For the condor lover, there wasn't
much that could beat an August weekend on top of 8,831-feet high
Mt. Pinos. There could be 100 or more people on the flat, open
summit at one time, coming from all over the world to get a glimpse
of one of the world's most endangered birds. Some were first timers,
trying to add the species to their "life lists" or just
wanting to see one while there were still some to see. Some were
old pros, who came to Mt. Pinos year after year, and sometimes
week after week, for one more look. Some came with organized groups
for their annual visit, others were on their own. Where better
to be, under warm blue California skies amid tall yellow pines,
overlooking hundreds of thousands of acres of rugged mountains,
with the flat farmlands of the San Joaquin Valley stretching out
far to the north - and with almost a guarantee of seeing at least
one condor if you were patient and stayed long enough?
My clinical field notes can't really do justice to the experience.
They can't show you the sunburns, the funny hats and dark glasses,
the binoculars, the spotting scopes, and the field guides. They
don't record all the interactions between the condor watchers:
the talk about condors and about condor conservation, but also
the sharing of other birding and adventure stories, the pleasure
of seeing old friends for the first time that year, and the pleasure
of meeting and making new friends. They don't describe what happened
when someone yelled "condor," and in mere seconds people
awoke from naps, quit conversations in the middle, abandoned lunches,
and gathered in a group, all eyes and all binoculars intently
trained in a single direction, scanning the skies. They can't
recreate the excitement of seeing a condor for the first time
(even when it's a mere speck three miles out over the valley),
or of seeing one for the fiftieth time, but having it land in
a tree only 100 feet away. But, inadequate as they are, maybe
the following notes can serve as a frame within which your own
imagination can paint a picture of "how it was."
Saturday 22 August 1970 - With family,
left Ojai 0700 ("military time," 24-hour clock),
drove to Mt. Pinos; on summit and watching condors from 0930 to
1830. It was an official field trip day for Monterey Peninsula
Audubon Society, others there from San Bernardino Audubon, Santa
Barbara Audubon, and many "freelancers."
1000 - 3 adult condors circling up over Sawmill Mtn., moved south,
then SE out of sight toward Frazier Park.
1020 - 2 adult condors came from SE up canyon between Pinos and
Sawmill, circled, then moved back low to SE.
1027 - 3rd adult high over summit of Pinos, moving east.
1030 - all three condors out of sight. (Probably all my records
so far were of the same 3 birds. Other observers had 1 adult condor
roosting in Pinos-Sawmill saddle while the other 3 were circling,
so at least 4 separate birds, so far..)
1130-1135 - 1 adult condor came from low on S side of Sawmill;
circled out toward Mt. Abel.
1138 - 2 adults from S side of Sawmill - moved low through Pinos-Sawmill
saddle, dropped low toward Mill Potrero and E out of sight 1140.
1220 - 1 adult from south, right over summit of Pinos, and on
down toward Mill Potrero.
1221 - l immature condor (dark head, thin line of white under
wings) came from S directly over us at 50 ft., moved on toward
Mill Potrero 1223.
1340 - 1 adult circling close N of us, then in and out of the
Pinos-Sawmill saddle. 1355 - it perched on top of a living pine
in saddle; some preening; took off NE downslope at 1410. (About
25 people watching it during this time, from only 150 ft. away.)
1430 - 1 adult (possibly same one) in same area - up briefly,
then out of sight.
1457 - 1 adult from NE, down through Pinos-Sawmill saddle, then
off to SE, gaining elevation. 1500 - adult still in sight; l juvenal
("black spot" phase) down in Pinos-Sawmill saddle -
much darker and with more pronounced dark spot in underwing than
earlier immature. Circled up out of saddle, headed due west over
Sawmill at 1507. Had lost track of the adult at 1505.
1720 (now watching from the microwave station on the north ridge
of Mt. Pinos) - 1 adult came up on west side of north ridge, moved
SE behind ridge at 1722.
1734 - 1 immature (very dark head, very dark on top of wings,
some white on underwings but not sure how much) out over north
ridge. Moved to SE, then back down in steep flex glide toward
Mill Potrero at 1745.
1743 - 2 unclassified condors over north ridge, going very high;
quickly lost track of them.
Stayed on the summit until 1830, but no more activity. In to Bakersfield
for the night.
Sunday 23 August 1970 - Left Bakersfield
0800, on summit of Mt. Pinos at 0915. Organized group from Los
Angeles Audubon (Larry Sansone, leader) already there. They had
seen 2 adults and 1 immature north of Pinos before we arrived.
Besides L. A. Audubon, Santa Barbara Audubon had a field trip
today; also lots of unattached birders.
0950 - 1 adult over San Emigdio Peak; moved up over Sawmill, then
right on around in a wide circle, off toward Frazier Park 0957.
1255 - 1 adult and 1 unclassified going into saddle between Sawmill
and Grouse (seen by Nelson Metcalf).
1350-1355 - 1 adult condor came from east, down low over Grouse,
then gained elevation back to the east.
1400-1415 - 1 unclassified (probably the 1350 bird) up over Grouse;
went far to east, then back; lost it in the haze far east of San
Emigdio Peak.
On summit until 1630, but no more activity. Returned to Ojai.