California Condor Nomad dies of lead poisoning…late Saturday in Bird World

3 October 2026

Greetings Everyone!

It was an overcast fall day on the Canadian Prairies. Still, it was a lovely time for a walk with Toby. We met one of our friends at the park, a lady with a walker. Toby loves her and the little toddler who is often there, clapping her hands when she sees him. It makes my heart beat in a beautiful way to see the joy Toby brings to others.

Those who love California Condors are mourning the death of Nomad #574 at the Oakland Zoo. Nomad died of lead poisoning. Kelly Sorenson writes: “Nomad (574) had shown signs of lead poisoning and was in critical condition. The veterinary team at Oakland Zoo went above and beyond to try to save him, and we are deeply grateful for their tireless care. Losing another magnificent condor to lead this year is devastating, and it is a painful reminder of the danger spent lead ammunition poses to wildlife. Hunters and ranchers are having difficulty finding some small calibers commonly used to manage their lands. California state law requires the use of lead-free ammunition, but poor market availability in some calibers is a big problem. If you, or someone you know, hunts or manages a ranch in Condor Range, please encourage them to contact us and maybe we can assist.”

Nomad’s bio:

“Nomad (574)’s father, Puff (219), was released in Big Sur while his mother, Condor (310), was released in Pinnacles National Park. The two established a breeding territory between the two sites. At first, we weren’t sure where Nomad (574) was going to spend more of his time after he fledged, but he mimicked his parents’ habit of splitting time between the two release sites.

His first trapping experience was in Big Sur and it was such a shock to him that it scared him away for a few months, but he gradually began wandering back. When he was hanging around Big Sur as a young fledgling, his father, Puff (219), would show him feeding techniques, which was very cute and endearing to watch.

Nomad (574) paired with fellow wild-fledged condor, Miracle (538), in 2017 and together they made history by having the first wild-born California Condor in the state since 1985. But that’s not all: They were able to successfully raise a chick – the first second-generation wild-born condor in decades! Unfortunately, in 2020, Nomad (574) and Miracle (538) lost their second hatched chick, Mystic (992), in the Dolan Fire. 

In 2021, Nomad (574) and Miracle (538) had another successful nesting attempt and chick Otter (1104) was hatched. Fast forward to 2022, Otter (1104) is fully fledged and flying free!

Recently, Nomad (574)’s mate, Miracle (538), has chosen to pair with his dad, Puff (219). While the split is unfortunate for Nomad (574), this steadfast male continues to maintain his nesting territory, and we’re confident that he’ll be able to woo another breeding female.”

Lead poisoning is the most frequent cause of death for condors, vultures, and, so often, bald eagles, who are also carrion eaters. This is so sad because non-lead alternatives exist in both hunting and fishing tackle!

The three little eyases at 367 Collins Street in Melbourne are doing well. Liznm has a feeding on video: https://youtu.be/c6mqxUKL_Fc?

Oh, aren’t they just so cute? Their eyes are not open yet, so you will see lots of bobbing around and attempts to get food from a sibling’s beak! But no worries, in a few days, they will be able to see absolutely everything.

Incubation continues at Orange.

Beautiful Lady and her ‘big babies’ at the Olympic Park WBSE nest in Sydney.

It’s a beautiful morning at Big Bear. Wonder what Shadow and Kaydee are doing?

Bald Eagle Discovery posted a video of both eagles and their sticks – do we now have two eagles that love moving sticks?! https://youtu.be/6WvIvahFBF8?

Explore.org is playing Highlights at the West End nest of previous occupants, Thunder and Akecheta, Haku, etc.

Nestorations continue at the E3 nest in Kistachie National Forest near Alexander, Louisiana.

Explore.org is also running Highlights at Decorah North. I really could benefit from not hearing those cold, wintry winds and ‘seeing’ the cold!

It is the same at all of their nests including Mrs T at Trempeauleau.

I don’t know about you but sometimes it is fantastic to see the footage from the year prior. Mrs T was an incredible Mum – a single Mum!

Something to put a smile on your face – funny wildlife photos from The Guardian:

Comedy wildlife photography award finalists 2026 – in pictures
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2026/oct/03/comedy-wildlife-photography-awards-2026-in-pictures?CMP=share_btn_url

Thank you to everyone who has reached out over the past seven weeks with letters, cards, e-mails, treats, and comments. They warm my heart. It has been a rough ride, to say the least. I want to give a big shoutout to Reets, who packed up a gorgeous whistling tea kettle and her mother’s teapot, along with an article about Emma Heming Willis’s book, The Unexpected Journey, and another about eagles. I ordered the book right away and have now devoured it. The kettle and teapot were christened when two former students stopped by – it was a beautiful two hours, full of laughter with no mention of dementia! To the anonymous person who sent me the 24 Days of Cavalier Christmas – you put a big smile on my face when I needed it the most. I am looking forward to the fun of discovering what is behind each door.

Joy is sometimes in short supply as I navigate a new road alongside Donald. I am working hard to change that – to find the ‘new normal’. The anger has gone, for the most part, although it rears its ugly head when I least expect it. As my children would have said when they were teenagers, ‘I need an attitude adjustment,’ and that is what I am working on. The days moving forward will be different. The Haldol injection in someone with Lewy Body Dementia has caused a rapid onset of Parkinson’s symptoms, including muscle rigidity, that Don did not have prior to arriving at the hospital. He now has strong tremors all over his body, and he still cannot walk. Sometimes he can stand without help; other times, he needs three people to assist him. The sad reality is that we will never walk together in the park again, but we can go with me pushing his wheelchair or him operating an electric scooter. Surely we can retrofit a basket to hold Toby.

It will be important for us to find new ways to share our time together, not steeped in sadness or looking to the past, but moving forward to paths unknown. To that end, I have ordered Thanksgiving decorations to brighten up his room, and Toby and I have also arranged a costume for him to wear to cheer everyone up! Our Thanksgiving is on the 12th of October, and there will be lots of pumpkin pie with whipped cream – Don’s favourite. For those on 5S, eating is one of life’s little pleasures, so it is always good to have a treat in a bag. —— I have learned so much these past weeks, and when the tears don’t come so easily, I will share them with you, as I know that some of you have, are in, or will deal with someone with Alzheimer’s or Dementia (they are two different animals with lots of different types). I am certainly not a health care professional, but we navigated life pretty well for six years—and I am determined that we will find our grip again, do that again, and then know what is happening and have a ‘new plan’. For any of my readers struggling, please feel free to reach out to me, Toby, and The Girls: maryannsteggles@icloud.com I have become a good listener.

Please take care of yourself. Go and watch the little ones at 367 Collins Street and check in on the Sea Eaglets at Sydney. They are so cute!

Thank you to everyone who posted information and videos on FB or YouTube. We are always grateful for your talents and all the information! To the owners of the streaming cams, we would not have these opportunities without you, so thank you. The Guardian keeps us up to date on many things, and their wildlife articles often make us smile, like today’s. I am grateful to each and everyone and to you, my readers, for caring so much about the wildlife we share our planet with.