Condor Nestlings Growing Up Fast!

This spring in Big Sur we have two active condor nests on the coast and two inland. Both coastal chicks hatched at the end of April, and both are in the tops of ancient, burned redwood trees.

The first to hatch on the coast was chick number 842. This chick was born to a trio of birds – Female 534, managed by Pinnacles National Park, and males 204 “Amigo”, and 470 “Fuego”. Only time - and a blood test - will tell which bird is the father. All three birds share incubating and chick rearing duties – with three parents we hope this chick will thrive! 842’s redwood home is nestled in a grove high above the Big Sur coast, and the inside of the nest is not visible. However, based on the attentive behavior of the parents, we suspect that this chick is doing well.

Nestling 838 in the redwood nest cavity (lower center)
with Mom (Condor 418) perched above

Our other 2016 nestling is number 838, born to parents 351 and 418, both birds released by Pinnacles National Park that have relocated and lived in Big Sur for years. This nest, luckily, is one we can peak into using a scope. It’s a steep, brushy hike, but from the right vantage point we can see little 838 flapping his wings, playing with sticks, and begging for food from his parents.  

The two inland nestlings, 828 and 835, are also progressing well. Both hatched in caves in early April in Pinnacles National Park (828) and the other in the Ventana Wilderness (835).   The parents of both nestlings are considered 'veterans' and have nested before. Nestling 828's parents are male 340 and female 236 "Tiny" and 835's parents are male 219 "Puff Daddy" and female 310.  

We anticipate these four nestlings to start fledging as early as October 2016, so stay tuned for more updates! Until then, tune in to the Condor Cam and try to spot wild condors at our release site.

Girl Power!

Photo of Chick #787 shortly after hatch

We documented yet another fascinating display of condor survival this nest season. Condor females 317 and 171 have been working together to raise a chick in the wild in a nest cave in an extremely remote location in Big Sur. Ca.  VWS Biologists were only able to access the nest twice due to its remoteness.  On the final nest check, they left a trail camera behind to capture the wild hatching process, an event never captured on film.  Biologists hoped this camera would capture a time lapse sequence of the chick hatching and eventual fledging from the nest cave.  

Females #171 and #317 join forces

Biologists are also curious to see how two females will raise a wild chick without a male present. They believe that the two females joined forces after the suspected male mate, #242,to one of the females died shortly after nesting began. Condors parents do most of the rearing, but they also get help from other condors in the flock.  This could be the case with this pair, one female lost her mate and another came in to assist for the greater good of the flock.  

This time lapse video captures nest activity from 4/10/2015-5/27/2015. The chick eventually grew big enough to knock over the camera.  VWS biologists believe the chick, #787 (sex unknown), has fledged and will eventually emerge to join the rest of the flock in the coming months.  

An Old Friend Visits Home!

Adult female condor, #192, returned to the Big Sur release site at the end of August for a brief visit. This was her first visit "home" in almost 5 years. Condor #192 was released in Big Sur in 1999 and spent her formative years along the Big Sur Coast. In 2006, she dispersed to southern California where she paired up with male Condor AC-9, an original member of the historic population, and began nesting. Since then she and her mate have produced multiple offspring and they are even raising a chick this year.  This fact and the distance she had to fly made her visit that much more amazing to us. She made a one-way flight of over 250 miles! 

192 hanging with the Big Sur flock

192 taking in the coast

After feeding and spending a couple days with Big Sur Flock she eventually returned to her nest site in southern California.  If her mate only knew where she had gone, what a flight! It was great to see her again, if only briefly. 

Condors Thrive at Pt. Lobos

Condors #538 "Miracle" and #646 "Kodama" were sighted by Docents on Saturday, Aug 1, 2015 at Sea Lion Point in Pt. Lobos State Natural Reserve feeding on a dead sea lion. According to Docent, Dave Evans, the beach where they saw the condors was closed off recently to protect the sea lions that like to haul out there.

Condors released in Big Sur were first documented feeding on marine mammal carcasses in 1999 and have been thriving on the coast ever since. This is the first time they have been observed feeding in Pt. Lobos Reserve. Scavengers like condors are vital to the coastal ecosystem. They are nature’s cleaning crew.

Final check up for wild nestling

Condor #773 (Chick of Condors #251 and #222) had his final 120 day nest check this week. During this nest check biologists did a physical checkup, a blood draw to test for lead poising, and checked the nest for trash.  Because this was his last nest check before he fledges, Condor # 773 got his first transmitter!!  In a few months be on the lookout for a bird with a Green 73!!! 

Miracle released!

     After a whole month of chelation treatment for lead poisoning at Oakland Zoo, Condor 538 "Miracle", was finally released towards the end of June. After being trapped and tested with a lead score of 170 ug/dL (birds are treated if they have over 35 ug/dL), she was admitted to the Oakland Zoo for chelation treatment.  Because her lead score was so high, it took a long time for it to drop low enough for her to be released back to the wild.
     Thank you Oakland Zoo for all the incredible work you did for helping Miracle get healthy again!!

Mystery Unraveled!

       We finally caught Mystery! Condor #769, also known as Mystery, showed up for the first time on our release slope this last winter. She was raised and fledged without any assistance from VWS Biologists. After several months flying around without transmitters, Condor #769 was trapped during our spring trap up!!
After a blood test biologists were able to determine that Mystery is a girl and that her biological parents are male 242 "Red" and female 311 "Loner" . We are very excited Mystery is a girl because we have so many young males in our flock.
After getting a vaccination, a brand new transmitter, and passing her lead test, Condor #769 was released back into the wild.  Keep your eye out as you are driving the coast, you might just be lucky enough to see her. Her tag is a Green 69. Good luck Mystery, fly free!!