BajaNomad - Crazy Condor Encounter in the Sierra San Pedro Martir

Crazy Condor Encounter in the Sierra San Pedro Martir

salttram - 6-22-2017 at 02:02 PM

Taking a day trip from my friends in Puerto Santo Tomas, I rode my motorcycle up into the National Park in the Sierra San Pedro Martir. Coming around a bend in the road, what do I see perched on the "No Molestar A La Condores" sign? Fortunately, I took delivery on a telephoto lens for my camera a few days prior . . . but unnecessary, as the creature allowed me to approach to 15 feet!

P1020601-small.jpg - 232kB

Meany - 6-22-2017 at 02:12 PM

WOW!! Great looking Bird... :bounce:

woody with a view - 6-22-2017 at 02:37 PM

Nice!

mtgoat666 - 6-22-2017 at 02:40 PM

Quote: Originally posted by salttram

Taking a day trip from my friends in Puerto Santo Tomas, I rode my motorcycle up into the National Park in the Sierra San Pedro Martir. Coming around a bend in the road, what do I see perched on the "No Molestar A La Condores" sign? Fortunately, I took delivery on a telephoto lens for my camera a few days prior . . . but unnecessary, as the creature allowed me to approach to 15 feet!

some of the birds are approachable, as they have found that humans will feed them junk food!

on the main road up to the park there is one corner with a large turnout/old quarry,... the condors often congregate there, and they congregate there more and more, i think because they have attracted tourists that feed them,..
people should not feed these birds, it makes them too tame, and they then approach other people and get harassed or killed,...

you can put up all the signs in the world saying do not feed the condors, do not feed the squirrels, do not feed the gulls, etc...
and still people feed the condors, squirrels and gulls :lol:

Researching #98

Howard - 6-22-2017 at 02:51 PM

So far I can't find our tagged #98 friend.

https://blog.condorwatch.org/gallery-of-wing-tags/

What shall we call him/her?

Anyone, anyone...?

BornFisher - 6-22-2017 at 02:54 PM

Wondering what is sticking in its left shoulder. Cactus spine?
Great pics!!

DanO - 6-22-2017 at 02:58 PM

Fantastic. Thanks for sharing.

salttram - 6-22-2017 at 03:44 PM

Gawd . . . hard to wrap my mind around feeding condors junk food. At least the road has little traffic . . . but yikes!

Thanks, Howard, for the link! Can't wait to check it out more.

The thing sticking out from its wing is a geolocation transmitter-antenna.

In researching this online, I've found a great article on the condors in Baja, and a meditation on the issues surrounding their preservation:

http://www.humansandnature.org/the-condor-question-revisited

[Edited on 6-22-2017 by salttram]

AKgringo - 6-22-2017 at 06:01 PM

If I am that close to scavengers that want just to hang around me, I think I will check my vital signs, and try to figure out far away help is!

Nice picture!

Fernweh - 6-22-2017 at 06:29 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BornFisher

Wondering what is sticking in its left shoulder. Cactus spine?
Great pics!!

Looks like a sheave of a new feather....

elgatoloco - 6-22-2017 at 07:14 PM

Nice. Go Condors!

BigBearRider - 6-23-2017 at 11:15 AM

My brother and I saw six of them sitting on and around the Armco railing shortly before that sign on the way up the mountain in February.

It was the first time we had ever seen condors. They are big.

They did not seem concerned about our presence. I walked up to within a few feet of them, and they showed no signs of moving. Once back in the car, I reached out with my cellphone to take a pic of one of them sitting on the railing maybe a meter away from my stretched-out arm.

It snowed higher up and the rangers closed the mountain. On the way down, we saw a similar number of condors flying high about the same spot where we had seen the first group. I assume it was the same group, but who knows.

I also saw a bobcat on the way down, perhaps past Meling.

[Edited on 6-23-2017 by BigBearRider]

yumawill - 6-23-2017 at 11:56 AM

Radio antenna at left shoulder position. Probably works for the CIA.

LancairDriver - 6-23-2017 at 11:57 AM

Nice picture! A handsome guy, or gal?
Back in the 50's Ventura County environmentally minded ranchers decided to declare war on the coyotes so they laced dead cattle with poison and placed them around the mountains. The coyotes are still there but it took a huge toll on the Condor population, contributing greatly to driving them to near extinction.
Same tactic being used by poachers in Africa today to avoid having the vultures give away the location of their dirty work and having the same result in decimating the scavengers needed for the cleanup work they do for the environment.

bajabuddha - 6-23-2017 at 12:01 PM

...'E's pinin' for the fjiords...

willardguy - 6-23-2017 at 12:25 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Howard

So far I can't find our tagged #98 friend.

https://blog.condorwatch.org/gallery-of-wing-tags/

What shall we call him/her?

Anyone, anyone...?

JULIAN......#98 julian peterson SF 49er outside linebacker!

fishbuck - 6-23-2017 at 01:30 PM

Cool! And he can read apperantly.

Howard - 6-23-2017 at 02:56 PM

OK, It's Julian if its a male and how about Julie if its a female?

toronja - 6-23-2017 at 03:52 PM

Based on the studbook, this is condor #498, hatched at San Diego Wild Animal Park in 2009 and released in Baja in 2011. He's a mature adult male.

That is indeed the antenna from his left wing radio transmitter sticking out, which local biologists use to keep track of condor movements, survival, and breeding success. His bulging crop suggests he's had a good meal recently. I passed this along to some friends I used to work with in the condor recovery program, they had a good laugh.

BajaBlanca - 6-23-2017 at 04:35 PM

wow!

elgatoloco - 6-23-2017 at 07:15 PM

Some years ago the wife and I headed up to San Pedro Martir to camp. I must say that I was giddy with anticipation at the thought of seeing the Condors in their natural habitat. After four solid days of hiking and looking around that included a trip up into the observatory tower with the director we finally left without a single sighting. I remember on the drive down the mountain commenting to the wife that we must be very unlucky. About a week or two or three later we received the San Diego Wild Animal Park/Zoo newsletter and there were photos and a story about how they had 'wrangled' all the SPM condors and had done blood tests and fitted them with new tracking devices and it was all happening why we were there. :fire:

We are planning a trip back in the very near future. :cool:

pappy - 6-25-2017 at 08:18 AM

Awesome!

pappy - 6-25-2017 at 09:59 AM

Awesome!

pacificobob - 6-25-2017 at 10:36 AM

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo

If I am that close to scavengers that want just to hang around me, I think I will check my vital signs, and try to figure out far away help is!

Nice picture!

after checking vital signs, better buy some of that med-evac insurance that will bring in the helo to whisk you to a state of the art medical facility!

MexicoTed - 7-1-2017 at 07:01 PM

Incredible photo! National Geographic worthy. Is there a way to share the image and credit you?

basautter - 7-2-2017 at 05:21 PM

Very cool! And he posed for you! :bounce: