Скачать или смотреть California Condors 726 and 700 courting near High Peaks in Pinnacles National Park

A few different views of California condors 700 and 726 (aka "Little Stinker") near High Peaks at Pinnacles National Park in Central California. These two birds paired up after Little Stinker, a female, lost one of her two mates -- Pinnacles condor 463 -- (condors are known to have three-way relationships from time to time) to lead poisoning, and the other -- Pinnacles condor 692 -- was in captivity for an extended time to be chelated for lead poisoning. 700 had lost his previous mate to lead poisoning as well. The two of them courted and nested in 2022, but their egg wasn't viable. Pinnacles condor 692 returned to Pinnacles and connected with 726 again. I saw 700 courting Little Stinker around New Years Eve and then later in March, which was around the time their infertile egg had been removed. I've been visiting Pinnacles for a few years now and have encountered 726 and her cohorts numerous times. Unfortunately lead poisoning has taken such a toll on the birds that it can be distressing to follow them for too long, as you notice their absence and then find out that another of the condors you're used to seeing has fallen victim to lead -- despite the California ban on lead ammunition. Still, when you do see them -- whether they're old friends or new -- it is an awesome and otherworldly experience, especially when they're engaged in courtship behavior, which is magical and stunning. As I was putting the video together, I wanted to check something on 700's profile (on the Pinnacles National Park website) and he had been removed from the condor profiles to the "In Memoriam" page. He succumbed to lead poisoning in 2023. I can only hope that 692 and 726 are once again a pair and hopefully they will be able to produce offspring before their lives are cut short by lead.