Juvenile California Condor in Marble Canyon

[Riverkilt]

First saw this juvenile California Condor (wing tag J2) in 2009 at Navajo Bridge over the Colorado River at Marble Canyon, Arizona.



Condors often hang out on the girders of the old, and new Navajo Bridges - hundreds of feet above the Colorado River - safe - and not far from the Vermillion Cliffs where they are being released into the wild.

A few weeks ago J2 was huddled on a girder under the new bridge in very high winds - hunkered down to be aerodynamic.



Today I was out on the old Navajo Bridge taking pictures of a group of friends headed downcanyon on a whitewater raft trip through the Grand Canyon and I spotted J2 over on a cliff wall looking for some shade.





Then he/she(?) took off and I was able to get this pic just before it flew under the bridge.



Even a juvenile California Condor is a big bird. They have white wing tags with their number on them for tracking. More are being born in the wild - but sadly more are dying from lead poisoning. They are scavengers and often injest lead shot or bullets from carrion they find. Big program out here is to ask/beg hunters to use non-lead ammo to give them a chance to stay alive.

Was out at a condor release event last year where I got the pic of this cool sign that clearly shows how much larger than hawks and eagles they are.



When you see an adult California Condor in flight there's no mistaking what you're looking at.

[piperdbh]

It seems you're the "Condor Whisperer". Or maybe this bird just likes you.

That's really cool that you've seen the same bird so many times. Thanks for sharing the pictures with us.

[Dale Seago]

Yes, fantastic pics -- thanks so much for sharing them!!

[Bugbear]

[macshorty]

Those are great pictures. I've only seen one California condor in the wild, up by the Redding area in 2008. You're right, a full grown condor is HUGE!! Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of it, as I was busy fighting the fires up there.

[Morris at Heathfield]

Alas, I've never seen a California condor. I have a bird guide I've had around since my childhood, and it gives the range of the California condor as the hills and mountains around the southern San Joaquin Valley. By the time I moved to California they were all in captivity.

[Riverkilt]

Aye, there here along the Vermillion Cliffs and at the Grand Canyon because its so remote and there are fewer humans. They've been releasing the captivity raised ones around here for years.