A California Condor has been sighted over Skyline

I saw a California Condor over Skyline Blvd and points west in southern San Mateo County. This is the first sighting in San Mateo County in decades, and has already been reported to the various local birding lists, wildlife biologists and others who are interested in this topic.

I saw the bird on Friday August 13, 2004, just after 2pm. It joined a group of about 11 Turkey Vultures circling overhead. California Condors (Gymnogyps californianus) typically key on Turkey Vultures to follow them to carrion and to locate currents and updrafts.

Briefly, here is what I observed and what you can look for:

California Condor size (9-foot wing span) is significantly larger than Turkey Vulture, so that was very obvious. This bird had whitish coloring on the leading edge underneath the wings, splayed primaries, obvious tags on underneath of wings (red, rusty or orangish in color & I could not read the number) and the characteristic (of vultures) "downflexing" of wings as s/he flew southeast towards Long Ridge in San Mateo County and to Santa Cruz County beyond.

In talking with a wildlife biologist involved in condor recovery, he is surmising that this bird came up from Ventana, rather than from Pinnacles National Monument; both of which are release sites.

There are numerous identification sites on the Internet, one of which is http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i3240id.html

[Reported by Georgia Stigall, West of Skyline Blvd., San Mateo County]