Condor #76

tempe8 · Joined: 04 Jan 2003 Posts: 66 Location: Tempe, AZ

I hiked the Canyon this past weekend and was rewarded with the rare site of a California Condor from about 20 feet away. I was on the South Kaibab about half way down and saw a large bird soaring around some cliffs (but I wasn't sure what it was). I snapped pictures and watched for about 15 minutes and then I saw it land close to the trail down below me. I went down the trail for a closer look and saw the tag on its wing, #76...and knew it was a California Condor. I was able to get within 20 feet of him and he clearly wasn't bothered by me, probably because they've been around humans so much being raised in captivity. I snapped a few more pictures and then went on down the trail.

That truly was the highlight of the Canyon trip. To see one of maybe 100 condors left in existance in its natural habitat. I don't think we can post pictures on this site, but if anyone's interested I can send a picture.

mike t · Joined: 04 Jan 2003 Posts: 175 Location: Gilbert, Az

I'm totally up for a pic. Feel free to e-mail me. Also, you can set up sites to post pics and then link here. I've been doing it thru webshots, an idea I copy-catted from Canyon Dweller. It was pretty easy. Others I have tried have had complications ie: others can't view (my MSN site) or everyone has to join and sign in (Ofoto) which some folks don't want to do. Also Arizonaheat has been posting pics on HAZ and copying the link here.
http://www.webshots.com/homepage.html This is the link to webshots if you want to check it out. You can check out some of CanyonDweller's and my posts too if you want to see it in action. Here's mine.
http://community.webshots.com/user/miket2003

http://community.webshots.com/user/miket2003

That had to be the coolest!!
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Mike T
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mike · What box? Joined: 30 Dec 2002 Posts: 3134

Canyon Dweller · Joined: 06 Jan 2003 Posts: 712 Location: Denver, CO

i would very much like to see the pic of the condor, that would be neat.

I really like the user freindlieness of Webshots. If you post the picture with a good size, it WILL come up big, not like some of those other ones that they post small. I like the idea that I can have different albums as well. Its cool that some of the users here have caught on to webshots.
Here is my albums
http://community.webshots.com/user/canyondweller

that will be great when we will be able to add pics. Cant wait! Mr. Green

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Mountains are there to be climbed!

"Meaningless! Meaningless," says the teacher, "Utterly Meaningless, Everything is meaningless."-Ecclesiastes 1:2

plummer150 · Posted: 3/11/2003, 2:27 pm Post subject: re:

tempe8 · Joined: 04 Jan 2003 Posts: 66 Location: Tempe, AZ

Ok, I took everyones advice and posted the photos up to Webshots (it is pretty cool). I did a little poking around on the web to make sure the other two that I saw were definitely Condors (and not regular vultures), and I found these couple of sites with pictures that confirm. By the way, one of the sites says that there are only 33 Condors in all of AZ...and I saw 3 of them!!!

http://www.lazoo.org/cstats.htm
http://arnica.csustan.edu/ESRPP/condor.htm

Here are the webshot pictures...enjoy!
http://community.webshots.com/user/tempe8

dennisbench · Joined: 04 Jan 2003 Posts: 275 Location: El Mirage

Cool pics, the first one is awesome!
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"In the first place you can't see anything from a car; you've got to get out of the goddamned contraption and walk, better yet crawl, on hands and knees...When traces of blood begin to mark your trail you'll see something, maybe."
-Ed Abbey

cactuscat · Joined: 04 Jan 2003 Posts: 459 Location: Phoenix

Wow, that must have been a thrill. I was just saying the other day how I'd love to see a condor, gotta get up to the Canyon soon!

mike t · Joined: 04 Jan 2003 Posts: 175 Location: Gilbert, Az

Those are great. Thanks tempe8.
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Mike T
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Canyon Dweller · Joined: 06 Jan 2003 Posts: 712 Location: Denver, CO

Those turned out really good. I would love to see a rare animal like that. What a neat expereince.

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Mountains are there to be climbed!

"Meaningless! Meaningless," says the teacher, "Utterly Meaningless, Everything is meaningless."-Ecclesiastes 1:2

Shawn · Posted: 3/14/2003, 7:46 pm Post subject:

How timely! I took my daughter and her room mate who are home from school to the canyon Tuesday. We were at Trail View Overlook, west of the developed area, and they noticed the ravens. All at once it was clear that two of these birds weren't ravens. Condor # 23, and an mate who's number we could not discern, soared around for several minutes. The girls got some good photos, which I'll have to wait till they email to me from school, to post. Good karma in the Canyon.
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The bear went over the mountain to see what he could see.