drifting backwards,
forward or side-slipping to one side or another, or lowering-