Condor Watch Talk

two condors, same tag ID

  • wreness by wreness moderator

    Two condors in this pic seem to have the same tag # White 82 I blew the pic up in a graphic program to double check. Both are just left of center. One faces left on ground, one faces right above carcass.

    Posted

  • myraf by myraf scientist

    Hum, they both do look like white 82 but they really can't be, could the one in the foreground be a 92 maybe? I can ask some of the field guys as well (as they are the ones that make the tags).

    Posted

  • mboschmd by mboschmd

    I notice all the tags appear to be white...I'm guessing the sun angle is playing tricks on the camera's ability to record the color accurately. I think the closest White 82 is a something 32 (could even be Black 32, if the reflection is just right). You know the lighting conditions are bad when you can't see anything resembling a number on a tag that is close to the camera, but at a slight angle. I think this is all basically a "mirage" created by the shiny surface of the tags. Even very rough surfaces will reflect light back to you like a mirror if the angle is low enough...think about the "shiny spots" you see in the far distance when driving on a black-top (asphalt) road, which vanishes as you get closer to it because the angle becomes less acute.

    Posted