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The Kern River Valley - "Hummingbird
Viewing Capital of California"
Sponsored by:
Audubon California, Friends of the Kern River Preserve, Herp
Ecology, United States Postal Service.
Feeders up March through mid-October
2007 Recap and Photo Gallery
2008 Recap & Photo Gallery
Schedule of Activities:
8 a.m. Nature Walk through the Headquarters Area of the Kern River
Preserve.
Learn about the hummingbirds and other animals that can be
seen around the preserve.
 USPS Special Hummingbird Celebration Cancellation
will be available for
purchase at the Post Office booth and after the festival at the Post Office in
Weldon. Steve Kenton volunteers his time to provide this great service. This
year's illustration was done by Audubon's Alison Sheehey.
9:00 a.m. Feeding Hummingbirds:
A short lesson
in hummingbird feeder maintenance and a recipe for hummingbird food with
volunteer bird feeding coordinator, Birdie Foster.
9:30 a.m. Hummingbird Identification Workshop:
Indoor Presentation on how to tell our local hummingbirds apart.
10 a.m. Hummingbird Gardening:
Lesson in what
plants attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Workshop led by local
gardening columnist and friend of the Kern River Preserve, Marya Miller.
10 a.m. to Noon:
Musical Entertainment "Out of the Blue" Enjoy the
eclectic acoustical styling's of Pat Seamount & Mike Gallagher, folk, bluegrass and other styles by
these roving troubadours.
Noon. No-host Picnic Lunch in the Headquarters Area.
Join naturalists by the hummingbird feeders with your picnic lunch to
view the hummingbirds.
12:30 p.m. Nature Walk through the Headquarters Area
of the Kern River Preserve.
Learn about
the hummingbirds and other animals that can be seen around the preserve.
1:15 p.m. Feeding Hummingbirds:
A short lesson
in hummingbird feeder maintenance and a recipe for hummingbird food with
Birdie Foster
1:30 p.m. Hummingbird Identification Workshop:
Outdoor Presentation on how to tell our local
hummingbirds apart.
Friends from Herp-Ecology and Reptile Rescue will be
set up all day at the preserve with live local reptiles and amphibians.
Hummingbird numbers increase steadily at the Kern River
Preserve hummingbird feeders from June until
late-August. Two indicators: 1. consumption of sugar water
solution goes up
2. young of the year have fledged and start coming to the feeders. Black-chinned
Hummingbird numbers decline throughout August. Allen's and Rufous numbers peak
the third week of August.
Six
hummingbird species are possible at the Kern River Preserve feeders in July,
August, & early September with over one thousand hummingbirds present
some days: Black-chinned (numbers decrease from July through early September), Anna's, Costa's (low
numbers), Calliope (rarely), Rufous (peak numbers in late August & early
September), and Allen's (virtually impossible to
separate from Rufous, even adult males, except during banding sessions). Costa's and Calliope are more numerous at feeders in the desert (Costa's) and montane
(Calliope) regions of the Kern River Valley watershed. Allen's pass through in
small numbers the latter third of June through the middle of August. The Kern River Valley
has less than five records each of Broad-billed and Broad-tailed
Hummingbirds.
OUTDOOR ACTIVITY INFORMATION
Weather: Weather in the Kern River Valley in
mid August is usually very hot (sunny,
60–105 degrees F
daytime temperature range), but it can be
variable. For your comfort, we suggest bringing water, snacks, a hat,
sun screen, insect repellent, and sturdy shoes. There
are no food vendors at the preserve so participants should
bring lunch and drinks for the day.
Fees/Registration - This event is free although we
suggest a $10.00 donation
per adult to help defray the cost of feeding all of
the birds at the Kern River Preserve.
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