Kilted At The Condor Release

**Riverkilt** · 6th March 10, 04:28 PM

Drove out to House Rock Valley between the Paria Plateau and the Kaibab Plateau for a condor release. The viewing site is a mile from the release site at the top of the Vermillion Cliffs so with my 300mm lens all the condor shots are just black blurs.

They released three condors. Two for the first time and one re-release after it was captured and completed chelation therapy to get the lead out of it. Lead poisoning is the leading cause of death for condors after they eat bullets or shot along with the dead critter they're having for dinner.

Wore my new green leather RKilt and as promised got some better pics of this lovely leather kilt in the sunlight.

Ironic, only kilt comment was to ask what clan I was. Played it straght and said Macdonald rather than Holstein (that's a leather kilt joke folks).

But I had two very serious inquiries about my Z Coil hiking boots. Still amazes me that people walk up to a man in a kilt and ask about his shoes....

That's the Kaibab Plateau (aka Buckskin Mountain) in the background with the snow. The road to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon is up on that mountain.

That's the Vermillion Cliffs of the Paria Plateau in the background. The condors were released from the top of the cliffs.

Here's a sign that compares the wingspan of a condor (largest) to the wingspan of a golden eagle (center in white) and the wingspan of a red tailed hawk (inside in black)

They used "feed" to lure in 9 free condors. A golden eagle and a bunch of vultures and ravens flew in too. The re-release condor took off as soon as they opened the release cage. The two first timers were still in the cage with the door open when I gave up and headed home. Pretty hard to tell anyway at that distance with so many birds circling the food.

Here's the best pic I could get - hope you see some small black dots in the sky above the cliff top. May not seem like much but they're still that big more than a mile away.

Right now there are just under 80 wild California Condors around here in an area from the Grand Canyon, North to the Utah line, West to the Nevada Line, and East to the Navajo Nation.

If you wanna see some close up go to Google images. I didn't have the lens for it.

**cessna152towser** · 6th March 10, 04:39 PM

Cool pics, Ron, once again superb scenery and a fabulous kilt. I am as green as your kilt and jacket with envy!

**Paul** · 6th March 10, 05:07 PM

The scenery looks truly amazing, and I'd probably ask about your top to be honest

**Riverkilt** · 6th March 10, 05:17 PM

Top is just a new larger size of my old high school letterman jacket. Helps me feel young. I had my day too!

Cleveland High School - Portland, Oregon class of 1962.
We were the "Cleveland Indians" but went by "Tribe"

Believe they've since changed the mascot to Warriors so as not to offend anyone.

**BoldHighlander** · 6th March 10, 07:50 PM

Originally Posted by Riverkilt

Here's a sign that compares the wingspan of a condor (largest) to the wingspan of a golden eagle (center in white) and the wingspan of a red tailed hawk (inside in black)

WOW!!

Thanks for posting these Ron.

**Santa Kona** · 6th March 10, 08:15 PM

Very nice thank you.

**Riverkilt** · 6th March 10, 08:20 PM

Amazing birds. A few years ago had my late mother to lunch at a viewpoint over Glen Canyon...we had some sandwiches. Three condors came gliding up the canyon - totally silent - not moving a feather - just gliding. When the got to Glen Canyon Dam they banked around and headed back down the canyon...they never moved a wing to make that turn...no flapping...just gliding on the wind. Amazing to watch and breathtaking to see such a huge bird so close.

**BoldHighlander** · 6th March 10, 10:59 PM

Originally Posted by Riverkilt

Amazing birds. A few years ago had my late mother to lunch at a viewpoint over Glen Canyon...we had some sandwiches. Three condors came gliding up the canyon - totally silent - not moving a feather - just gliding. When the got to Glen Canyon Dam they banked around and headed back down the canyon...they never moved a wing to make that turn...no flapping...just gliding on the wind. Amazing to watch and breathtaking to see such a huge bird so close.

That is so cool Ron!

The closest thing we have to that up here is the bald eagle, which I've observed many times & never grow tired of (I even watched a pair mate in mid-air once, a sight I'll never forget! ).