Bob Barnes & Associates presents:
Valley Wild in the beautiful Kern River Valley Kern County, California
2007 NatureFest Schedule at a Glance
BIRD SIGHTINGS
Kern River Valley & North Mojave Desert Noteworthy Bird Sightings
Birding Spring 2006
(March-May)
Goal: To provide a motivating mix of bird species observations with reports of interest to all birders: beginning to expert, Kern County specialists, northern California & southern California, out-of-California (U.S. & International), listers and non-listers,...
Universal Access, Current Reliable Locations, Sample Birding Itineraries, and Spring Early Arrival Dates History (1998-2005) on "Spring Birding Notes" web page!
Submit observations or make inquiries to: Bob Barnes
MAJOR TIP: Birding early (starting at dawn) and carefully (spending time) = birds observed...
Updated as of
Sa, 27 May 06 - Sequoia National Forest South Butterfly Count. Our small group of counters, Bob Barnes, Ken Davenport, Fred Heath, and Gary Woods went first to the canyon formed by Erskine Creek, a known butterfly hotspot, located just south of the community of Lake Isabella. The area was profuse with blooming Yerba Santa. Soon after our butterfly searching began several of the nineteen creek crossings up the road, GAWO called out "Costa's Hummingbird." Soon we had observed several Costa's Hummingbirds in several states of plumage. With them zipping all around, an exact count was impossible. But GAWO had several individuals up the slopes and BOBA had at least four in one spot down near the creek at one location. There were a lesser number of Black-chinned Hummingbirds and Anna's Hummingbirds present at this location, too. The first stop, with at least seven individual Costa's Hummingbirds tallied, was not entirely unique. At least two other stops along Erskine Creek Road made, on the return downhill to Lake Isabella, supported Costa's Hummingbirds at Yerba Santa. BOBA, KEDA, FRHE, GAWO.
AMERICA'S BIRDIEST COUNTY - FINAL RESULTS from the 7pm, Thursday, April 27 through 7pm, Sunday, April 30, 2006 Kern County America's Birdiest County effort...
246 species.
Following: REPORTED SPECIES, MISSES, PARTICIPANT LIST, THANK YOU for ACCESS ASSISTANCE
REPORTED SPECIES (I = Introduced):
Tundra Swan
Ross's Goose
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Green-winged Teal
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Blue-winged Teal
Cinnamon Teal
Northern Shoveler
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Canvasback
Redhead
Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Ruddy Duck
Chukar (I)
Ring-necked Pheasant (I)
Wild Turkey (I)
California Quail
Mountain Quail
Common Loon
Pied-billed Grebe
Eared Grebe
Western Grebe
Clark's Grebe
American White Pelican
Double-crested Cormorant
American Bittern
Least Bittern
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Cattle Egret
Green Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
White-faced Ibis
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
White-tailed Kite
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Northern Goshawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Swainson's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Golden Eagle
American Kestrel
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Prairie Falcon
Virginia Rail
Sora
Common Moorhen
American Coot
Black-bellied Plover
Snowy Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Killdeer
Black-necked Stilt
American Avocet
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Solitary Sandpiper
Willet
Spotted Sandpiper
Whimbrel
Long-billed Curlew
Marbled Godwit
Sanderling
Western Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper
Dunlin
Long-billed Dowitcher
Wilson's Snipe
Wilson's Phalarope
Red-necked Phalarope
Franklin's Gull
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
California Gull
Herring Gull
Yellow-footed Gull
Caspian Tern
Forster's Tern
Rock Pigeon (I)
Band-tailed Pigeon
Eurasian Collared Dove (I)
Mourning Dove
Spotted Dove (I)
Common Ground-Dove
Rose-ringed Parakeet (I)
Greater Roadrunner
Barn Owl
Western Screech-Owl
Great Horned Owl
Northern Pygmy-Owl
Burrowing Owl
Spotted Owl
Long-eared Owl
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Lesser Nighthawk
Common Poorwill
Vaux's Swift
White-throated Swift
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Anna's Hummingbird
Costa's Hummingbird
Calliope Hummingbird
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Acorn Woodpecker
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Ladder-backed Woodpecker
Nuttall's Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
White-headed Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Western Wood-Pewee
Hammond's Flycatcher
Dusky Flycatcher
Gray Flycatcher
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Black Phoebe
Say's Phoebe
Vermilion Flycatcher
Ash-throated Flycatcher
Brown-crested Flycatcher
Cassin's Kingbird
Western Kingbird
Loggerhead Shrike
Bell's Vrieo
Cassin's Vireo
Hutton's Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Steller's Jay
Western scrub-Jay
Pinyon Jay
Clark's Nutcracker
Yellow-billed Magpie
American Crow
Common Raven
Horned Lark
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Bank Swallow
Barn Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Mountain Chickadee
Oak Titmouse
Verdin
Bushtit
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Pygmy Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Cactus Wren
Rock Wren
Canyon Wren
Bewick's Wren
House Wren
Winter Wren
Marsh Wren
American Dipper
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Western Bluebird
Townsend's Solitaire
Swainson's Thrush
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Wrentit
Northern Mockingbird
California Thrasher
Le Conte's Thrasher
European Starling (I)
American Pipit
Cedar Waxwing
Phainopepla
Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-rumped (Audubon's) Warbler
Black-throated Gray Warbler
Townsend's Warbler
Hermit Warbler
Northern Waterthrush
MacGillivray's Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Wilson's Warbler
Yellow-breasted Chat
Summer Tanager
Western Tanager
Green-tailed Towhee
Spotted Towhee
California Towhee
Rufous-crowned Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Brewer's Sparrow
Black-chinned Sparrow
Lark Sparrow
Black-throated Sparrow
Sage Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Grasshopper Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Black-headed Grosbeak
Blue Grosbeak
Lazuli Bunting
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Tricolored Blackbird
Western Meadowlark
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Brewer's Blackbird
Great-tailed Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Hooded Oriole
Bullock's Oriole
Scott's Oriole
Purple Finch
Cassin's Finch
House Finch
Red Crossbill
Pine Siskin
Lesser Goldfinch
Lawrence's Goldfinch
American Goldfinch
Evening Grosbeak
House Sparrow (I)
TOTAL SPECIES: 246
MISSES:
COMMON MERGANSER was probably the biggest miss as it was observed in the Kern River Valley during the weekend before's Kerncrest Audubon bird-a-thon. It nests along the Kern River in the Kern River Valley.
No nesting Bendire's Thrashers were found, no lingering Sage Thrashers or Lewis's Woodpeckers, and no Plumbeous Vireos (either on nesting territory or in migration). But, no other real misses, just some "misses"...
"Misses" (Observed other years, present recently, highly restricted, lingering very late, arriving very early, and/or not expected
annually): Common Merganser, Greater Scaup, Horned Grebe, California Condor, Ferruginous Hawk, Red Knot, Short-billed Dowitcher, Black Tern, Lewis's Woodpecker, Williamson's Sapsucker, Willow Flycatcher, Plumbeous Vireo, Mountain Bluebird, Varied Thrush, Sage Thrasher, Bendire's Thrasher, Northern Parula, Black-and-white Warbler, Vesper Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Harris's Sparrow, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
PARTICIPANT LIST: Bill Adams, Liga Auzins, Bev Banks, Tom Banks, Bob Barnes, Steve Bauer, Brenda Burnett, Dan Burnett, David Chilton, Annette De Bow, Madi Elsea, Gary File, Lisa Fimiani, Ernie Flores, Bill Frey, Bruce Garlinger, Brian Gilmore, Bob Gorman, Angela Guy, Jenny Jones, J. J. Kaiser, Bruce Kautz, Dorothy Kautz, Lynn Kennedy, Kern Audubon Society, Kerncrest Audubon Society, Brenda Kyle, Ken Kyle, Denise La Berteaux, Kelli Levinson, Dan Lockshaw, Martin Lumb,Teresa Martinez, Gina Mata, Jose Mata, Matt McKenna, Randie McKenna, Michael McQuerrey, Terri Middlemiss, Carol Miller, Clark Moore, Jean Moore, Lisa Moraga, Ted Murphy, Bill Murray, Frances Pennington, Nancy Pennington, Gary Potter, Carol Raupp, Barbara Reifel, Laurie Robinson, Jim Scarff, David Schindler, John Schmitt, Justin Schuetz, Joyce Seibold, Alison Sheehey, Judi Sierra, Mike Simms, Steve Sosensky, Christine Sparks, Richard Sparks, Bob Steele, Susan Steele, Pamela Stones, Don Storm, Steve Summers, Ashley Sutton, Lee Sutton, Shirley Sutton, Tehachapi Mountains Birding Club, Carolyn Twilley, Del Twilley, Jeff Wagner, Tiffany Wagner, Mary Whtfield, John Wilson, Brenda Wong, Victor Wong, Gary Woods, and Tom
Wurster...78 participants.
THANK YOU for ACCESS ASSISTANCE: Audubon California's Kern River Preserve (Reed Tollefson, et. al.), China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station (Tom Campbell, et. al.), Edwards Air Force Base, Kern National Wildlife Refuge (Dave Hardt, Jihadda Govan, et. al.), Sequoia National Forest (Wendy Rannals, et. al.)
TU, 25 Apr 06 - Kern River Preserve, Migrant Corner Trail/Sierra Way 5:30am-10am, HIGHLIGHTS: Mountain Quail, Common Poorwill, "Solitary" Vireo 7+.
SPECIES: Mallard, California Quail, Mountain Quail, Turkey Vulture, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Mourning Dove, Common Poorwill, White-throated Swift, Anna's Hummingbird, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Nuttall's Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Hammond's flycatcher, Gray Flycatcher, Black Phoebe, Say's Phoebe, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Western Kingbird, "Solitary" Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Western Scrub-Jay, Common Raven, Tree Swallow, Barn Swallow, Oak Titmouse, Bushtit, Cactus Wren, Bewick's Wren, House Wren, Marsh Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Western Bluebird, American Robin, Northern Mockingbird, California Thrasher, European Starling, Yellow Warbler, Yellow-rumped (Audubon's) Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Wilson's Warbler, Spotted Towhee, California Towhee, Brewer's Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Black-throated Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Black-headed Grosbeak, Blue Grosbeak, Red-winged Blackbird, Tricolored Blackbird, Western Meadowlark, Brown-headed Cowbird, Bullock's Oriole, House Finch, Pine Siskin, Lesser Goldfinch, Lawrence's Goldfinch, House Sparrow... BOBA, ASSU
Sa, 22 Apr - Kern River Preserve, Migrant Corner Trail/Sierra Way 5:30am-11:25am,
HIGHLIGHTS: winnowing Wilson's Snipe, 5 wren species, 9 warbler species, Hooded Oriole, 25-30 Lawrence's Goldfinch
SPECIES: Wood Duck, Mallard, Chukar, Ring-necked Pheasant, Wild Turkey, California Quail, Pied-billed Grebe, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Virginia Rail, American Coot, Killdeer, Wilson's Snipe, Mourning Dove, Greater Roadrunner, Barn Owl, Great Horned Owl, Vaux's Swift, White-throated Swift, Anna's Hummingbird, Nuttall's Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Western Wood-Pewee, Empidonax species, Black Phoebe, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Western Kingbird, Cassin's Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Western Scrub-Jay, Common Raven, Tree Swallow, Violet-green Swallow, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Barn Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Oak Titmouse, Bushtit, Cactus Wren, Rock Wren, Canyon Wren, Bewick's Wren, House Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Western Bluebird, American Robin, European Starling, Orange-crowned Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Yellow-rumped (Audubon's) Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Townsend's Warbler, MacGillivray's Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Wilson's Warbler, Western Tanager, Spotted Towhee, California Towhee, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Black-throated Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Black-headed Grosbeak, Lazuli Bunting, Red-winged Blackbird, Tricolored Blackbird, Western Meadowlark, Great-tailed Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Hooded Oriole, Bullock's Oriole, House Finch, Lesser Goldfinch, Lawrence's Goldfinch,... 85 species.
Additional SPECIES 11:15am-12:45pm at Kern River Preserve
Headquarters: Black-chinned Hummingbird, Summer Tanager (RETO), Brewer's Blackbird, Pine Siskin,...
Additional SPECIES 12:45pm-3pm along Fay Ranch Road: Prairie Falcon, Vermilion Flycatcher, Say's Phoebe, Loggerhead Shrike, Northern Mockingbird, Cedar Waxwing, Phainopepla, Grasshopper Sparrow (ALSH), House Sparrow,...
Additional SPECIES 3:15pm-4:30pm, south side of South Fork Wildlife Area at Isabella Reservoir: Gadwall, Ruddy Duck, Eared Grebe (12-130 mostly in alternate/breeding plumage), Western Grebe, Clark's Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Northern Harrier, Swainson's Hawk, American Avocet, Spotted Sandpiper, Long-billed Curlew, Least Sandpiper, California Gull, Forster's Tern, Horned Lark,... BOBA, ALSH, RETO, mob.
Additional SPECIES recorded by John Schmitt or Alison Sheehey on Isabella Reservoir's west side: Great Egret, Cattle Egret, Common Merganser, Ring-billed Gull, Caspian Tern, Band-tailed Pigeon, Common Poorwill, Acorn Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, Purple Finch,...
Sa, 15 April 15 - KEY: BUSP - Butterbredt Spring, CERE - Canerbrake Ecological Reserve, ENRO - En Route, FRRO - Fay Ranch Road, KCSA - Kelso Creek Sanctuary, KRPR - Kern River Preserve, KVPO - Kelso Valley Ponds, TVWS - Turkey Vulture Watch Site - SPECIES:
Mallard - CERE, KRPR
Cinnamon Teal - KVPO
Chukar - BUSP, KCSA
Wild Turkey - CERE
California Quail - BUSP, ENRO, KCSA, KRPR Mountain Quail - BUSP Great Blue Heron - FRRO Turkey Vulture - CERE, ENRO, FRRO, KRPR Northern Harrier - CERE Sharp-shinned Hawk - TVWS Red-tailed Hawk - BUSP, CERE, ENRO, FRRO Golden Eagle - ENRO American Kestrel - CERE, ENRO, FRRO, KCSA Prairie Falcon - CERE Killdeer - CERE Rock Pigeon - ENRO Mourning Dove - BUSP, ENRO, FRRO, KCSA, KRPR, KVPO, TVWS Greater Roadrunner - ENRO White-throated Swift - ENRO, KCSA, TVWS Black-chinned Hummingbird - KRPR Anna's Hummingbird - KRPR Costa's Hummingbird - KRPR Rufous/Allen's Hummingbird - KRPR Ladder-backed Woodpecker - BUSP, ENRO, KCSA, TVWS Nuttall's Woodpecker - KCSA, FRRO, KRPR Downy Woodpecker - KCSA Hairy Woodpecker - KRPR Northern Flicker - ENRO, KCSA Hammond's Flycatcher - BUSP, CERE, KCSA Hammond's/Dusky Flycatcher - BUSP Pacific-slope Flycatcher - BUSP Black Phoebe - BUSP, CERE, FRRO, KRPR Say's Phoebe - ENRO Vermilion Flycatcher - ENRO, FRRO Western Kingbird - CERE, ENRO, TVWS Loggerhead Shrike - ENRO, KVPO Cassin's Vireo - BUSP Warbling Vireo - BUSP Western Scrub Jay - KCSA Common Raven - BUSP, CERE, ENRO, FRRO, KCSA, KRPR, KVPO, TVWS Horned Lark - Jawbone Canyon Station (information center) Tree Swallow - CERE, FRRO, KRPR Northern Rough-winged Swallow - TVWS Barn Swallow - BUSP Cliff Swallow - ENRO Oak Titmouse - CERE, FRRO, KCSA, KRPR Bushtit - KCSA Rock Wren - BUSP, KCSA, TVWS Canyon Wren - KCSA Bewick's Wren - BUSP, CERE, FRRO, KCSA, KRPR, TVWS House Wren - CERE, FRRO, KCSA, KRPR Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - BUSP Ruby-crowned Kinglet - BUSP, CERE, FRRO, KCSA, KRPR Western Bluebird - CERE, FRRO, KCSA, KRPR Hermit Thrush - BUSP American Robin - BUSP, CERE, KCSA, KRPR Sage Thrasher - ENRO, KCSA, KVPO, TVWS California Thrasher - KCSA European Starling - CERE, ENRO, KCSA Phainopepla - CERE Orange-crowned Warbler - BUSP, KCSA Nashville Warbler - BUSP Yellow Warbler - CERE, FRRO, KRPR Yellow-rumped Warbler - BUSP, CERE, FRRO, KCSA, KRPR, TVWS Black-throated Gray Warbler - BUSP, KCSA, KVPO, TVWS Common Yellowthroat - BUSP, CERE, KRPR California Towhee - BUSP, ENRO, KCSA, TVWS Chipping Sparrow - CERE Lark Sparrow - KRPR, TVWS Black-throated Sparrow - TVWS Savannah Sparrow -CERE Fox Sparrow - BUSP Song Sparrow - CERE, FRRO, KCSA, KRPR Lincoln's Sparrow - BUSP, CERE, KCSA White-crowned Sparrow - BUSP, CERE, KCSA, KRPR, TVWS Golden-crowned Sparrow - BUSP Black-headed Grosbeak - BUSP, KCSA, KRPR Red-winged Blackbird - CERE, KRPR, KVPO Tricolored Blackbird - CERE Western Meadowlark - KVPO Brewer's Blackbird - BUSP, CERE, KCSA, KRPR, KVPO Brown-headed Cowbird - BUSP, KRPR Bullock's Oriole - BUSP, KCSA, KRPR Scott's Oriole - KCSA House Finch - BUSP, CERE, ENRO, FRRO, KCSA, KVPO, KRPR, TVWS Pine Siskin - KRPR Lesser Goldfinch - BUSP, FRRO, KCSA, KRPR Lawrence's Goldfinch - FRRO, KCSA American Goldfinch - KRPR. BOBA, mob.
We, 12 Apr 06 - KRP, HIGHLIGHTS:
Fay Ranch Road, Preserve Headquarters entrance driveway, Migrant Corner/Sierra Way - several local, nesting season Yellow Warblers present and widespread (at all three locations). Usual first of spring arrival period for these locally occurring Yellow Warblers is 30 Mar-3 Apr. Widespread presence on 12 Apr suggests first individual(s) may have arrived earlier. Migrating individuals pass through (in high numbers) late April and May. 7:05am-8:57 am, MIGRANT CORNER WALK (impressive combination of habitats): Among 50 species or so - Nine species of sparrows (Rufous-crowned, Brewer's, Lark, Black-throated, Savannah, Song, Lincoln's...impressive numbers...20-30+...first time seen in several flocks of 5+, White-crowned, Golden-crowned) ... area where Chipping, Fox, & Dark-eyed Junco found past years burned ..., five wren species (Rock, Canyon, Bewick's, House, & Marsh ... Cactus possible, but missed), lots of water in wetlands...several Wood Ducks/Mallards/Cinnamon Teal, Sora, W Snipe winnowing..., 3 VAUX'S SWIFT (early ... usually 20 Apr-15 May), Western Kingbird, Nashville Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler (dozens feeding primarily in just emerging Fremont cottonwood foliage), Black-headed Grosbeaks, Bullock's Orioles, 3 Lawrence's Goldfinches among numerous Lesser Gfinch. 100+ Am. White Pelicans on Isabella Reservoir. BOBA
Sa, 8 April - Fay Ranch Road. PARTIAL LIST OF SPRING ARRIVAL BIRDS PRESENT: Wood Duck, Vermilion Flycatcher, Western Kingbird, Tree Swallow, House Wren, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Bullock's Oriole. BOBA
Su, 12 Mar - FOS female Vermilion Flycatcher Alexander Ranch Kern River Preserve. ALSH
OBSERVERS: LIGA-Liga Auzins, BOBA-Bob Barnes, TOBA-Todd Battey, GOBL-Gordon Black, DABU-Dan Burnett, ENCA-Encar Card, EMCO-Emily Cohen, KEDA-Ken Davenport, RADR-Rachel del Rio, GAFI-Gary File, MAFR-Mary Freeman, NIFR-Nick Freeman, TEGA-Terri Gallion, STGR-Stan Gray, DAHA-David Haines, FRHE-Fred Heath, ANHO-Andrew Howe, VEHO-Vernon Howe, BRKY-Brenda Kyle, KEKY-Ken Kyle, MOB-Many Observers, TOMC-Todd McGrath, MIMC-Michael McQuerrey, TOMI-Thomas Miko, BIMY-Bill Myers, GAPO-Garry Potter, AMSC-Amy Scarpignato, JOSE-Joyce Seibold, ALSH-Alison Sheehey, STSO-Steve Sosensky, SUST-Susan Steele, BOST-Bob Stewart, ASSU-Ashley Sutton, LESU-Lee Sutton, BISW-Bill Sweetman, RETO-Reed Tollefson, BRWE-Bruce Webb, MAWH-Mary Whitfield, GAWO-Gary Woods, TOWU-Tom Wurster.
Bob Barnes & Associates • PO Box 953, Weldon, CA 93283 • E-mail: Bob Barnes
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This page was last updated on Saturday, August 25, 2007