Fall 2008 - Ventana Wildlife Society

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In This Issue Rising From the Ashes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Celebrating the Survival of Three Wild Chicks . . 1, 4 Dramatic Rescue Saves Eight Trapped Condors. . .2 Membership Categories and Benefits. . . . . . . . . . . .2 Remembering the Big Sur Condor Rescue Mission. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Lemonade and Cookies for Condors. . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Notes From the Field. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Bald Eagles Continue to Thrive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 The Condor Emergency Fund: Rebuilding with Your Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Rebuilding the Condor Sanctuary: One Step at a Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 VWS Board & Staff. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Dear Ventana Wildlife Society. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Summer Program Thank You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Summer Programs Expand – With a Little Help From Our Friends . . . . . . . . . . . .7 VWS’ 2nd Annual Condor Release Auction: Wings Over the World 2008. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Condor 251 has a Special Place in Jeanne Holmquist’s Heart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 An Update on the VWS Bird Banding Lab . . . . . . . 9 Save the Date: VWS Open House. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Thank You to VWS Supporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11 Ways to Give to VWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 VWS Contact Info. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Calendar of Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 VWS Merchandise for the Holidays . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Membership Categories & Benefits Associate $50 - $99 Senior/Student $35 - $49 • Quarterly newsletter On the Wild Side • Invitations to hikes and general community lectures • Name listed in the annual report • Early / discounted registration for Natural Science Discovery Camp • Ventana Wildlife Society Logo decal Friend $100 - $499 • All of the above, plus • Bald Eagle Tour • 3-5/16” x 4-7/8” Wildlife Bronze Plaque ($250 or more) Sponsor $500 - $999 • All of the above, plus • Invitation to Annual Membership Appreciation Reception • 4-5/8” x 8-15/16” Wildlife Bronze Plaque Steward $1,000 - $4,999 • All of the above, plus • 7-5/16” x 9-7/8” Wildlife Bronze Plaque Leadership Circle $5,000 and above • All of the above, plus • Picnic at exclusive Ventana field station with Executive Director Adopt-A-Condor Program $50 & above • Receive Associate or Friend membership benefits • Personalized certificate with Condor Chick photograph Dramatic Rescue Saves Eight Trapped Condors By Joe Burnett, VWS Senior Wildlife Biologist On June 22, the Basin Complex fire was rapidly approaching the VWS Condor Sanctuary in Big Sur. Eight condors–including seven juveniles and our veteran mentor bird Hoi– were trapped in a large aviary directly in the fire’s path. We made the decision to go in and evacuate the birds, but with the roads closed and most available helicopters devoted to the firefighting effort, the obstacles seemed overwhelming. A VWS volunteer called the Coast Guard to see if they could provide a helicopter, and amazingly, by late that afternoon, Mike Tyner (VWS wildlife biologist), Henry Boniface (intern biologist) and I were airborne and headed for Big Sur. However, with just a few hours of daylight left, the biggest challenges were yet to come. As we approached the site, the size and intensity of the fire were terrifying, with flames shooting as high as 100 feet in the air. The closest feasible landing area was about 2 1/2 miles away from the Sanctuary, connected by a steep, rough, dirt road. As we rushed in on foot, we found still another obstacle– a large bay tree blocking the road. While Mike took the camp ATV and a chainsaw out to clear the tree, Henry and I started trapping the birds and securing them in large dog kennels for transport. We were able to shuttle five birds out with the ATV by the time the helicopter got back from refueling, but they had bad news– the fire and smoke situation now made this an “extreme danger zone.” We needed to have the remaining birds ready to go the minute they returned from delivering the first five to Monterey. And those last three were the toughest– not only because the heat and smoke had cut our normal energy levels in half, but also because the last bird was very clever at eluding us. It took the three of us (plus a bit more aggressive handling than we might ordinarily use) to get her safely into the kennel. To add to the excitement, the ATV was beginning to overheat, at one point cutting out completely. With Mike driving that last elusive condor up in the ATV– and Henry and I running behind– we squeaked it out just in the nick of time. The smoke had become so thick that the pilots needed their GPS system and night vision goggles to land. The eight birds were delivered safely to the Pinnacles Condor program, where they were released in early November. The loss of these carefully reared birds would have been a tragic blow to the condor recovery program. I’ve said it many times, but I want to again express our heartfelt gratitude to Coast Guard pilot Lt. Harry Greene and crewmembers Casey Michaelson and Lt. Brad Donaldson– they were incredible and truly carried the day! We also owe a huge “thank you” to our volunteer, Rebecca Dmytryk Titus, who connected us with the Coast Guard helicopter. Biologists with the National Park Service at the Pinnacles National Monument transported the eight rescued condors on the last leg of their journey to safety. The seven condor chicks were released to the wild in November 2008. ON THE WILD SIDE FALL 2008 2
Remembering the Big Sur Condor Rescue Mission By U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Harry Greene On the morning of June 22, 2008, U.S. Coast Guard administrative officer and helicopter pilot Lt. Harry Greene got the call to help rescue eight condors from the path of the Basin Complex Fire in Big Sur. With his crew, aviation maintenance technician Casey Michaelson and Lt. Brad Donaldson (on loan to the Coast Guard from the Royal Australian Navy), Lt. Greene flew VWS wildlife biologists in to rescue the birds. Lt. Greene provided the following highlights of that dramatic rescue. “By the time all the logistical arrangements were completed, it was nearly 4:00 p.m., with just a few hours of daylight left. We dropped Joe and the other biologists off in Big Sur and headed back to Monterey to refuel. When we returned, five of the birds were in large dog kennels ready to go– but they clearly weren’t going to fit into the helicopter. Using a little “creative problem solving,” we carefully tilted the crates on end and just barely squeezed them all in. “As we headed to Monterey with the five condors, Joe and the team went back for the last three birds. But we were getting worried. The sun was nearly down and the smoke was increasing. We were only on the ground in Monterey for 17 minutes, but by the time we got to Big Sur the sun was setting, and our landing site was completely cut off by smoke and lowering fog. “Our priority at that point was the safety of the biologists; if we couldn’t land, they would have to drive the ATV down below the fog where we could hoist them to safety– which would have meant leaving the remaining birds. Fortunately, we managed to find a clear route in from the south, flying low over the ridgeline to land. Lt. Harry Green, Lt. Brad Donaldson and the U.S. Coast Guard were honored at VWS’ Wings Over the World Event for their heroic rescue of eight condors trapped in the line of the Big Sur Basin Complex fire. “The birds were ready to go, and the three biologists were congratulating and high-fiving each other. We three crew members looked at one another and thought– ‘Wow, they actually think they’re okay now!’ Surrounded on one side by fire and on the other by smoke and fog, we managed to fly out to the east and finally found a hole in the smoke. Then we were able to come back around south and down to the coast. “It’s funny, but at the time, not one of the flight crew even knew what a California Condor was– and it wasn’t until I told my wife about the rescue that I began to realize the importance of what we had done. It’s great to know we made a difference for these amazing birds.” Lemonade and Cookies for Condors This summer, when Miles and Michaela Carbaat (ages 6 and 9) heard about the fire damage to the Ventana Wildlife Society’s Condor Sanctuary, they wanted to do something to help. They decided to open a lemonade and cookie stand near their home in Walnut Creek, on a busy street that’s popular with hikers and bikers headed for nearby Mt. Diablo. The stand was a huge hit, and over three weekends Miles and Michaela– along with friends Caitlin Kudlik and Jessa Nootbaar– raised $1,000 for the Condor Emergency Fund. We want to thank them for giving up their valuable summer weekends to help the condor recovery effort! The stand not only offered welcome refreshments for thirsty passers-by, but also provided information and photos about VWS, the condor recovery program, and the Basin Complex Fire. Thanks go as well to Miles and Michaela’s mom Silvia Newcomb who checked the accounting, and to grandmother Susie Newcomb, who helped prepare the informational presentations for the stand. Miles, Michaela, and Jessa were inspired to help the condors after they attended the fall 2007 VWS Wings Over the World Condor Release Event with their families. It’s never too early to get kids involved in working for the environment! 3 ON THE WILD SIDE FALL 2008 www.ventanaws.org
Page 1: ON THE WILD SIDE Conserving Native
Page 5 and 6: The Condor Emergency Fund: Rebuildi
Page 7 and 8: Summer Programs Expand - With a Lit
Page 9 and 10: An Update on the VWS Bird Banding L
Page 11 and 12: Due to the number of generous suppo

Fall 2008 - Ventana Wildlife Society

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