Field notes, v1400
Page 471
Image from the Biodiversity Heritage Library. Contributed by Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley. | www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Transcription
Gymnogyps californianus May 4, 1946 Nr. Famoso, Calif. to SW at 9:45 a group of 10 (+1 buzzard) milled about 1 1/2 miles E. of me at 200-800' altitude. The group broke up within a minute, several birds straggling back to NE at a time, & all strung out for about 1 1/2 mile at 9:47. Counted 11 at 9:50 - along the power line area toward Blue Mtn. from me. Twice briefly this morning I saw one condor chase another, both banking sharply with wings strongly flexed, & at least once attacker had feet down. 9:57, 6 were over the power line area in Blue Mtn. direction, & X + 3 in a circling group 1 mile E. of me, 2 or 3 others scattered about 2 miles E. of me. All seemed to B-line toward a spot about 3 miles ESE of me where buzzards & condors were milling - at least 5 condors there at 10:02, some dipping out of sight in the hills. I saw one con- dor apparently land just out of sight in that area - about 1/4 mile E. of the power line - at 10:07, then no activity at that spot. I scanned the horizon but found no condors. At 10:15 I saw one land atop the hummock behind which the 10:07 bird disappeared, then I saw at least one other perched there & another about 100yds. to E. across a dip. One bird from hummock flew across the dip & landed by other - a few seconds dlater one of those (same I believe) flew out of sight behind the hummock, & the other took off at 10:24. I then saw 3 and 5 + buzzards circling over the