by Bob Barnes

The 8th Annual Kern River Valley Turkey Vulture Festival is set to soar from the Kern River Preserve Friday-Monday, September 27-30, 2002. Come join us as we celebrate the annual phenomenon of the migration of 25,000-30,000 Turkey Vultures through the Kern River Valley on their journey from interior British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California south to their wintering grounds in Mexico and points beyond.

The upcoming Vulture Fest is designed to be relaxing and fun, yet full of memorable experiences. On tap for this year are experiences with, of course, vultures, vultures, and more vultures through vulture lift-offs and drop-ins, field trips, displays & booths, speakers’ forums, and children’s activities. But, that is not all. The Turkey Vulture Festival will also offer an astronomy evening, a binoculars workshop, birding field trips, bird banding, a California Condor Recovery Program report, Kern River Preserve research & stewardship updates, a moth workshop, and reptiles & amphibians.

John Schmitt's new 2002 Turkey Vulture Festival T-shirt design KRP Friends Archive

John Schmitt, internationally renowned wildlife artist, has come up with a wonderful, new design for the 2002 TV Fest t-shirt and poster. John will be present to sign t-shirts and posters for festival attendees for an hour or two starting at Noon on Saturday.

Steve Kenton, Weldon Postmaster, has adapted part of John Schmitt’s new design as the basis for his special and official United State Postal Service Vulture Station postal cancellation. First Class stamped commemorative envelopes for collectors and for use will be available at cost in the KRP information booth (must be used by October 27th).

A special addition to this year’s Turkey Vulture Festival is a good, old-fashioned, early fall picnic on the lawn at Kern River Preserve Headquarters on Saturday evening. Bring your blanket and picnic basket and join us to share in the fun and friendship.

For more details, check out the Official Program for the this year’s Vulture Fest which is included as an insert in this newsletter. Join us and watch the vultures soar. For late breaking news see: http://valleywild.org/tvfest.htm.

by Les Chibana

There was an extremely wonderful event, the Hummingbird Festival, at the Audubon-California Kern River Preserve over the weekend of August 3-4.

The proliferation of hummingbird feeders at this Preserve at the southern end of the Sierra Nevada reveals what may be the true nature of southbound Rufous and Allen’s hummingbird migration in California. For the past 4 years, Bob Barnes, the Preserve’s Outreach Director, has been putting out a large battery of hummingbird feeders to an increasing visitation of breeding and migrant trochilids [hummingbirds, ed.].

Large amounts of Rufous Hummingbirds, followed in quantity by Black-chinned, Anna’s, Allen’s, and Calliope, were noisily crowding and vying for position at feeders.

By using a unit of measure called "Black-chinned Hummingbird Units", or BCHU, the amount of sugar water consumed in a day by one Black-chinned Hummingbird, it was estimated that up to 2000 hummingbirds per day came to the Preserve’s feeders during the peak of activity between Aug 18 and 23 in 2001.

This year, with the continued use of feeders, that number is expected to reach 2500 to 3000 birds. One authority opined to Bob Barnes that if he put out twice as many feeders, he would get twice as many birds. "If you put out feeders, they will come."

It is thought that this volume of hummingbirds have long been moving through the area. But in the absence of any nectar source in the dense riparian corridor of the South Fork Kern River, they were never detected because they continued to fly southward rarely lingering in the area.

Penstemon Field in the Greenhorns

I had the good fortune of spending about 18 hours over three days assisting hummingbird researcher, Don Mitchell, in the banding of hummingbirds at the feeders, as well as in the Greenhorn Mtns. He used a cage trap at the feeders and mist nets in the mountain patches of penstemon blooms. He focused mostly on Rufous/Allen’s species, but he processed any Calliope that we managed to capture.

On the first day, for a banding demonstration, Don processed all birds captured. To give you an idea of the species mix, Out of 26 captures, there were 8 Rufous (migrants), 8 Black-chinned (local breeders), 7 Anna’s (local breeders), 1 Allen’s (migrant), 1 intermediate Rufous/ Allen’s (migrant), and 1 Calliope (migrant). The Allen’s was ID’ed in-hand using feather measurement, shape and color, and by overall size.

The second day of banding was done in a large patch of penstemon in the Greenhorn Mtns. at 6100' elev. Two years ago, Don discovered these patches and the associated migrant hummingbird activity. Even Sheri Williamson, author of the new Peterson’s Hummingbird Field Guide, told Don when she saw these fields that she had never seen such a concentration of hummingbirds at a natural source of nectar.

The air was filled with the chuppety-chup-chup-chup" of pugnacious Rufous Hummingbirds as they defended their tiny foraging territories within these fields of red.

Rufous Hummingbird in the Greenhorn Mountains

Hummingbird Bander's - Tools of the Trade

Here, we used my Eurovan as a field banding station, something for which it seemed designed. Out of 18 hummingbirds captured, there were 14 Rufous, 2 Allen’s, and 2 Calliope.

Back at the Preserve, at roughly 2600' elev., on the third day of banding, we targeted Rufous/Allen’s species to gather data for Don’s work. Out of 37 birds captured, there were 33 Rufous, 3 Allen’s, and 1 Calliope.

Although relatively common at higher elevations, Calliope are quite rare at the Preserve. So, over all three days, a total of 62 Rufous/Allen’s Hummingbirds were captured. The species breakdown was 55 Rufous, 6 Allen’s, and one indeterminate intermediate bird. This comes out to nearly 10% of all of the Rufous/Allen’s species being Allen’s.

In 2000, banding revealed a 20 to 1 ratio of Rufous to Allen’s. Interestingly, as we were wrapping up on the last day, Don saw a female hummingbird at 18" which he was 90% sure was a Broad-tailed Hummingbird. This species, although having a small handful of records in the Valley, had not yet been recorded on the Preserve.

Aside from the 6, and possibly 7, species of hummingbirds, other species seen on the Preserve included Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Southwestern Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax trailii extimus), and Summer Tanager. I saw two Black Swifts at the Camp 9 boat ramp over Isabella Reservoir off Sierra Way. At dusk over the Preserve, a large group of bats of at least 4 discernable sizes (and possibly 2 to 4 times as many species) hawked insects as hummingbirds still darted by, a very interesting juxtaposition.

I will "migrate" again with other flocks of birders to the Preserve next spring and summer to see the other species that breed in the area.

Les Chibana - Palo Alto

July 17, 1946-August 4, 2002

In 2001 and 2002, Dave ran our Bluebird Nestbox Program in conjunction with the California Bluebird Recovery Program. According to his family, Dave mentioned that the bluebird project was one of his most rewarding endeavors. The results of Dave’s efforts this year are summarized in an accompanying article. In addition to his work on behalf of Western Bluebirds and Tree Swallows, Dave helped out on all kinds of Preserve projects including Kern Valley Pride Day.

From Dave’s biography: "David Bryan Harvey was born July 17, 1946 in Pasadena. He graduated from California State University, Sacramento with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies. Dave served his country courageously as an Army medic during the Vietnam conflict. He retired in September 2001 from the U.S. Forest Service after 20 years, having worked 10 years previously for the Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of land Management in both Minnesota and Arizona"...

"...Dave was an avid marathon runner and hiker. He enjoyed photographing the great beauty of God’s creation. Dave was a member of the Friends of the Kern River Preserve, Kern County Search and Rescue, and the Sierra Club. He volunteered with many local organizations including Camp Owen and was very concerned with protecting our natural environment."

The family has set up a Dave Harvey Memorial Fund for the Kern River Preserve to receive donations to perpetuate the bluebird nestbox program conducted so well by Dave. If you would like to contribute to this fund, make your donation out to "NAS/KRPFriends" and mail to PO Box 833, Weldon, CA 93283. Indicate Dave Harvey Memorial. All funds in this account will go towards the Preserve’s Dave Harvey Bluebird Nestbox Program.

Dave Harvey was a great and valued Friend of the Kern River Preserve and a very good friend to all of us here at the Kern River Preserve. He was kind and giving beyond measure. He passed away at his home in Mountain Mesa on August 4, 2002. David Bryan Harvey will be missed.

Bob Barnes, Outreach Director

Tree Swallow in nestbox

Dave Harvey - Program Manager & Reporter

101 Standard Bluebird Boxes

Western Bluebird chicks fledged - 104

Tree Swallow chicks fledged - 155

House Wren chicks fledged - 71

Ash-throated Flycatcher chicks fledged - 20

Total chicks fledged in 2002 - 350

NOTE: Lost 60 birds/eggs in June 2002 due to a black bear tearing up 13 boxes; 57 Tree Swallows or eggs, 3 Western Bluebirds. DBH

Once again, Murrelet Halterman is offering a field trip to Costa Rica and Jim Royer one to Veracruz, Mexico. Both trips are benefit fund-raisers for the Kern River Preserve and the Southern Sierra Research Station.

Jim’s trip will take place this coming October 2002 and Murrelet’s in January 2003. Both of these trips are centered around some of the world’s best known nature experiences; the amazing raptor migration in Veracruz and the tropical diversity of Costa Rica. Visit www.valleywild.org for details.

For more information, contact Jim by email: jcadroyer@aol.com or phone: (805) 541–6850. Contact Murrelet by email: cuckoobuster@yahoo.com or phone: (760) 378-2185.

Join the KRP Friends’ email list to receive timely and low-cost communications. Our list is NOT shared with anyone else. To join, send an email to krpfirends@lightspeed.net. Thanks.

Thanks to donations from over 100 of our 700 Friends of the Kern River Preserve, our 2002 Mid-Year Appeal has brought in over $7000.00 as of the third week of August. When added to those of you who made donations in April, May, and June - prior to the appeal mailing - over $12,000.00 has been raised to support the ongoing activities of the Kern River Preserve.

With a budget approaching $100,000, your donations are critical to our success. Although we are not self-sustaining as yet, we are hopeful of increasing our 700+ Friends membership several fold so our basic operating expenses are covered. This will leave us in a position to pursue program expansion; particularly our education program.

If you are one of our 600 members who have not yet responded to our appeal, please considering doing so. We truly need and want your support. We believe we use your donations very efficiently and effectively. Thank you for your consideration.

We are happy to announce the completion of the new Kern River Preserve Nature Trail guide, trail & signposts alignment, and new directional signs. Check them all out on your next visit to KRP. Thanks to the following people for their help on different aspects of this project: Bob Barnes, Bill Foster, Birdie Foster, Terri Gallion, Jeff King, Dave Kurdeka, Patt Nichols, Alison Sheehey, Reed Tollefson, Mary Whitfield, and Sandra Wieser. Additional thanks to those who created and revised the first Nature Trail and guide: Rick Hewett, Dave Kyser, Lynn Overtree, and Ron Tiller.

Alison Sheehey, Friends of the Kern River Preserve newsletter graphic artist, webmaster, and database manager, has been very busy producing new and updated products. All of the following have been published and are available in the KRP Visitor Center.

In addition to rewriting and designing the new KRP Nature Trail Guide, Alison has thoroughly updated the Kern River Preserve fact sheet (included in this newsletter) and co-authored the "Bird Checklist - Kern River Preserve & South Fork Valley" (Audubon-California, July 2002).

She also designed the KRP Friends 2002 mid-year appeal, updated the "Kern River Valley & Southern Sierra Nevada Bird Checklist" (Audubon-California, July 2002), designed the "Kern River Valley Hummingbird Identification & Finding Guide" (Audubon-California, August 2002), designed the "8th Annual Kern River Valley Turkey Vulture Festival" official program, and all of the hand-out materials for the August 2-5 Hummingbird Celebration.

Currently, Alison is working on checklists of area amphibians & reptiles, butterflies, dragonflies, mammals, trees, and wildflowers.

You can find out more about Alison Sheehey’s work by visiting one of her five web sites. You can start by visiting www.NatureAli.com.

[NOTE from NatureAli: Bob Barnes is the author/co-author of many of these materials, except for the TV Fest guide which was written by Bill & Birdie Foster. ]

The 4th Annual Kern River Valley Hummingbird Celebration held at the Kern River Preserve this past August 2-5 was an unqualified success. Three hundred eighty-seven visitors were hand tallied during the four day celebration including over one hundred each from the Kern River Valley and Bakersfield area. The Ridgecrest/Indian Wells Valley was well represented with fifty visitors. In addition, attendees came from as far away as Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, Idaho (Twin Falls), Nevada (Las Vegas), New Mexico (Los Alamos), and Wisconsin.

Thanks to the following for helping with this year’s Hummingbird Celebration: Bob Barnes, Donna Bundy, Les Chibana, Eagle Optics (Middleton, Wisconsin), Birdie Foster, Herp-Ecology, Allan Jaffe, Kern River Valley Revitalization, Kern Valley Reptile Society, Jeff King, Doug Lemmons, Buz Lunsford, Janine McCabe, NatureAli, Patt Nichols, Sherry Nichols, Cathy Nishida, Rich Pelletreau Wildlife Gallery & Studio, Alison Sheehey, South Fork School District, Wes Thomas, Reed Tollefson, Bruce Webb, Mary Whitfield, and Sandra Wieser. A special thanks goes to Donald Mitchell our guest hummingbird expert who came in from Wisconsin and led field trips and workshops for three full days.

The inaugural California Amphibian & Reptile Celebration was hosted June 15-16 at Kern River Preserve Headquarters. Despite a huge attendance drop on Saturday when heavy smoke from the destructive Borel fire inundated the preserve, two hundred seventy-four visitors attended on Saturday the 15th and eighty-three on Sunday the 16th.

This celebration was restricted to public education and conservation of native California amphibians and reptiles. Thanks go to the following people for making this celebration a success: Bob Applegate, Bob Barnes, Jason Blackstone, Yvonne Gomez, Herp-Ecology, Steve Kenton (Weldon Postmaster), Kern Valley Reptile Society, Jeff King, Doug Lemmons, Buz Lunsford, Norma Martinez, Dell McCollough (L&M Lumber), Carol Miller, Linda Moore, NatureAli, Ann Peters, Deborah Reams, Linda Ryan, Sequoia National Forest (Cannell Meadow Ranger District), Alison Sheehey, Reed Tollefson, Turtle & Tortoise Club of the Central Valley, Turtle & Tortoise Club of Bakersfield, Jean Watson, Carol Wermuth, and Sandra Wieser.

Audubon-California’s Board of Directors and staff came from all over the state June 14th and 15th to hold their regularly scheduled meetings.

Since the meeting was hosted by the Kern River Preserve, board and staff had excellent opportunities to learn about Audubon’s efforts at the Kern River Preserve and in the Kern River Valley including land protection & stewardship, restoration & research, and education & community outreach.

The results of the meetings and field visits have already yielded more effective and coordinated benefits for Audubon-California and the Kern River Preserve.

The results for this year’s South Fork Kern River Rapid Assessment Summer Bird Count are available on line at http://www.valleywild.org/summer_2002.htm. Twelve observers in six parties tallied 105 and 6,777 individuals.

Thanks to the following participants: Bob Barnes, Lance Benner, Kathi Ellsworth, Terri Gallion, Rozella Mattingly, Barbara Reifel. John Schmitt, Jeff Seay, Alison Sheehey, Susan Steele, Deb Wilson, and John Wilson.

A birder at the BioFest

The April 2002, issue of "Birding World," "Europe’s premier monthly magazine for keen birdwatchers," has an article highlighting the Kern River Valley and the Kern Valley BioFest. The article is entitled "The Kern Valley BioFest, California." It was written by Terry Marshall from Essex, England. Terry attended the 2001 BioFest.

In the article Terry states, "The BioFest was not all birding;...the Kern River Valley abounds with additional recreational opportunities...It was a wonderful eight days, with the sun shining from 5:30am-8:30pm every day. On one day, we did see a cloud, but it disappeared faster than a migrating bird."

Bob Barnes, Audubon Kern River Preserve Outreach Director states, "More and more birders from Europe are including the Kern River Valley in their California birding itineraries because of it being featured in the book ‘Birding Northern California’ and on our web sites. Many Europeans have even stated that the Kern River Valley was their favorite birding area in our Golden State.

This statement has been made in comparison to such premier birding locations as Monterey and Yosemite! Frankly, I have been surprised, albeit very pleasantly so, at those statements. We should take ‘em where we can get ‘em! We heartily invite readers of Europe’s ‘Birding World’ to visit our rich birding area as well during the mid-April through early October peak birding and general recreation period."

Western Tiger Swallowtail

Twenty observers in five count parties tallied 1,411 individual butterflies of sixty-six species on the 2nd Annual

North Fork Kern Butterfly Count. Based on last year’s North American Butterfly Association published count results, the sixty-six species tallied this year may very well place among the top ten butterfly counts in the United States and Canada. Thanks to the following participants: Herb Clarke, Olga Clarke, Ken Davenport, Claude Edwards, Mary Freeman, Nick Freeman, Terri Gallion, Fred Heath, Margaret Huffman, Paul Johnson, Michael Klein, Jack Levy, Rozella Mattingly, W. D. Patterson, Julie Pierce, Mary Prismon, Erin Seidner, Alison Sheehey, Susan Steele, and Bruce Webb. The results are available online at http://natureali.com/wildbutterflycount.htm. A great time was had by all.

Every year members of the Friends of the Kern River Preserve participate in Kern Valley Pride Day; a valley wide clean-up effort which will be held this year on Saturday morning, September 21st. The clean-up is followed by a free BBQ lunch and awards ceremony. The last two years the KRP Friends team has placed in the top three among all participating teams. All participants receive a Kern Valley Pride Day t-shirt as well. We would love to conduct an even more effective clean-up effort this coming September 21st. If you would like to be a part of the KRP Friends team for this year’s Kern Valley Pride Day, contact Sandra Wieser via e-mail at swieser@lightspeed.net or by phone at 1-760-378-2531.

The 3rd Annual Kelso Creek Sanctuary Service Weekend & Campout is set for Saturday, and Sunday, October 19th and 20th. This strikingly beautiful 156-acre Audubon-California Sanctuary is located alongside Kelso Valley Road fifteen miles south of the Kern River Preserve. Each year Preserve and Sanctuary Manager Reed Tollefson puts together a list of service projects for participants to complete. The pace is set to suit individual needs with plenty of breaks for lively discussions, fun, and friendship. Those who do not wish to camp may stay at the Lakeview Motel (W: www.oldiesradioonline.com/get/lakeviewmotel/, P: 1-760-379-8250) or Lake Isabella RV Resort (W: www.LakeIsabellaRV.com, P: 379-2046) off Hwy. 178 in Mountain Mesa. Mountain Mesa is a thirty minute drive from the Kelso Creek Sanctuary. Or, you will find numerous motels in Kernville, forty-five minutes away. If you would like to participate in all or part of this year’s Kelso Creek Sanctuary Service Weekend, contact Reed via e-mail at rtollefson@lightspeed.org or by phone at 1-760-378-2531.

McNally Fire Plume on July 22, 2002

Fire near Sherman Pass Rd. Pat Elliott © Sequoia NF

This summer the Kern River watershed experienced three major wildfires named Borel, Deer, and McNally. Together, as of August 20th, the fires had burned 153,000 acres of land and destroyed 54 homes and 92 outbuildings.

Mehmet McMillan, of WildPlaces, is looking for volunteers to coordinate a rapid response effort to stabilize some of the more critical areas on the North Fork Watershed. "WildPlaces is currently building the Volunteer Emergency Response Team (VERT) to help in the effort to aid in the recovery of our forests". See his article on page 7.

We will recap the entire 2002 fire season in more detail in our next newsletter including restoration efforts and the effect on the Kern River Preserve.

September 1 - October 20, 2002 –

Saturday, September 21 – Kern Valley Pride Day

SIZE: 1,127 acres

LOCATION: The preserve is located along the South Fork Kern River, 57 miles northeast of Bakersfield, along State Highway 178 near Weldon at the site of the historic A. Brown Ranch.

HISTORY: The South Fork Valley is steeped in fascinating history. The Tubatulabal were the indigenous people of the valley. They lived in this area for centuries before the arrival of European settlers shortly after 1850. Mining was the main industry of the hillsides, while cattle grazing and hay growing dominated the agriculture-based valley. A flour mill, built in the 1870’s, stands as a reminder of the pioneer industry of A. Brown, the original owner of the property.

GEOGRAPHY: The preserve lies within the South Fork Kern River Valley near the southern terminus of the Sierra Nevada. Elevation is moderate, ranging from 2600 to 2700 feet. The South Fork of the Kern River flows through the property from east to west. Several small irrigation ditches and beaver ponds are scattered about the land. On these rich alluvial soils with their accompanying high-water table a dense growth of riparian trees and shrubs is supported, known as Great Valley Cottonwood Forest habitat. Most of the preserve is a dedicated riparian forest sanctuary although each year some of our acreage is leased out for cattle grazing and farming. The surrounding property on three sides is in private ownership. Immediately to the west is the Sequoia National Forest’s South Fork Wildlife Area.

FAUNA: Wildlife in the preserve is both varied and abundant. The Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo, endangered in California, uses the riparian growth for nesting sites, as do many species of hawks, owls and songbirds. More than 240 bird species have been observed, including nesting Wood Duck, Red-shouldered Hawk, and Southwestern Willow Flycatcher. In addition, the preserve includes the northwestern most range extension of such southwest desert riparian nesting species as Brown-crested Flycatcher and the neon red Summer Tanager. Mammals found here include mule deer, coyote, beaver, dusky-footed wood rat, long-tailed weasel, California ground squirrel, American black bear, bobcat, and an occasional mountain lion. As one means of monitoring the preserve’s rich insect life, an annual butterfly count is conducted under the auspices of the North American Butterfly Association. In addition, annual counts of preserve birds are conducted in spring, summer, and winter under the auspices of Audubon.

FLORA: The riparian forest, although tremendously productive contains only two major tree species: Fremont cottonwood and red willow. Intermixed with these trees are dense stands of mule fat, sandbar willow, and stinging nettle. Cattails, tules, and yerba mansa abound in wet areas. The beautiful alkali mariposa lily grows in moist meadows near the river. The flora of the preserve has been inventoried and the list can be found on our website and in the visitor’s center. The South Fork Valley contains the largest contiguous riparian forest in California.

ACCESS: The preserve is open dawn to dusk each day. Feel free to explore the visitor center and follow our self-guided nature trail. A trail guide is available in the mailbox at the beginning of the trail. Please return the guide to the box or help us defray printing costs by depositing a dollar in the bird box in the visitor center. Schools and other groups may contact the Preserve Manager or Outreach Director in advance to arrange guided tours.

DIRECTIONS: The preserve is 57 miles east of Hwy 99 in Bakersfield along Hwy 178. From the Central Valley: At State Hwy 99 take Hwy 178 east. Drive through the beautiful Kern River canyon and along south shore of Isabella Reservoir to KRP in Weldon. The preserve is exactly 1.15 miles beyond Sierra Way (the Kernville turn-off). The preserve is on the left. Please turn into the property cautiously as oncoming traffic can be difficult to see around the bend in the road. From the Mojave Desert, from State Highway 14, turn westbound onto Hwy 178. Drive 30 miles to Weldon. Observe Fay Ranch Road and the South Fork School on your right, drive 0.8 miles beyond this road to the preserve entrance on the right.

RIGHT OF WAY into the preserve. The access road is an easement through private property, do not stop in the pasture as it is a working cattle ranch. The forest before you is Audubon property. Please drive through the forest and at the headquarters turn to the left and park in the lot by the port-a-potties.

MANAGEMENT: A full habitat restoration and research program has been initiated on the preserve, including planting of cottonwood and willow saplings, floral and faunal inventories, and vegetative monitoring. These efforts have resulted in significant benefits to a number of rare species as well as their habitats.

PUBLIC SUPPORT: The Kern River Preserve is owned and managed by Audubon-California, a private non-profit conservation organization. Audubon’s goal is to preserve natural diversity and educate the public about its importance. Audubon and the Kern River Preserve depend on your generosity to continue this mission. Please consider becoming a member by making a donation of $20 or more to "NAS/KRPFriends" and sending it to our PO Box in Weldon listed below. Additional information and educational materials may be obtained in the Visitor Center or by inquiring with the Preserve Manager or Outreach Director.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: The Kern River Preserve offers a wide range of opportunities for individuals or groups to help us carry out our mission. If you have skills in education, science, construction, maintenance, agriculture, or any other field that you feel can advance our mission, please contact the Preserve Manager or Outreach Director.

Fact Sheet redesign, maps, & images by Alison Sheehey (a friend of KRP)