In 32 years of birding (since age 7!) this was one of the most remarkable encounters I've had. The condor holds
a special place in the history and culture of indigenous people in Southern Colombia, and a local Andean community
to the east of Popayán - in Purace National Park - puts out food for the birds several times each week. The birds
don't always show up, but an adult and an immature came winging in from high overhead on the day of my visit.
With 11-foot wingspans, they were absolutely breathtaking.
With shifting clouds, strong wind, and a fair amount of rain, shooting conditions were tough, particularly as the
birds stayed mostly overhead before finally coming down to the offered entrails. The adult did make one brief pass
below my vantage, and it was then that I captured this topside frame. Detail is lacking a bit, but I'm still happy
with the frame given the species, view, and conditions. This represents about 35% of the frame.
Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 IS II on EOS 5D Mark IV
1/1600 at f/5.6, ISO 800
I've included a second photo to help you picture the scene. The other birds are Black Vultures, for comparison.
