The photo taken by “Matt” and sent into writer Joan Morris of the “Animal Life/Pets and Wildlife” column at California’s Contra Costa Times:

I live in the hills of Pleasanton, so I always keep my eyes open for the bountiful wildlife that surrounds us in this area. I was washing my car in the driveway recently and I heard a screeching from high above, like a red tail hawk, and when I looked up I noticed a bird that I have never seen.
It had white areas under its wing and its tail, and was much larger than the turkey vulture that was near it in flight. I had an inkling that this might be a California condor so I ran inside, searched what they look like in flight and grabbed my camera. The search results made me realize that I was looking at the rare California condor. Do you have any information that could provide some answers to this rare sighting?
Matt
Pleasanton

Here are two enlargements of this bird in the photograph.

California Condor

The bird it appears to be, according to Joan Morris’ experts: Juvenile Golden Eagle