Field notes, v1400
Page 453
Image from the Biodiversity Heritage Library. Contributed by Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley. | www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Transcription
Gymnogyps californianus May 3, 1946 Nr. Famoso, Calif. Car about 200 yds. from these birds & may have disturbed them. 11:13, I counted 13 -'adults 1 min. were still at the near squirrel hole & 5+ were with buzzards 2+miles to E. The min. took off galloping with both feet nearly simultaneously & flapping 15 times, then flap-glided 300+yds. & alighted near 2 buzzards. The adult followed and landed about 100' from min.. At 11:18 the 2 buzzards flew off. The adult pulled at the squirrel with bill sev- eral times, holding it down with 1 or both feet. The 2 buzzards stood 10+ behind adult, quietly. At 11:27 the min. still stood quietly on the slope 100' from adult. The location of these birds was 8 miles E. & 2 miles N. of Famoso. Another condor - a near adult - stood 100+yds. to S. of my car, its neck bulging & "crop" skin just showing, standing & looking about. The min. had pink color ventrally on neck above ruff. 11:32 The feed- ing adult took off about 11:28 & by 11:30 there were 5 buzz ards standing at that spot. 11:32, there were 7 soaring very slowly about 1 mile to E., one with feet down at 400+ altitude. These birds were in flat-gliding position leading NW into the wind as if "tacking". 11:34, the nearly perched condors & buzzards took off & circled together, rising. Two buzzards remained perched 1/4+mile N. of me, & at 11:38 an adult spiraled in and landed 10+ from the buzzards. The buzzards