HOME 2007 NatureFest Schedule at a Glance Birding Christmas Bird Counts BIRD SIGHTINGS Winter 06/07 Fall 2006 Summer 2006 Spring 2006 Winter 05/06 Fall 2005 Summer 2005 Spring 2005 Winter 04/05 Fall 2004 Summer 2004 Spring 2004 Winter 03/04 Fall 2003 Summer 2003 Spring 2003 Winter 02/03 Fall 2002 Summer 2002 Spring 2002 Winter 01/02 Fall 2001 Summer 2001 Spring 2001 Winter 00/01 Fall 2000 Summer 2000 Spring 2000 Winter 99/00 Fall 1999 Summer 1999 Spring 1999 Winter 98/99 Fall 1998 Summer 1998 | Birds of the Kern River Watershed | Found in northeastern Kern County, the Kern River Valley is located between the protective reaches of the southern Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Piute Mountains. This unique region contains five of the six major habitat bioregions found in California and is within the Pacific Flyway. These unique factors contribute to amazing diversity of all life forms. Birds are no exception as 340 species have been found so far, with more being discovered each season. The South Fork of the Kern River Valley contains the largest remaining contiguous riparian forest in California. The geographic boundaries of this list include: Isabella Reservoir - the adjacent uplands - the South Fork Valley east to Canebrake – and local forests, including the Greenhorns, up to Sequoia National Monument, Breckenridge, the Piutes and the Kern Plateau. | LEGEND Symbols indicate the frequency of past observations of species in their proper habitat and season. | STATUS (I) introduced species. W - wandering from primary range V vagrant, far from principle range. M - known from montane habitat only S - known from South Fork Valley only D - known from desert habitat only * - nesting species *(?) possible/probable breeding ( ) - parenthesis indicate nesting within habitat specified but known to wander into other areas | DISTRIBUTION A - All Habitats C - Chaparral F - Foothills G - Grassland GB - Great Basin Desert M - Marsh Me - Meadow MD - Mojave Desert L - Lake/Reservoir O - Desert Oasis PF - Pine/Fir Forest R - River RF - Riparian Forest S - Suburban SF - Sequoia Forest SM - Salt Marsh VS - Valley Scrub | SEASONS: Spring: March May Summer: June July Fall: August November Winter: December February c – common, easily seen daily. f – fairly common, seen most days. u – uncommon, present but easily missed. i - irruptive, present some years and in various numbers r – rare, seldom seen. x – not expected, less than 5 records. e – extirpated, no longer occurs. |
| | Status | Distribution | Sp | Su | F | W | Swans, Geese, and Ducks - Anatidae | | | | | | | Tundra Swan | Cygnus columbianus | W | L,R | - | - | - | x | Greater White-fronted Goose | Anser albifrons | | L,R | - | - | r | r | Snow Goose | Chen caerulescens | | L,R,G | x | - | r | r | Ross's Goose | Chen rossii | | L,R | - | - | r | r | Canada Goose | Branta canadensis | | L,M,R,G | - | - | r | u | Wood Duck | Aix sponsa | * | M,R | f | f | u | r | Green-winged Teal | Anas crecca | * | L,M,R | u | r | u | u | Mallard | Anas platyrhynchos | * | L,M,R,G,S | c | c | c | c | Northern Pintail | Anas acuta | * | L,M,R | u | r | u | r | Blue-winged Teal | Anas discors | *(?) | M | r | r | - | - | Cinnamon Teal | Anas cyanoptera | * | L,M,R | u | u | u | r | Northern Shoveler | Anas clypeata | *(?) | L,M | u | r | u | u | Gadwall | Anas strepera | * | L,M,R | u | u | u | r | American Wigeon | Anas americana | | L,M,R,G | u | - | u | u | Canvasback | Aythya valisineria | | L,M,R | u | - | u | u | Redhead | Aythya americana | * | L,M,R | r | r | r | r | Ring-necked Duck | Aythya collaris | | L,M,R | u | - | u | u | Tufted Duck | Aythya fuligula | V | L | - | - | - | x | Greater Scaup | Aythya marila | | L | r | - | r | r | Lesser Scaup | Aythya affinis | | L,M | u | - | u | u | Long-tailed Duck | Clangula hyemalis | V | L | - | - | - | x | Surf Scoter | Melanitta perspicillata | V | L | - | - | - | x | White-winged Scoter | Melanitta fusca | V | L | - | - | - | x | Common Goldeneye | Bucephala clangula | | L,R | r | - | r | f | Barrow's Goldeneye | Bucephala islandica | V | L | - | - | - | x | Bufflehead | Bucephala albeola | | L,M,R | u | x | - | u | Hooded Merganser | Lophodytes cucullatus | | L,M,R | - | - | - | r | Common Merganser | Mergus merganser | * | L,M,R | u | u | u | c | Red-breasted Merganser | Mergus serrator | W | L | x | - | x | x | Ruddy Duck | Oxyura jamaicensis | * | L,M,R | u | r | r | u | Partridges, Grouse, and Turkeys - Phasianidae | | | | | | | Chukar | Alectoris chukar | (I)* | G,MD | r | r | r | r | Ring-necked Pheasant | Phasianus colchicus | (I)* | G,M | r | r | r | r | Blue Grouse | Dendragapus obscurus | M* | Me | r | r | r | r | Wild Turkey | Meleagris gallopavo | (I)* | F,RF,PF | u | u | u | u | New World Quail - Odontophoridae | | | | | | | Mountain Quail | Oreortyx pictus | * | C, MD, PF | u | u | u | u | California Quail | Callipepla californica | * | A | c | c | c | c | Loons - Gaviidae | | | | | | | | Red-throated Loon | Gavia stellata | V | L | - | - | x | x | Pacific Loon | Gavia pacifica | W | L | - | - | r | r | Common Loon | Gavia immer | | L,R | r | x | r | r | Grebes - Podicipediformes | | | | | | | | Pied-billed Grebe | Podilymbus podiceps | * | M,L,R | u | u | u | u | Horned Grebe | Podiceps auritus | W | L,R | x | - | r | r | Red-necked Grebe | Podiceps grisegena | V | L | - | - | x | x | Eared Grebe | Podiceps nigricollis | * | M,L,R | u | r | u | u | Western Grebe | Aechmophorus occidentalis | * | L | c | c | c | c | Clark's Grebe | Aechmophorus clarkii | * | L | c | c | c | c | Pelicans - Pelecanidae | | | | | | | | American White Pelican | Pelecanus erythrorhynchos | | L,M | f | f | f | f | Brown Pelican | Pelecanus occidentalis | V | L | x | - | x | - | Cormorants - Phalacrocoracidae | | | | | | | Double-crested Cormorant | Phalacrocorax auritus | | L,R | c | u | c | c | Frigatebirds - Fregatidae | | | | | | | | Magnificent Frigatebird | Fregata magnificens | V | L | - | x | - | - | Bitterns and Herons - Ardeidae | | | | | | | American Bittern | Botaurus lentiginosus | e* | M | r | r | r | r | Least Bittern | Ixobrychus exilis | S* | M | r | r | - | - | Great Blue Heron | Ardea herodias | * | L,M,R | c | c | c | c | Great Egret | Ardea alba | | L,M,R | u | r | r | r | Snowy Egret | Egretta thula | | L,M,R | u | r | r | - | Cattle Egret | Bubulcus ibis | | G,M | r | - | r | - | Green Heron | Butorides virescens | * | M,R | r | r | r | - | Black-crowned Night-Heron | Nycticorax nycticorax | * | L,M,R | u | u | u | u | Ibises and Spoonbills - Threskiornithidae | | | | | | | White-faced Ibis | Plegadis chihi | | M | r | - | u | - | American Vultures - Cathartidae | | | | | | | Turkey Vulture | Cathartes aura | * | A | c | c | c | r | California Condor | Gymnogyps californianus | | M,V | r | r | r | r | Kites, Eagles, Hawks, and Allies - Accipitridae | | | | | | | Osprey | Pandion haliaetus | * | R | u | u | u | r | White-tailed Kite | Elanus leucurus | * | M,R | r | r | r | r | Mississippi Kite | Ictinia mississippiensis | V | M | x | - | - | - | Bald Eagle | Haliaeetus leucocephalus | | L,R | u | x | r | c | Northern Harrier | Circus cyaneus | * | L,M,R,G | u | r | u | c | Sharp-shinned Hawk | Accipiter striatus | | G,F | u | - | f | u | Cooper's Hawk | Accipiter cooperii | * | G,F,MD | u | r | f | u | Northern Goshawk | Accipiter gentilis | (M*) | PF | r | r | r | r | Red-shouldered Hawk | Buteo lineatus | * | RF,R,G | f | f | f | f | Broad-winged Hawk | Buteo platypterus | V | RF | - | - | x | - | Swainson's Hawk | Buteo swainsoni | | RF,G | r | x | r | - | Zone-tailed Hawk | Buteo albonotatus | W | RF | x | x | x | - | Red-tailed Hawk | Buteo jamaicensis | * | A | c | c | c | c | Ferruginous Hawk | Buteo regalis | | MD,GB,G | r | - | r | u | Rough-legged Hawk | Buteo lagopus | | G | - | - | r | r | Golden Eagle | Aquila chrysaetos | * | G,F | u | u | u | u | Caracaras and Falcons - Falconidae | | | | | | | American Kestrel | Falco sparverius | * | A | c | c | c | c | Merlin | Falco columbarius | | G,F,RF | r | - | r | r | Peregrine Falcon | Falco peregrinus | (M*) | G,F,RF | r | r | r | r | Prairie Falcon | Falco mexicanus | * | G | u | u | u | u | Rails, Gallinules, and Coots - Rallidae | | | | | | | Virginia Rail | Rallus limicola | * | M | u | u | u | u | Sora | Porzana carolina | * | M | u | u | u | u | Common Moorhen | Gallinula chloropus | * | M,L | r | r | - | r | American Coot | Fulica americana | * | M,R,L,G,S | c | c | c | c | Cranes - Gruidae | | | | | | | | Sandhill Crane | Grus canadensis | W | G,L,M | - | - | - | x | Plovers and Lapwings - Charadriidae | | | - | - | - | - | Black-bellied Plover | Pluvialis squatarola | | L,M | r | - | r | - | Snowy Plover | Charadrius alexandrinus | | M,SM | - | - | r | - | Semipalmated Plover | Charadrius semipalmatus | | M | u | - | u | - | Killdeer | Charadrius vociferus | * | L,M,R,G,S | c | c | c | c | Stilts and Avocets - Recurvirostridae | | | | | | | Black-necked Stilt | Himantopus mexicanus | | M,R | u | r | r | r | American Avocet | Recurvirostra americana | | M,R | u | r | r | - | Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies - Scolopacidae | | | | | | | Greater Yellowlegs | Tringa melanoleuca | | M,R | f | x | u | r | Lesser Yellowlegs | Tringa flavipes | | M,R | - | - | r | - | Solitary Sandpiper | Tringa solita |
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