Big Sur Condors ~ Redwood Queen & Zenith Welcome Their New Chick Into The World! 🐣 5.10.24

There is exciting news to share from Big Sur! 🌟
From VWS: "The cat's out of the bag -- 190 "Redwood Queen" and 650 "Zenith" have a chick! Their egg was due to hatch 5/5, and we confirmed a chick in the nest just hours before the camera feed went live! As you all know, 190 has many years of nesting experience in this tree, but first-time dad 650 was doing a great job incubating and caring for their new chick today (studbook ID to come). We are so thrilled the nest cam is now live -- huge shout out to Joe and Explore.org for getting it up and running again! Zenith is sharing feeding and brooding duties with Mom Redwood Queen. 🐣💕
The video begins with RWQ on the nest brooding her new chick. She gets up and takes a break going to the hole entrance of the redwood tree. She flies off and we see the wee chick alone but only for a few moments! Daddy Zenith comes and takes over. Soon Redwood Queen returns (you will see her on the upper right of the cam as Zenith is in the nest brooding the chick).
Congratulations to our condor couple!!! Thank you for watching!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chick hatched around May 5th 2024
Redwood Queen: #190 Female​, hatched in 1998 in LA Zoo
Zenith: #650 Male hatched in 2012 in LA Zoo
Redwood Queen's first mate was Kingpin #167. He died in the Dolan wildfire 2020. Redwood Queen then mated with Phoenix #477 in 2021 but he has disappeared in 2023 & is presumed deceased.
Courtesy of Ventura Wildlife Society / @vwscondors and Explore.org explore.org/livecams/condors/...
For more information on supporting the work of the VWS and helping them rebuild the condor sanctuary: www.ventanaws.org/condor_cam....

[@ladyhawk]

This is the last footage of Iniko in 2020 before the cam cable melted and the condor sanctuary was engulfed in flames. Miraculously Iniko & Redwood Queen survived but Dad Kingpin perished in the Dolan fire. Redwood Queen's first mate was Kingpin #167. He died in the Dolan wildfire 2020. Redwood Queen then mated with Phoenix #477 in 2021 but he disappeared in 2023 & is presumed deceased. For 2024 Redwood Queen #190 - 25 years old is paired with Zenith #650 - 12 years old and first time Dad. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jH65ZZabf66Wr6M&ab_channel=LadyHawk And one of the cutest videos was a hummingbird visiting Iniko! kzbin.info/www/bejne/baW3kGprf8mefbM&ab_channel=LadyHawk

[@oliverl4150]

Wow,one of my favorite creatures....so glad to have them again🎉 Thank you Lady Hawk for your update and video!🤗😇 Best wishes to this family!

[@SilvanaSouza-wy5rv]

Hi Lady Hawk!! I'm so glad you brought us back into the life of our beloved Redwood Queen so to speak. Oh dear!! What an indescribable pleasure to watch Mama Redwood Queen and her new mate Zenith brooding their first chick together. Bless your heart for giving us this priceless gift, dearest friend. God bless you abundantly. 🌺🌸💙🤗🐣🙏

[@ladyhawk]

@@oliverl4150 Hello Oliver I agree with you - the condors are magnificent!! I am really glad to see our Redwood Queen back in the same tree and that she found a new mate. Times have been difficult for her since the Dolan fire. Let's hope this year we have a smooth season!! I know there is no sound on this cam frankly I am just thrilled to get a glimpse of the condors and their wee chick!! Take care and have a great weekend!

[@ladyhawk]

@@SilvanaSouza-wy5rv Hi Silvana I know you love the condors! Weren't you watching Devil's Gate with me back in 2017 I believe with Capella? That was the season that really turned me on to watching the condors - they are amazing! Now we have our dear Redwood Queen and her new mate Zenith to watch raise their chick!! What a blessing to see them!! Take care and have a great weekend! ♥

[@serapmehmet3346]

Tysvm Dear Lady Hawk ❤, Beautiful Birds and I sincerely hope all goes well, Successful and safely got this Amazing Family , Wishing you and all friends a Wonderful blessed weekend 🙏❤️💕🥰🧡🩵

[@MariaErtel-tq4yw]

❤thank you very much for sharing this just wonderful to see❤

[@Andijt]

Oh, yay!! I've been looking forward to seeing this nest again.

[@MariaErtel-tq4yw]

❤

[@mehmetfirat2005]

❤❤

[@sharondrury5676]

🩵 I'm overwhelmed,@Lady Hawk.😉 I appreciate you beyond words.

[@k-kay6295]

Thank You, Dear Lady Hawk. For another Beautiful video. I was soooo upset when we all watched that Awful Disaster unfold. I was sooo happy when we found out that Our Iniko & Redwood Queen survived & sooo sad when we found out that we really did lose Kingpin. So Thankful for New Beginnings. 🙏🏻🤗❤️🐻🐱🐣🌠🌕🌒🌗🌚☮️ Bear Hugs & Kitty Kisses To All And To All A Good Night. From Indiana. Near the Notre Dame Live Eagle Nest Cam @ St. Patrick's County Park. With 2 Beautiful Eaglets right now. 🦅🦅❤️❤️ 5.12.24 Happy Mother's Day To All The Wonderful Mom's Around Our Beautiful World !!! Thank You for posting the link for the video of Iniko with the hummingbird, especially for anyone that hasn't seen it. I watched that Live, when it happened & I was just so touched by that Gorgeous Moment. I had saved it back then and just rewatched it again a few months ago. It was totally amazing.

[@pglen6042]

I loved watching Iniko grow up. So happy to learn about this nest on the Condor Chat. Now I have a new condor chick to love.

[@iggy711]

@ladyhawke I the beginning of COVID lockdown, my husband bought me an IMAC desktop computer. I put it on my kitchen counter and that’s when I discovered the Decorah eagles nests. It was my intro to Eagle cams and live wildlife. I have been enthralled since. I walked in the house having left the Explore cam with this nest on. I saw the smoke and sat at the computer for a long time as the new chick Iniko endured the sound of fires approaching. Then the cams went blank. I was crushed as was everyone watching that night. We waited for days for the fate of Iniko and with intense joy days later learned he survived. The news in your post is so exciting. One always loved wildlife but these cams make me feel as if the ‘families’ are my family. I, like so many others am an ambassador for protecting the various species that need protection , including condors.

[@ladyhawk]

Hello Iggy and thank you so much for your story watching these cams and how all our lives are affected by nature's turn of events! I was watching Iniko live with you and I thought there was no way Iniko could survive that fire - we waited two weeks I think to get the news she was alive in the nest cavity and Redwood Queen was feeding her. Then the terrible news of all the missing condors and their deaths - along with Iniko's Dad Kingpin. It was like a part of my family had died too. This was a story of hope for the next year for Iniko to be released and have the joy of flight and her reunion with Redwood Queen! So here we are at the beginning again and what a blessing it is to be able to watch this new couple raise their chick! ♥

[@ellaboobella8770]

So the baby that was shown on the cam watching the fire survived?? I’ve thought so much about that sweet little baby. I believe that was the last footage before the cam went down. I hope he survived.

[@meadow2501]

This is FANTASTIC news!! Watched Iniko a few seasons back, and am thrilled that Redwood Queen has found another worthy mate, and is nesting in her nest again!! Praying that all goes well!! Thanks Lady Hawk, 😘❤️

[@ladyhawk]

Hello dear Meadow - so nice to see you!!! We are coming full circle again with Redwood Queen and a new mate and chick in the SAME tree that Iniko survived in! How is that for fate? Absolutely incredible it gives me chills to think about their story and past and how they survive such tragedy and keep going on! Very inspirational! ♥

[@16MedicRN]

Wow... I was in tears reading Redwood Queen's story. Reminded me a little of Ozzie and Harriet... Life goes on and these raptors must endure. They do so perfectly. I'm so excited to observe and learn about this bird. Thanks, Ladyhawk, for the important history ❤

[@ladyhawk]

Hello 16MedicRN the story of Redwood Queen Kingpin and Iniko and the Dolan fire rocked all our worlds when it happened. But out of the fire came hope and a new beginning for Iniko - you should be able to see her at the condor sanctuary cam! Look for #1031 ♥ Here are the other links www.ventanaws.org/condor_cam.html

[@16MedicRN]

@@ladyhawk thank you so very much 🙏😘

[@norskawood]

Good wishes to the happy condor couple, and their precious chick! 💗

[@kawaaisa383]

Thank you for a rare bird video, Lady Hawk🥰 Forests are being lost 🥲 Hope this family to survive! Godspeed

[@eos5336]

Something new for me; suppose will watch this nest too. Thanks!

[@enricotoesca3941]

Fantastic condors 😍😍😍😍

[@marysteggles2271]

Wonderful news.

[@ladyhawk]

Hi Mary! So nice to see you again! Hope you are doing well. This will be a great story to follow and share for your blog! ♥

[@recoveringsoul755]

Thanks for the update! I'm so happy for Redwood Queen. And thanks for reminding us that the chick survived the fire. I knew dad didn't make it and the camera melted, but wasn't sure about the chick.

[@ladyhawk]

Hi Recoveringsoul you are very welcome! Iniko survived being in the redwood tree with flames all around it and smoke so thick you couldn't breathe. Redwood Queen came back to the nest tree after the fires were out and she continued to feed her chick! But another male condor named Ninja wanted the territory and ejected Iniko from the nest a month and a half later. In the fall, Iniko suffered a sprained leg and was transferred to the LA Zoo for treatment. Iniko was sent back to San Simeon pending her release. Iniko was released on Dec 4th 2021 - here is the video of her big day kzbin.info/www/bejne/fajEeGaHbNGZZ5o&ab_channel=LadyHawk

[@flyfreeqhrt5484]

I’ve never seen one before. I mean her head is so unique. And the little ruffle of feathers around her neck! The baby is pretty good size already. ❤

[@ElyseF00]

Such gorgeous creatures they are. Thank you Lady Hawk ❤

[@Sunflowers_88]

So glad to have access again to these magnificent creatures! Thank you so much, Lady Hawk! Really looking forward to watching the chick grow 🩷

[@ladyhawk]

Hello Sunflowers you are very welcome and thanks for stopping by to leave a comment! I am so happy to have the cam up again and watching our sweet Redwood Queen and her new mate raise their chick! ♥

[@littletime100]

Thank you so much Lady Hawk for sharing, I did not realize this was live. 🥰

[@ladyhawk]

You are welcome! The cam just went live a few days ago! They do have additional cams of the condor sanctuary www.ventanaws.org/condor_cam.html

[@djr6876]

Haven’t seen these guys in a minute. ❤

[@AniFam]

Thank you for sharing this video and updates~🤗

[@alexandrabda5956]

Love condors as well ❤

[@karenparker6644]

Oh my goodness I haven't seen her since the horrible fire when her baby was stuck way up in the tree that burned beneath him

[@ladyhawk]

Hi Karen - we were lucky to see Redwood Queen with her other mate Phoenix - I did a few videos of them but unfortunately he disappeared last year- his body has not been found but assuming something happened to him. Redwood Queen was able to find a new mate - first time Dad Zenith!

[@janiebarker2687]

Wow ❤

[@bridgetcastillo5609]

❤❤❤

[@SilvanaSouza-wy5rv]

Great news!! 🎉Joy!! Joy!! Joy!! 🎉Congrats to Mama Redwood Queen and Daddy Zenith on their new chick!! 💞💞 Bless their hearts. Oh my!! I'm over the moon and smiling ear to ear for Lovely Mommy Redwood Queen. 🎶Wheee!! Wheee!!🎶 Welcome to the world, little one!! 💕🐣🌎💕 Grow up healthy and strong under your parents' devoted care, sweetie. 🙏🌱🙏 May God bless and protect this beautiful condor family. Thank you very much for this memorable video, Lady Hawk. 💙💙 Love, blessings and warm hugs to you, dearest friend. 💐💙🫂🥰🥰💕❤️🐣💗💕🙏

[@ladyhawk]

Thank you so much for your lovely comment Silvana ♥ This tiny chick is the apple of their eye right now 😇🐥

[@sergei7995]

This nest is very interesting! Thank you for information. Thanks a lot for your video!❤

[@ladyhawk]

Hello Sergei you are very welcome!! The story is amazing and I am happy to see Redwood Queen with a new mate and chick this year

[@sergei7995]

Hello Lady Hawk! This story is really amazing. Thank you so much. Have a blessed day.

[@flappinwings7274]

It's good to see the tree again! It's good to see the family together. This is exciting. Where is Iniko today? Thanks LH. 💕

[@ladyhawk]

Hello Flappin Iniko is a part of the condor family and was seen on cam off and on in 2022 and 2023. Hopefully will be seen on cam again this season - look for #1031 on the condor sanctuary cam! I hope to catch the footage live when she does make an appearance on cam and will do a video of it. Here are the other cams to keep an eye out on her! www.ventanaws.org/condor_cam.html