Ahoy, Condor!: May 2011

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

The Church

Back at work today, I was charged with fending condors off from The Church. The Church is a private property near Bitter Creek that our birds just love hanging out on. And eating the roofing of. Hazing condors proved to be more difficult than I imagined. Apparently, the only thing that works is dogs. Yelling, arm flailing, gumdrop throwing, and obnoxious cellphone ring tones just don't seem to faze them. Mostly, they just stared down at me like I was a crazy person.

Condor 206 does a fly-by

Condor eyes, they're watching you, they see your every move...

Juvenile delinquents

Monday, May 30, 2011

Happy Memorial Day!

I took off Memorial Day today. I didn't know that we interns were allowed days off. I spent mine well by getting to hang out with a crow. It was pretty cool.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

It's A Bird!

California Towhee (Pipilo crissalis)

Western bluebird (Sialia mexicana)

Hummingbird sitting on its nest

Monday, May 23, 2011

Camouflaged

I think this is a Mariposa lily?

Cicada

Spider (anyone know what kind it is?)

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Spent the day out at South Potrero, nestled in a bush, watching the little chick be adorable.

Biting Dad's feathers

Biting Dad's tag

Worn out from biting Dad

As nightfall approached, I heard something land on a branch a ways above the nest. Momentarily breaking eye-to-scope on the nest (sorry Estelle!) I scoped up to see the darkened form of a great horned owl. Eerie.

I had my radio on scan, and the guy doing the Los Padres afternoon fire weather forecast sounded eerily like Jesse Eisenberg.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Spotted towhee (Pipilo maculatus)

Female blackheaded grosbeak.

Brains.

The Darth Vader of hummingbirds. If you use your imagination, hummingbirds flying by totally sound like a Jedi lightsaber fight.

Bee and ladybug.

Lazuli bunting. I love the curlicue shadow on its head.

Lazuli bunting.

Young mule deer.

Gophersnake pretending to be a rattlesnake. No really : they can coil up, flatten their heads and make a hissing noise that could easily fool anyone who didn't know better.

Playing a little ditty on her grass flute.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Wildernasty

I've been out at Hopper Canyon for the last two days, though I only stayed one night this time. When I came home, I took such a shower. I was, one might say, wildernasty (a word coined, as far as I know, by my boss). Then I stretched out on the couch and watched "Kill Bill" for the first time (I know, I know). It was good, but when it ended I was like, "Wait, that's it?" It takes a little while to get into Quentin Tarantino's style, but I definitely was left wanting more, so good thing there's a part 2

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Double Fox Day

I was sitting at the OP down on Snag Ridge when from a ways behind me, I heard a group of quail freaking the hell out. I turned, thinking for sure this time it was going to be a bear. So I was completely floored when a little pair of ears peeked up over the hill: a gray fox! No wait--two gray foxes!!

I only managed to snap a couple of picture before the pair of them cantered away.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Pretty in Pink

I scoped out this Anna's hummingbird (Calypte anna) nearby. The flash of hot pink on its throat is only visible from certain angles, as I discovered.

Now you see it ....

Now you don't !

Condor X-ing

Monday, May 16, 2011

Back to Hopper

Spent Monday night alone, alternating between cheering and crying on the couch in the ranch house living room.

Season finales are really stressful, you guys.