California Condor ....question
COLDMIZER, Thu Aug 13 2020, 06:34PM

While driving up 18 yesterday, around 5:20pm and nearing the lake view summit, I noticed what looked like a California Condor soring over head. It had a rather large wingspan with white patches under the black wings. Now, I'm not a bird watcher, but I asked a buddy who is and he doesn't think we have them up here. So I wanted to ask here in hopes of getting an experienced answer from other locals like myself

Re: California Condor ....question
Jellylorum, Thu Aug 13 2020, 07:28PM

Could be a turkey vulture. They pass through every now and then.

Re: California Condor ....question
BootsNBridles, Thu Aug 13 2020, 08:33PM

Might have been an osprey. There are a few up here but they usually stay far away from human habitation.

Re: California Condor ....question
Mtngoat John⭐, Fri Aug 14 2020, 06:57AM



[Click Here]

Coldmizer, as Jellylorum said probably a turkey vulture.

Re: California Condor ....question
moco, Fri Aug 14 2020, 08:07AM

depends on the white markings. condor and turkey vultures are different.

[Click Here]

Re: California Condor ....question
MrOwl, Fri Aug 14 2020, 08:40AM

This is a turkey vulture





Re: California Condor ....question
BootsNBridles, Sat Aug 15 2020, 04:52PM

i have pics somewhere of an osprey roosting in a friend's tree in Erwin. We called around and found that there are osprey in our mountains and had an expert identify it. 🙂

Re: California Condor ....question
BootsNBridles, Sat Aug 15 2020, 04:53PM

Guess I don't know how to attach the pic. Oh well. Look up Fish Hawk too (slang for osprey). Here is someone else's photo. It's much better than the one I have anyway! [Click Here]

Re: California Condor ....question
COLDMIZER, Sun Aug 16 2020, 10:00AM

Thank you for the replies! All I know is that the bird had a VERY large wingspan, with very dark wings and white "Nike swoosh" type markings under each out stretched wing, no other color markings under the wings that I noticed. I have seen Osprey's up here around the Holloway's marina, and they appeared to be rather smaller than the bird I saw near the Lake View summit at the Arctic Circle. And I believe that Osprey's stay kinda close to water ways? I'm not a birdie, so I may be wrong. I just didn't know if we had a nesting pair of Condor's up here as we do with out Bald Eagles.

Re: California Condor ....question
mcSQUIRREL, Sun Aug 16 2020, 11:00AM

California Condor in Ventana Wilderness



Re: California Condor ....question
COLDMIZER, Sun Aug 16 2020, 08:13PM

Bingo! That is what it looked like under the wings. I have no idea what the Turkey Vulture's wings look like under its wings. I know that birds do not know boundaries, so I suppose that one could have been up here....?

Re: California Condor ....question
BootsNBridles, Sun Aug 16 2020, 09:57PM

Very cool!!! Here is another picture of a California Osprey. The wings look a little similar. But how cool would it be to have a condor in the area? [Click Here]

Re: California Condor ....question
COLDMIZER, Sun Aug 23 2020, 04:01PM

BNB...great pic, but what I saw was all black or very dark brown in color, not modeled in colors. I know I have what appears to be Osprey's near Holloways marina, or had last year, with a nest on top of a tree just south of the entrance of the marina. Haven't seen any nesting activities in the nest this year however...

Re: California Condor ....question
mountainart, Sun Aug 23 2020, 05:40PM

At the rose parade 10 years ago a giant condor flew low up Colorado Blvd,over the huge crowds of people.super cool to see just how huge it was up close in flight.

Re: California Condor ....question
BillyJean, Mon Aug 24 2020, 09:26PM

Neat stuff!