Bitter Creek Condors
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This aviary is more commonly used to study condors though a two-way mirror a small room but today it is the staging area for biologist from the Santa Barbara Zoo, the L.A. Zoo and the Institute for Wildlife Studies to examine California condors View photo »
Debbie Ciani holds condor #262 (only the last two digits are displayed on the tag) hatched from the first in-the-wild egg from the reintroduction program's start View photo »
Lisa Cox (foreground) checks a condor's transmitter after the examination View photo »
L.A. Zoo's Debbie Ciani releases a condor after the examination View photo »
The examination starts with trying to corral the condor to a safe area in the aviary to net and extract them from the pen View photo »
Higher ground on perches are usually determined by seniority View photo »
Simulated power line poles, wired for mild electrical shocks, are set up amongst the other perches in the aviary for aversion therapy. With the Condor's massive wing span electrical wires are a major threat in the real world. View photo »
Mike Clark with the L.A. Zoo brings a condot from the aviary to be examined. View photo »
Mike Clark with the L.A. Zoo holds a condor during its examination View photo »
A few post-examination words before taking flight View photo »
Condor #262's locating transmitter can be seen over the wing identifier (only the last two digits are labeled). View photo »
Tail feathers being measured View photo »
Debbie Ciani with the L.A. Zoo releases a condor after it's examination View photo »
A few cautious steps are taken before this just-released condor takes flight View photo »
Blood being drawn from a condors leg View photo »
Field testing for lead content in the blood View photo »
Intern Jen Paduli (left) holds this condor steady while Joseph Brandt (right) with U.S. Fish & Wildlife affixes replacement identifying numbers to the bird's wings View photo »
Joseph Brandt with U.S. Fish & Wildlife releases a condor after the examination is cloncluded View photo »
A bird known for soaring on thermals this is a rare sight when a condor actually flaps its wings during takeoff View photo »
A small "blind" offers a close and less distracting vantage point as well as a rope to shut the cage door remotely when trapping is required View photo »
A solar panel keeps the fence charged and unwanted animals out of this staging area View photo »
Meat used to entice condors to the caged area View photo »
A motion sensor camera records the wildlife visitors to this location 24 hour a day. View photo »
Carrion inside a freezer used to maintain the condors food supply View photo »
Though the livestock have been gone for several years from the property the paths worn into the hill side from cattle traversing the slope can still be seen. View photo »
A roadrunner makes a fast dash across the road at the sight of our vehicle View photo »
A road runner taking a brief flight to gain cover in some brush View photo »
A red-tailed hawk circles in the afternoon View photo »
Michael Woodbridge with U.S. Fish & Wildlife discusses the vantage point which the public can see condors flying off Forrest Hwy 95 View photo »
Two condors soaring high after being released View photo »
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