Testimonials from the Professionals - Kern River Valley Birding, Southern Sierra Nevada, California

Welcome to "What the Pros Say," a collection of reflections and testimonials on birds and birding in the Kern River Valley and Southern Sierra Nevada from noted figures in the world of birds and birding. Bob Barnes, moderator of this on-line birding guide will start us off with an overview, followed by artist John Schmitt, author Miyoku Chu , author John Kemper, leading Big Day birder John Sterling, photographer Bob Steele, sound recordist Geoff Keller, and ending with more from Bob Barnes.

What the Pros Say:
A Background Perspective from Bob Barnes, excerpted from the introduction in the Kern River Valley and Southern Sierra Nevada chapter he wrote for the American Birding Association's newly-revised A Birder's Guide to Southern California, Brad Schram, 2007 - "An astonishing variety of habitat types occur within a radius of twenty-five air miles of Audubon California’s Kern River Preserve Headquarters (KRP) in Weldon. This remarkable diversity accounts for the allure of the Kern River Valley and the encircling Southern Sierra Nevada mountains to birds and birders alike. Great Basin, Mojave Desert, and Sierra Nevada habitats intersect here. A staggering number of distinct habitats are present nearby: chaparral, cliffs and rocky hillsides, dry and wet mountain meadows, Fremont cottonwood and red willow riparian woodland, Giant Sequoia groves, grasslands and pastures, Joshua tree woodland, marshes and ponds, mixed conifer and fir forest, oak woodland, pinyon pine and juniper woodland, reservoir (Lake Isabella), residential, and rivers and streams. Audubon-California, Bureau of Land Management, California Department of Fish and Game, Kern County, and Sequoia National Forest lands offer excellent birder-access.

Breeding bird diversity is particularly impressive with 200 species (of the 346 recorded) providing nesting records; one hundred-eighty of those nesting annually. One hundred of those species have been found nesting on the Kern River Preserve’s nearly 3400 acres a remarkable number. Nesting birds include eleven hawk and falcon, nine owl, eleven woodpecker, fourteen tyrant flycatcher, five vireo, six corvid (jays, crow, & raven), seven wren, five thrush, four thrasher, ten warbler, three towhee, fifteen small sparrow, ten icterid (blackbird & oriole), and nine finch species.

In addition, the Kern River Valley and encircling southern Sierra Nevada describes the range limit of several consistently nesting species including populations of: Blue Grouse, Pileated Woodpecker, Vermilion Flycatcher, Brown-crested Flycatcher, Winter Wren, Bendire’s Thrasher, Summer Tanager, and Indigo Bunting.

Visiting birders frequently comment on the sheer numbers of birds present during spring and summer nesting season. Based on formal surveys, current estimates of South Fork (Kern River Valley) nesting pairs include: 100-150 Nuttall’s Woodpecker; 150-250 Western Wood-Pewee; 150-200 Yellow Warbler; 300-400 Common Yellowthroat; 50-100 Summer Tanager; 1000-1500 Song Sparrow; 150-200 Blue Grosbeak; 150-250 Lazuli Bunting; 400-500 Red-winged Blackbird, 1000-2000 Tricolored Blackbird; 100-150 Bullock’s Oriole; and 175-225 Lawrence’s Goldfinch."

An Artist's Perspective, from John Schmitt, Internationally known bird artist, bird guide, feather expert, and field ornithologist - "I enjoy the subtleties found by studying birds carefully for prolonged periods of time. The Kern River Valley offers a juxtaposition of habitats resulting in out-of-character birding experiences. In spring 2002 it was singing Black-chinned Sparrow and Scott's Orioles in chaparral. In fall I was drawn to careful study of juncos of all but one field-recognizable population. I even determined a hybrid Pink-sided x Gray-headed. In less than ten minutes up the hill from my house I can be in west-side Sierran forest habitat searching for Flammulated or Northern Saw-whet Owl nests to study in depth, while twenty-five minutes in the other direction I can reach the South Fork riparian forest or find myself within the borders of the Mojave Desert. The longer I live here, the more interesting the careful study of the birds becomes to me." As quoted in "Find it Here! The Kern River Valley and Southern Sierra Nevada of California," Birding, Volume 35: Number 2 - April 2003, American Birding Association.

An Author's Perspective from Miyoko Chu from the Hot Spots for Summer Songbird Diversity section of Songbird Journeys: Four Seasons in the Lives of Migratory Birds, Walker Press, 2006 - "Summer bird watching is especially exciting where different habitats converge, bringing diverse bird species together in the same region. The Southern Sierra Nevada and Kern River Valley in California, and the deserts, riparian habitats, and mountains of southeastern Arizona are examples,..."

"California's Kern River Valley and surrounding areas offer spectacular contrasts in landscapes and wildlife, from lush riparian woodlands to the towering sequoias of the Sierra Nevada to the Mojave Desert and foothill chaparral habitats. Natural areas in the Kern River region include the Giant Sequoia National Monument, Audubon California's Kern River Preserve, eight federally designated wilderness areas, the South Fork Kern River Globally Important Bird Area, and the Butterbredt Spring Nationally Important Bird Area..."

An Author's Perspective from John Kemper, Birding Northern California, Falcon Press, 2001 - "Kern River Valley must be counted as one of the best birding sites in California because of it diversity. The South Fork Kern River supports the largest remaining stand of Great Valley cottonwood-willow riparian forest in California, and has been designated a Globally Important Bird Area, because it is a major migration path for Turkey Vultures (28,000 per year), because of its breeding Southwestern Willow Flycatchers (a federally endangered subspecies), and because almost the entire world's population of 'Kern' Red-winged Blackbird (a subspecies of Red-winged Blackbird) is located in the valley."

A Big Day Birder's Perspective, from John Sterling, member of California's premier County Big Day team, "On Saturday, 4 May 2002, the team of Todd Easterle, Steve Rovell, Scott Terrill, and I set a national inland county Big Day record in Kern County. We started with owling in the Greenhorns and Kern River Valley. By four in the morning, eight species of owls had been recorded. Our Big Day team birded east through the Kern River Valley to the Indian Wells Valley and back. By the time we left Audubon-California's Kern River Preserve Headquarters at 1:30pm, we had found 167 species. The team had not yet birded Isabella Reservoir or the Greenhorn Mountains! After the Greenhorns, the Big Day's final hours were spent birding down the Kern River Canyon and out to the Kern National Wildlife Refuge northwest of Bakersfield. Our Kern County Big Day ended at a record 202 species. The all-time County Big Day record is from Monterey County, California (208 species, set by the same team). Besides Monterey County (three times), only Cape May County, New Jersey (202 species), and San Diego County, California (200 species), have equaled or surpassed 200 species. All of these except Kern are coastal counties." As quoted in "Find it Here! The Kern River Valley and Southern Sierra Nevada of California," Birding, Volume 35: Number 2 - April 2003. NOTE: The all-time County Big Day record has since been broken by several members of the same team birding in San Diego County, California.

A Photographer's Perspective, from Bob Steele, from the full-length, California Cornucopia - Birding Kern County article in the September/October 2005 issue of WildBird Magazine - "Crouched low in my photo blind, I patiently wait for the target bird of the morning to hop up and sing on a perch I’ve staked out for an hour. Other birds are moving about – Lawrence’s Goldfinches, Blue Grosbeaks, Savannah Sparrows – all taking care of business in the hurried rush of spring. In the background I hear the song of a Lazuli Bunting not too far away. But wait; is it a Lazuli or an Indigo Bunting? They both breed here side-by-side, and even the occasional hybrid is found. The staccato calls of both Brown-crested and Ash-throated Flycatchers echo from the riparian forest nearby. A myriad of bird sounds, dozens of species, fill the air. It is early May at Audubon-California’s Kern River Preserve in north central Kern County, one of North America’s great birding locations. Focusing my attention back to the task at hand, it’s time to get to work. The Grasshopper Sparrow I’ve patiently been waiting for is right there – head cocked back, bill wide open – announcing to all in his buzzy song that this small patch of grassland belongs to him. A new sound is added to the cacophony of bird songs, the sound of my camera shutter clicking away."

A Sound Recordist's Perspective, from Geoff Keller, chief bird song recordist for Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. "When it came time to gather recordings for Cornell's Bird Songs of California project (for which I served as chief sound recordist), I scheduled a morning for recording Blue Grosbeak at Kern River Preserve. On my visit I was completely surprised to learn of one specialty bird after another that could either be found on the Preserve or in the surrounding area: Summer Tanager, Cassin's Kingbird, and Hooded Oriole, all of which I knew would be tough to locate and record in the state. Then I learned of Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Brown-crested Flycatcher, Plumbeous Vireo, Indigo Bunting, Scott's Oriole, and the southwestern race of Willow Flycatcher. I was ecstatic. I had previously regarded all of these as how-lucky-can-you-get? species. My planned one-day visit to the Kern River Preserve to record Blue Grosbeak evolved into the major southern California hub for gathering the tough, specialty birds for the guide. Not only did we pick up all of the above-mentioned specialty birds, but dozens of other species were added as well. The key was not just having the species present. The conditions had to be quiet enough to get uninterrupted, high-quality recordings. Thus, it appeared, I had found my California recording Mecca in the Kern River Valley." As quoted in "Find it Here! The Kern River Valley and Southern Sierra Nevada of California," Birding, Volume 35: Number 2 - April 2003.

Further background from Bob Barnes, also excerpted from the introduction in the Kern River Valley and Southern Sierra Nevada chapter he wrote for the American Birding Association's newly-revised A Birder's Guide to Southern California, Brad Schram, 2007 - Fall and winter populations although not comparable to coastal California in terms of species diversity are represented by over 125 resident species. Mid-September through early October Turkey Vulture migration ranges from 15,000 to 35,000 individuals per season, while thousands of wintering Common Mergansers and Eared, Western, and Clark’s Grebes on Lake Isabella Reservoir help complete the “off-season” birding picture.

Birding visits can range from a few hours to two or more weeks. There is plenty to explore and see. Depending on the number of target species, a short visit of a day or less may suffice. A two day visit will yield a sampling of what the area has to offer. Organized trips for Audubon chapters and other birding clubs usually range from two to the recommended four days. Four days of all-day birding led by experts familiar with the area will yield the vast majority of species present. Birders visiting for the first time will likely need three to four days during fall and winter, four to six days in spring, and a “week” of seven to nine days during the nesting season to thoroughly bird the diverse habitats found in the Kern River Valley and Southern Sierra Nevada.

During most seasons, especially during warm to hot weather, birding is best in the lowlands from dawn to 10am. Summer temperatures typically remain under 85 degrees Fahrenheit until sometime between 11am and 1pm. The late spring and summer strategy is to bird low in the morning (on the valley floor and in the foothills) and high in the afternoon (in the mountains).

The South Fork Valley, a subset of the Kern River Valley, was one of the first ten areas in the United States to be designated a Globally Important Bird Area by the American Bird Conservancy, under the auspices of BirdLife International. It is a most desirable birding destination late March through mid-October, with mid-April through mid-August best. Impressive hummingbird numbers (predominantly Black-chinned, Anna’s, and Rufous) occur from mid-July through mid-September. Turkey Vulture migration follows from mid-September through mid-October.

Yellow-billed Cuckoo (mid-June through mid-August), Summer Tanager (late April through September), and Lawrence’s Goldfinch (common to abundant mid-April through mid-July) are the focus of target birding. While the latter two species are widespread, the former is limited in its distribution.

Species widespread as residents or seasonal visitors along the lower fourteen mile South Fork Kern River riparian corridor include: Mallard, California Quail, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Mourning Dove, Great Horned Owl, White-throated Swift, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Anna’s Hummingbird, Nuttall’s Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Western Wood-Pewee, Black Phoebe, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Western Kingbird, Common Raven, Tree Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Oak Titmouse, Bushtit, Bewick’s Wren, Western Bluebird, American Robin, European Starling, Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Summer Tanager, Lark Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Blue Grosbeak, Lazuli Bunting, Red-winged Blackbird, Tricolored Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Bullock’s Oriole, House Finch, Lesser Goldfinch, and Lawrence’s Goldfinch...

In contrast to those vagrants usually found in California in spring and fall, the South Fork riparian forest often attracts vagrants in summer. Summertime vagrants may appear briefly or stay through the period. Long-term visitors in summer have included: Zone-tailed Hawk, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Least Flycatcher, Red-eyed Vireo (nested), Northern Parula (up to five individuals summering), Black-and-white Warbler, American Redstart, Hooded Warbler (nested), and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. California’s first Alder Flycatcher was recorded here! There are also summer records, primarily in July, for Eastern Kingbird, Yellow-throated Vireo , Brown Thrasher, Lucy’s Warbler, and Golden-winged Warbler. The point is most anything can show up and remain for extended periods of time."

With the preceding context in mind, enjoy exploring this on-line guide to birding the Kern River Valley and Southern Sierra Nevada and follow-up with one or more on-the-ground visits to this premier birding area. Consider securing a copy of A Birder's Guide to Southern California. This book has a feature, full-length chapter on how to bird, when to bird, and where to bird for what birds in the Kern River Valley and Southern Sierra Nevada.