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08 Feb eBird Gaps: "Week" of 8-14 Feb 10 [Bob Barnes ] 07 Feb Horned Grebe continues at Lake Ming 2/7/10 ["Ken and Brenda Kyle" ] 07 Feb Bald Eagle, Hooded Mergs ["Michael" ] 05 Feb FOS Western Kingbirds; Brown Thrasher Continues [Bob Barnes ] 04 Feb 4 Feb 10 South Fork Kern River Valley [Bob Barnes ] 04 Feb 4 Feb 10 South Fork Kern River Valley [Bob Barnes ] 04 Feb galileo ["dguthrie012000" ] 04 Feb 3 Feb 10 Kern River Valley [Bob Barnes ] 01 Feb 31 Jan 10: Inyo Birders' Kern River Valley Field Trip [Bob Barnes ] 01 Feb eBird Gaps: "Week" of 1-7 Feb 10 [Bob Barnes ] 31 Jan Vermilion Flycatcher continues near Kern River Bike Trail ["wflydecker" ] 30 Jan KRV-Sa, 30 Jan 10: YB Saps-2, Mtn. Bluebirds-196 [Bob Barnes ] 29 Jan Re: Le Conte's Thrasher Singing Season [] 29 Jan Le Conte's Thrasher Singing Season [Bob Barnes ] 28 Jan Horned Grebe, Hooded Mergs ["Michael" ] 27 Jan 27 Jan 10 Kern River Valley & Greenhorn Mtns. [Bob Barnes ] 26 Jan Bald Eagle, Lake Ming ["Michael" ] 26 Jan Point Reyes Birding & Nature Festival -- April 23-26, 2010 -- Registration Open ["will_w04" ] 26 Jan Horned Grebe at Lake Ming east of Bakersfield 1/25/10 ["Ken and Brenda Kyle" ] 24 Jan NEW! Ad. Male YB Sapsucker: 1/24/10-Canebrake ER [Bob Barnes ] 23 Jan Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Continues [Bob Barnes ] 22 Jan California Burrowing Owl Consortium Meeting [Bob Barnes ] 21 Jan eBird Gaps: "Week" of 22-31 Jan [Bob Barnes ] 21 Jan 8 Hooded Mergansers ["Michael" ] 20 Jan Long-eared Owls, Isabella Birds, Am. Dippers [Bob Barnes ] 19 Jan eBird Report - Kern NWR , 1/14/10 [Bob Barnes ] 19 Jan Kern River County Park (Hart Park & Lake Ming) [Bob Barnes ] 19 Jan Productive spot just off CA Hwy. 58 in Bakersfield [Bob Barnes ] 15 Jan Photos-Brown Thrasher continues at A.W. Noon Park in Kern County ["Ken and Brenda Kyle" ] 13 Jan Vermillion Flycatcher at Kern NWR 1/12/10 ["Tony Kurz" ] 11 Jan Kern eBird Update [Bob Barnes ] 11 Jan Onyx's Scodie Park YB Sap Continues [Bob Barnes ] 11 Jan Yellow-bellied Sapsucker at Scodie Park in Onyx [Alison Sheehey ] 10 Jan Brown Thrasher Continues at A. W. Noone Park [] 10 Jan Common Goldeneye at Hart Park ["merlin_mira_loma" ] 08 Jan Brown Thrasher continues at AW Noone Park (Kern County) [Alison Sheehey ] 7 Jan Peach-faced lovebird in Ridgecrest [Barb Walls ] 07 Jan Information Request: Bendire's Thrasher [Bob Barnes ] 05 Jan Fay Ranch Rd. Birding Getaway [Bob Barnes ] 04 Jan 3 Jan 10: Lake Isabella High Numbers [Bob Barnes ] 02 Jan Snow & Ross's Geese, Long-eared Owl, Red-breasted Nuthatch [Bob Barnes ] 02 Jan 2 Jan 10 SFV CBC: Canebrake ER Results [Bob Barnes ] 30 Dec Inyokern Prairie Falcon, Le Conte's Thrasher, etc. [Bob Barnes ] 28 Dec Brown Thrasher, Buena Vista Lake ["Michael" ] 26 Dec Brown Thrasher still at AW Noone Park in Kern Co [Alison Sheehey ] 26 Dec Brown Thrasher still at AW Noone Park in Kern Co [Alison Sheehey ] 22 Dec Buena Vista Recreation Area LAGOs: 12/21/09 [Bob Barnes ] 22 Dec Kelso Creek Sanctuary, Frog Creek Rd Highlights: 19 Dec 09 [Bob Barnes ] 22 Dec Kern River County Park: 17 Dec 09 [Bob Barnes ] 22 Dec Tehachapi Area Birding Sites: 16 Dec 09 [Bob Barnes ] 22 Dec Kern R. Valley & Bakersfield Highlights: 15 Dec 09 [Bob Barnes ] 21 Dec Buena Vista CBC great birds [Alison Sheehey ] 16 Dec Lake Ming Cassin's Kingbird ["Michael" ] 14 Dec Tuesday Birding Pal in exchange for Mannheim Steamroller tickets ["musicmd AT ameritech.net" ] 13 Dec Kern Co. eBird Locations & CBC Season [Bob Barnes ] 05 Dec Mountain Plovers=Kern/Kings Co. ["carlagary" ] 04 Dec Not rare ["Michael" ] 01 Dec Fall NAB reports ["kernkel" ] 30 Nov 30 Nov 09: Isabella Reservoir [Bob Barnes ] 28 Nov 27 Nov 09: Kern R Valley [Bob Barnes ] 28 Nov Hooded Merganser ["madielsea" ] 27 Nov no Blackburnian 11/27 [Andrew Howe ] 25 Nov 25 Nov 09: Kern R Valley [Bob Barnes ] 23 Nov Blackburnian Warbler and Tundra Swan still at California City ["profile440" ] 23 Nov Blackburnian Warbler ["vernonhowe" ] 23 Nov Cal City Blackburnian cont 22 Nov 09 ["Liga Auzins" ] 22 Nov Re: Blackburnian Warbler ["Brad" ] 22 Nov Blackburnian Warbler continues ["Howard" ] 20 Nov Blackburnian Warbler ["carlagary" ] 20 Nov Mt Bluebird at Kern NWR [] 19 Nov Fwd: Blackburnian Warbler still at Cal City [Bob Barnes ] 19 Nov eBird CA - Try This [Bob Barnes ] 17 Nov Fwd: Cal Cty Blackburnian Warbler Update [Bob Barnes ] 17 Nov Western Grebe in NY [John Lampkin ] 16 Nov Lake Isabella This Morning [Bob Barnes ] 16 Nov Fwd: Blackburnian Warbler at Cal City. [Bob Barnes ] Subject: eBird Gaps: "Week" of 8-14 Feb 10 From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Mon, 08 Feb 2010 08:05:21 -0800 Hi, The following species have never been reported to eBird for the second week in February in any year for Ken County: * Cackling Goose * Common Goldeneye * Chukar * Wild Turkey * Mountain Quail * loons of any species * Horned Grebe * Cattle Egret * California Condor * Bald Eagle * Northern Goshawk * Peregrine Falcon * Sandhill Crane * Mountain Plover * Spotted Sandpiper * Long-billed Curlew * Dunlin * Caspian Tern * Spotted Dove * Common Ground-Dove * Western Screech-Owl * Great Horned Owl * Northern Pygmy-Owl * Burrowing Owl * Spotted Owl * Northern Saw-whet Owl * Costa's Hummingbird * Lewis's Woodpecker * Williamson's Sapsucker * Yellow-bellied Sapsucker * Red-naped Sapsucker * Ladder-backed Woodpecker * Pileated Woodpecker * Vermilion Flycatcher * Cassin's Kingbird * Hutton's Vireo (or any other vireos) * Pinyon Jay * Clark's Nutcracker * Yellow-billed Magpie * Barn Swallow * Red-breasted Nuthatch * Canyon Wren * Townsend's Solitaire * Wrentit * Sage Thrasher * Black-throated Gray Warbler * Townsend's Warbler * Rufous-crowned Sparrow * Chipping Sparrow * Brewer's Sparrow * Vesper Sparrow * Cassin's Finch * Red Crossbill * Lawrence's Goldfinch Continued Happy & Productive Birding, Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County, California [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Horned Grebe continues at Lake Ming 2/7/10 From: "Ken and Brenda Kyle" <kbgoldennugget2 AT aol.com> Date: Sun, 07 Feb 2010 23:01:36 -0000 The Horned Grebe continues at Lake Ming. This afternoon at 2:00PM we saw the Horned Grebe at the east end of the boat launch area. Also, an Osprey was circling over the lake this afternoon. Ken and Brenda Kyle Bakersfield Subject: Bald Eagle, Hooded Mergs From: "Michael" <macbirder1 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 07 Feb 2010 05:15:20 -0000 The BALD EAGLE was back at it's roost on the back side of Lake Ming, this morning. And the flock of HOODED MERGANSERS in the pond behind my home on the Rio Bravo Golf Course, has grown to 19. Michael McQuerrey Bakersfield, California Subject: FOS Western Kingbirds; Brown Thrasher Continues From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:06:56 -0800 Hi: WESTERN KINGBIRD: John Schmitt reports that late morning yesterday (Th, 4 Feb 10) he observed two Western Kingbirds "flying about, fussing with each other, and calling" around the Alta One Credit Union property off the southeast side of Lake Isabella Blvd. in the community of Lake Isabella. A check of Kern County records entered on eBird shows the earliest Kern County records for Western Kingbird in the first week of March. Matt Heindel's Birds of Eastern Kern County (Dec. 2000) shows the earliest Kern County deserts record as March 12th (with "first arrival closer to 20 March"). Therefore, John's observation appears to be one month earlier than prior record early date(s). BROWN THRASHER A check of eBird this morning reveals that Jim Abernathy, Jim Hardesty, and Richard Norton observed the continuing Brown Thrasher at A. W. Noone County Park northeast of Taft on We, 3 Feb 10. It appears that if one is still interested, but has not persued this bird, that it may still be present. Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County, CA Subject: 4 Feb 10 South Fork Kern River Valley From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:59:48 -0800 4 Feb 10 - South Fork Kern River Valley, Kern County... Chimney Peak National Back Country Byway: Mountain Bluebird 11 (0.5 mi. fr. CA Hwy 178) Sage Thrasher 2 (1 mi. fr. Hwy 178), Black-throated Sparrow 2 (1 mi. fr. Hwy 178),... Kelso Creek Rd.: Chukar 1 (observed on top of rock on top of ridge between Short Canyon and Cholla Canyon), Common Raven 313 (on ground in ag. fields). Kelso Valley Rd.: Chukar 4 (at 4 separate locations), Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1 & Cactus Wren 1 (10.5 mi.-11 mi. s. of CA Hwy 178), Mountain Bluebird 207 (201 in one flock 4 mi. s. of CA Hwy 178; 6 in 2nd flock 6 mi. s.) Scodie Park (2 acres) in Onyx: Acorn Woodpecker 4, WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKER 1 (female), Red-breasted Sapsucker 2, Nuttall's Woodpecker 1, Northern Flicker 1,... Canebrake Ecological Reserve: Ferruginous Hawk 1 light morph, Merlin 1, Virginia Rail 2, Canyon Wren 1, Tricolored Blackbird 5+,... En Route: Prairie Falcon, Canyon Wren, Rufous-crowned Sparrow,... Complete List: Mallard, Chukar, California Quail, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Ferruginous Hawk, American Kestrel, Merlin, Prairie Falcon, Virginia Rail, American Coot, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Mourning Dove, Anna's Hummingbird, Acorn Woodpecker, Williamson's Sapsucker, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Nuttall's Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Black Phoebe, Loggerhead Shrike, Western Scrub-Jay, Common Raven, Oak Titmouse, Bushtit, White-breasted Nuthatch, Cactus Wren, Rock Wren, Canyon Wren, Bewick's Wren, Marsh Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Western Bluebird, Mountain Bluebird, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, Wrentit, Northern Mockingbird, Sage Thrasher, California Thrasher, European Starling, Phainopepla, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Spotted Towhee, California Towhee, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Black-throated Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Red-winged Blackbird, Tricolored Blackbird, Western Meadowlark, Brewer's Blackbird, House Finch, House Sparrow,... Continued Happy & Productive Birding, Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: 4 Feb 10 South Fork Kern River Valley From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Thu, 04 Feb 2010 18:38:50 -0800 4 Feb 10 - South Fork Kern River Valley, Kern County... Chimney Peak National Back Country Byway: Mountain Bluebird 11 (0.5 mi. fr. CA Hwy 178) Sage Thrasher 2 (1 mi. fr. Hwy 178), Black-throated Sparrow 2 (1 mi. fr. Hwy 178),... Kelso Creek Rd.: Chukar 1 (observed on top of rock on top of ridge between Short Canyon and Cholla Canyon), Common Raven 313 (on ground in ag. fields). Kelso Valley Rd.: Chukar 4 (at 4 separate locations), Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1 & Cactus Wren 1 (10.5 mi.-11 mi. s. of CA Hwy 178), Mountain Bluebird 207 (201 in one flock 4 mi. s. of CA Hwy 178; 6 in 2nd flock 6 mi. s.) Scodie Park (2 acres) in Onyx: Acorn Woodpecker 4, WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKER 1 (female), Red-breasted Sapsucker 2, Nuttall's Woodpecker 1, Northern Flicker 1,... Canebrake Ecological Reserve: Ferruginous Hawk 1 light morph, Merlin 1, Virginia Rail 2, Canyon Wren 1, Tricolored Blackbird 5+,... En Route: Prairie Falcon, Canyon Wren, Rufous-crowned Sparrow,... Complete List: Mallard, Chukar, California Quail, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Ferruginous Hawk, American Kestrel, Merlin, Prairie Falcon, Virginia Rail, American Coot, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Mourning Dove, Anna's Hummingbird, Acorn Woodpecker, Williamson's Sapsucker, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Nuttall's Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Black Phoebe, Loggerhead Shrike, Western Scrub-Jay, Common Raven, Oak Titmouse, Bushtit, White-breasted Nuthatch, Cactus Wren, Rock Wren, Canyon Wren, Bewick's Wren, Marsh Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Western Bluebird, Mountain Bluebird, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, Wrentit, Northern Mockingbird, Sage Thrasher, California Thrasher, European Starling, Phainopepla, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Spotted Towhee, California Towhee, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Black-throated Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Red-winged Blackbird, Tricolored Blackbird, Western Meadowlark, Brewer's Blackbird, House Finch, House Sparrow,... Continued Happy & Productive Birding, Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: galileo From: "dguthrie012000" <dguthrie AT jsd.claremont.edu> Date: Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:17:16 -0000 can some one inform me about the status of galileo? - is it totally closed = no tresspassing signs, or can one still visit and walk among the dead plants? dan guthrie Subject: 3 Feb 10 Kern River Valley From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Thu, 04 Feb 2010 05:34:50 -0800 3 Feb 10 - Kern River Valley... Isabella Reservoir-Kissack Cove, Mountain Mesa: American White-Pelican 67, Osprey 1,... Isabella Reservoir-North Fork, Wofford Heights: Osprey 1, Bald Eagle 1 (adult),... Isabella Reservoir-Nuui Cunni Cultural Center at French Gulch (Main Dam area): Common Merganser 4000+, Western/Clark's Grebe 1000,... Lake Isabella-Barlow Rd.: Common Goldeneye 2;... Slippery Rock Launch Site (Kern River across/downstream from Main Dam Campground entrance): Canyon Wren 1, American Dipper 1,... Tillie Creek Campground, Wofford Heights: Band-tailed Pigeon 30, Red-naped Sapsucker 1, TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE 4 (all calling during same time period in vicinity of campsite 16 - additional observer: John Schmitt),... 7am-8:10am, Live Oak Campground (across CA Hwy. 155 from Tillie Creek Campground) complete list: California Quail 6 Cooper's Hawk 1 Red-tailed Hawk 1 Eurasian Collared-Dove 2 Mourning Dove 7 Anna's Hummingbird 1 Acorn Woodpecker 18 sapsucker spp. 1 Not a Williamson's female or male. Nuttall's Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 1 Black Phoebe 1 Western Scrub-Jay 20 Common Raven 1 Oak Titmouse 18 White-breasted Nuthatch 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3 Western Bluebird 15 Hermit Thrush 1 American Robin 1 Northern Mockingbird 4 European Starling 8 Phainopepla 18 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 2 Spotted Towhee 22 California Towhee 11 White-crowned Sparrow 40 Golden-crowned Sparrow 1 Dark-eyed Junco 4 Purple Finch (Western) 2 House Finch 7 House Sparrow 2 Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: 31 Jan 10: Inyo Birders' Kern River Valley Field Trip From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Mon, 01 Feb 2010 07:36:32 -0800 Hi, Susan Steele from Inyokern led a Su, 31 Jan 10 field trip to the Kern River Valley for a group of five birders from Inyo County ... Kathy Duvall, Claus Englehardt, Connie Englehardt, Nancy Overholtz, Ron Overholtz. They were joined by Alison Sheehey from Weldon and Bob Barnes from Ridgecrest. HIGHLIGHTS: Canebrake Ecological Reserve - Virginia Rail (heard only), Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (continuing adult male in gray pine at end of Public Access Trail ... scope views), Oak Titmouse, Rock Wren, Canyon Wren ("killer" scope views), Western Bluebird, Wrentit (heard only), Rufous-crowned Sparrow ("killer" scope views), Lark Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Tricolored Blackbird,... Scodie Park - Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (continuing juvenile male), Red-breasted Sapsucker, American Robin,... Kelso Valley Road - Merlin, Loggerhead Shrike, Mountain Bluebird, Lark Sparrow.... Slippery Rock Launch Site - Spotted Sandpiper, American Dipper,... Tillie Creek Campground - Band-tailed Pigeon, Acorn Woodpecker, Red-naped Sapsucker, Nuttall's Woodpecker, Oak Titmouse, California Thrasher, Phainopepla, Purple Finch,... Isabella Reservoir's North arm - American White Pelican, Osprey, Bald Eagle (adult), feeders attracting Pine Siskin/Lesser Goldfinch/American Goldfinch,... Isabella Reservoir Main Dam area as viewed from below Nuui Cunni Cultural Center at French Gulch - Common Merganser, Eared Grebe, Western Grebe, Clark's Grebe, American White Pelican, Merlin, .. Isabella Reservoir Auxiliary Dam area - Common Goldeneye Isabella Reservoir's Kissack Cove - Osprey, Peregrine Falcon, American White Pelican (67), Herring Gull en route - Bald Eagle (adult), Ferruginous Hawk, Prairie Falcon,... Day's List (NOTE: My written notes and memory may have missed some species; especially those observed by others during the day.): * Gadwall * American Wigeon * Mallard * Green-winged Teal * Common Goldeneye * Common Merganser * California Quail * Pied-billed Grebe * Eared Grebe * Western Grebe * Clark's Grebe * American White Pelican * Double-crested Cormorant * Great Blue Heron * Osprey * Bald Eagle * Red-shouldered Hawk * Red-tailed Hawk * Ferruginous Hawk * American Kestrel * Merlin * Peregrine Falcon * Prairie Falcon * Virginia Rail * American Coot * Killdeer * Spotted Sandpiper * Least Sandpiper * Ring-billed Gull * California Gull * Herring Gull * Band-tailed Pigeon * Mourning Dove * Anna's Hummingbird * Acorn Woodpecker * Yellow-bellied Sapsucker * Red-naped Sapsucker * Red-breasted Sapsucker * Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Alison Sheehey only) * Nuttall's Woodpecker * Downy Woodpecker * Hairy Woodpecker * Northern Flicker * Black Phoebe * Say's Phoebe * Loggerhead Shrike * Western Scrub-Jay * Common Raven * Horned Lark * Oak Titmouse * White-breasted Nuthatch * Cactus Wren * Rock Wren * Canyon Wren * Bewick's Wren * American Dipper * Ruby-crowned Kinglet * Western Bluebird * Mountain Bluebird * Hermit Thrush * American Robin * Wrentit * Northern Mockingbird * California Thrasher * European Starling * American Pipit * Phainopepla * Yellow-rumped Warbler * Spotted Towhee * California Towhee * Rufous-crowned Sparrow * Lark Sparrow * Savannah Sparrow * Song Sparrow * White-crowned Sparrow * Golden-crowned Sparrow * Dark-eyed Junco * Red-winged Blackbird * Tricolored Blackbird * Western Meadowlark * Brewer's Blackbird * Purple Finch * House Finch * Pine Siskin * Lesser Goldfinch * American Goldfinch * House Sparrow Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County, California [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: eBird Gaps: "Week" of 1-7 Feb 10 From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Mon, 01 Feb 2010 06:30:46 -0800 Hi, The following species have never been reported to eBird for the first week in February in any year: * Tundra Swan * Blue-winged Teal * Common Goldeneye * Chukar * Ring-necked Pheasant * Wild Turkey * Mountain Quail * Horned Grebe * American Bittern * California Condor * Northern Goshawk * Peregrine Falcon * Sandhill Crane * Mountain Plover * Spotted Sandpiper * Western Sandpiper * Dunlin * Herring Gull * Band-tailed Pigeon * Spotted Dove * Common Ground-Dove * Western Screech-Owl * Northern Pygmy-Owl * Spotted Owl * Northern Saw-whet Owl * White-throated Swift * Lewis's Woodpecker * Williamson's Sapsucker * Red-naped Sapsucker * Ladder-backed Woodpecker * Pileated Woodpecker * Vermilion Flycatcher * Cassin's Kingbird * Hutton's Vireo (or any other vireos) * Pinyon Jay * Clark's Nutcracker * Yellow-billed Magpie * swallows other than Tree and Barn * Red-breasted Nuthatch * Cactus Wren * Canyon Wren * American Dipper * Townsend's Solitaire * Wrentit * Cedar Waxwing * Black-throated Gray Warbler * Townsend's Warbler * Rufous-crowned Sparrow * Brewer's Sparrow * Vesper Sparrow * Fox Sparrow * Red Crossbill * Lawrence's Goldfinch Continued Happy & Productive Birding, Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County, California [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Vermilion Flycatcher continues near Kern River Bike Trail From: "wflydecker" <wlydecker AT bak.rr.com> Date: Sun, 31 Jan 2010 03:44:45 -0000 Male Vermilion Flycatcher continues near Kern River Bike Trail at canal 1/4 mile east of Hwy 43 (Enos Lane), 2-3 miles north of I-5. Kern Audubon Society field trip of fourteen today observed the bird. To reach location, walk east from Bike Trail Parking Lot located just north of the Kern River on the east side of Hwy 43. Walk about 1/4 mile on bike trail crossing the Kern River (usually dry). Approach a canal on your right. Where the canal goes under the bike trail, look with binocular and/or scope east down the canal for Black Phoebe, Common Moorhen, raptors in trees, Green Heron, and other birds. Access along the south bank to the canal is ok on the pavement up to the post where there is a sign saying no-trespassing. If the Vermilion Flycathcher is present, you may see it perched on bushes, trees or flitting about. If you don't see the Vermilion Flycatcher, look down the canal using your optical gear and check out trees and other spots. Enjoy looking at the warblers, kinglets, sparrows, and other birds. The Vermilion Flycatcher moves around and it might show up. Be patient. I have posted pictures of male Vermilion Flycatchers in the album Vermilion Flycatchers on this website. Vermilion Flycatcher may be a resident of the area but I have not observed any female birds or more that one male bird. I have observed a male Vermilion Flycatcher in each winter 2007-10 along the Kern Bike trail. Last June, a male Vermilion Flycatcher was present for some time at Tule Elk Preserve. Happy birding, Bill Lydecker Subject: KRV-Sa, 30 Jan 10: YB Saps-2, Mtn. Bluebirds-196 From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Sat, 30 Jan 2010 15:54:40 -0800 Hi, YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER (adult male): The adult male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker continued in the lone gray pine at the end of the Canebrake Ecological Reserve's Public Access Trail found off the north side of CA Hwy. 178 c. 5 miles east of the community of Onyx in the South Fork Valley.. YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER (juvenile): The juvenile Yellow-bellied Sapsucker continued in the northeast portion of Scodie Park in the community of Onyx in the South Fork Valley. 196 MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS: A single flock of 196 Mountain Bluebirds was counted on both sides of Kelso Valley Rd. +/- 4.0 miles south of CA Hwy. 178 in Weldon; and 0.25-0.5 miles south of the obvious cattle guard (road narrows at well-marked cattle guard). This is an area of very short grass just before reaching the Joshua tree covered hillside straight ahead south on Kelso Valley Rd. A stunning observation as 180+ of the individuals counted were electric blue/sky blue adult males revealed in bright sunshine. Detailed eBird Lists: Location: South Fork Valley--Canebrake Ecological Reserve Observation date: 1/30/10 Notes: 7:10am-8:30am. 30F-36F. Number of species: 31 * Mallard 57 * Wild Turkey 2 * California Quail 1 * Red-shouldered Hawk 1 * Red-tailed Hawk 1 * YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER 1 Continuing in gray pine at end of Public Access Trail... * Nuttall's Woodpecker 5 * Downy Woodpecker 2 * Black Phoebe 1 * Western Scrub-Jay 2 * Common Raven 4 * Oak Titmouse 8 * Bushtit 7 * White-breasted Nuthatch 1 * Rock Wren 1 * Bewick's Wren 3 * Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 * Western Bluebird 14 * Hermit Thrush 1 * American Robin 1 * European Starling 6 * Spotted Towhee 2 * California Towhee 2 * Song Sparrow 7 * White-crowned Sparrow 157 * Golden-crowned Sparrow 2 * Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 6 * Red-winged Blackbird 28 * Tricolored Blackbird 10 * Western Meadowlark 7 * blackbird sp. 250 * House Finch 20 Location: South Fork Valley--Scodie Park Observation date: 1/30/10 Notes: 8:34am-8:41am. Number of species: 5 * Mourning Dove 5 * YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER 1 Continuing juvenile in deciduous and pine trees in northeast corner of park... * Common Raven 21 * Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 20 * House Sparrow 3 Location: Kelso Creek Rd. Observation date: 1/30/10 Notes: 8:48am-9:03am. Number of species: 3 * Common Raven 154 * Cactus Wren 3 * Black-throated Sparrow 2 Location: Kelso Valley Rd.--0.25-7.5 mi. S of Hwy 178 Observation date: 1/30/10 Notes: 9:04am-9:12am. Number of species: 3 * Common Raven 7 * MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD 196 C. 4.25 mi. s. of CA Hwy 178; 0.25-0.5 mi s. of cattle guard... * Lark Sparrow 1 Location: Kelso Valley Rd--Tunnel Spring Observation date: 1/30/10 Notes: 9:37am-9:48am. Number of species: 7 * Nuttall's Woodpecker 1 * Western Scrub-Jay 4 * Oak Titmouse 1 * Rock Wren 1 * Bewick's Wren 2 * California Towhee 3 * Golden-crowned Sparrow 10 Location: Kelso Valley Rd--Kelso Creek Sanctuary Observation date: 1/30/10 Notes: 9:53am-10:15am. Number of species: 9 * Western Scrub-Jay 1 * Common Raven 1 * Oak Titmouse 2 * White-breasted Nuthatch 1 * Bewick's Wren 4 * American Robin 1 * European Starling 1 * California Towhee 2 * White-crowned Sparrow 26 Location: Kelso Valley Rd--Frog Spring Observation date: 1/30/10 Notes: 10:18am-10:33am. Number of species: 7 * Nuttall's Woodpecker 1 * Northern Flicker 1 * Bewick's Wren 1 * Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 * California Thrasher 1 * Song Sparrow 1 * White-crowned Sparrow 10 Location: Kelso Creek--IBA Observation date: 1/30/10 Notes: 10:39am. Number of species: 1 * Greater Roadrunner 1 Along edge and running across Kelso Valley Rd. 0.6 mi. s. of Snow Rd. and +/-10 miles s. of CA Hwy. 178. Location: South Fork Valley--Paul's Place Observation date: 1/30/10 Notes: 11:23am-11:24am. Number of species: 1 * Hairy Woodpecker 1 In isolated shrub between road and pasture. Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern Co., CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: Le Conte's Thrasher Singing Season From: yakimapark AT aol.com Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 18:54:58 EST For those without time to get over to the desert, LeConte's thrashers also may be found along the lower alluvial fans on the east facing slopes of Buena Vista Hills, south of McKittrick. One I encountered there was quite brazen, like he was showing off. But was not singing. And I also commonly see them on BLM land in a similar geographic position west of Maricopa. good birding! Marcia H. Wolfe MH Wolfe and Associates Environmental Consulting, Inc. POB 10254 Bakersfield, CA 93389 Phone 661-837-1169 Fax 661-837-8467 Cell 805-839-4142 mwolfe AT mhwolfeassoc.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Le Conte's Thrasher Singing Season From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:47:23 -0800 Hi, A Le Conte's Thrasher vociferously singing at the Middlemiss property in Inyokern 6:45am-7:50am this morning is a reminder that this species singing season is well underway. For those Kern birders/birders to Kern working on lists (life, state, county, year, etc.) or wanting to observe singing/breeding season behavior, the next several weeks promise to be prime time. In addition to the known Kern Le Conte's Thrasher areas at the Middlemiss property and outside Maricopa, the slope just west of Hwy. 14 in Mojave has "crawled" individuals of this species at this time of year ... with 5-15 individuals observed in 1-2 hours during early mornings. Take Oak Creek Road (overpass over Hwy. 14 in the middle of town) west uphill to the Joshua tree woodland just beyond the Los Angeles Aqueduct crossing. Turn right onto one of two essentially paralleling dirt roads just west of the aqueduct. Between Oak Creek Rd. on the south to the first settlement of several houses (and, if necessary, a mile or two beyond) to the north is an especially good area to observe this species. Once one gets the feel for the habitat characterization of this area, the chances of finding Le Conte's Thrasher all along the east facing slopes (just below the foothill zone) in Kern County from the Los Angeles County line to the Inyo County line will all but surely increase dramatically. The Middlemiss property is still my favorite because it hosts several other species ... see this morning's list below ... in close proximity to each other ... due to the presence of hummingbird and seed feeders, plus extensive landscaping creating an oasis effect. Location: Inyokern--Middlemiss Observation date: 1/29/10 Notes: 6:45am-7:50am. Number of species: 13 * California Quail 125 (Hard to count - more individuals thought to be present) * Eurasian Collared-Dove 2 * Anna's Hummingbird 2 * Common Raven 1 * Verdin 2 * American Robin 1 * Le Conte's Thrasher 1 * Spotted Towhee 1 * White-crowned Sparrow 100 (More individuals thought to be present) * House Finch 10 (Hard to count - more individuals thought to be present) * Lesser Goldfinch 6 * American Goldfinch 26 * House Sparrow 50 (Hard to count - more individuals thought to be present) This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/) Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern Co., CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Horned Grebe, Hooded Mergs From: "Michael" <macbirder1 AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2010 21:49:37 -0000 Birders: The Kyle's HORNED GREBE was in almost the same position as reported by the Kyle's: near the marina and boat-launch ramp on the west side of Lake Ming. It spends lots of time under water. There are now 12 HOODED MERGANSERS in the pond behind my home on the Rio Bravo golf course. Michael McQuerrey Bakersfield, California Subject: 27 Jan 10 Kern River Valley & Greenhorn Mtns. From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Wed, 27 Jan 2010 19:00:03 -0800 27 Jan 10 Kern River Valley: 9:53am-10:05am, Scodie Park, Onyx - Acorn Woodpecker 1, YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER (juvenile) 1, Red-breasted Sapsucker 1, Nuttall's Woodpecker 1, plus eight other species... 10:55am-11:27am, North Fork Isabella Reservoir, Wofford Heights - Common Merganser 500, Double-crested Cormorant 481, Osprey 1, Bald Eagle 1, plus six other species... 11:30am-11:44am, Tillie Creek Campground, Wofford Heights - California Quail 5, Band-tailed Pigeon 41, Acorn Woodpecker 2, Northern (Red-shafted) Flicker 1, Western Scrub-Jay 1, Oak Titmouse 6, Phainopepla 2, plus seven other species... 12:20pm-12:40pm, Greenhorn Summit - White-headed Woodpecker 1, Common Raven 1, Steller's Jay 1, Mountain Chickadee 8, Red-breasted Nuthatch 4, White-breasted Nuthatch 1, Golden-crowned Kinglet 1, Townsend's Solitaire 2 1:11pm-1:12pm, CA Hwy 155 Wofford Heights - Lewis's Woodpecker 1, Acorn Woodpecker 4, Western Scrub-Jay 1, Oak Titmouse 3, California Towhee 1 Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern Co., CA Subject: Bald Eagle, Lake Ming From: "Michael" <macbirder1 AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 26 Jan 2010 18:32:25 -0000 Birders: There was a BALD EAGLE at Lake Ming, this morning. It's the first I've seen in several years, out there. Michael McQuerrey Bakersfield, CA Subject: Point Reyes Birding & Nature Festival -- April 23-26, 2010 -- Registration Open From: "will_w04" <will_w04 AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 26 Jan 2010 07:21:33 -0000 The first Point Reyes Birding and Nature Festival (April 23-26, 2010) is now open for registration! Some of California's preeminent birders will be leading trips, including Rich Stallcup, Steve Howell, Keith Hansen, Jules Evens, David Wimpfheimer, and Lisa Hug. There will be walks, boat trips, classes, demonstrations, and a pelagic trip to Cordell Bank. To register online, go to www.pointreyesbirdingfestival.org and sign-up for the walks, events, lectures, and classes that you find most exciting. Some of these trips will be fully subscribed very quickly and registering early is advised. Enrollment will be limited. The Festival is sponsored by the Environmental Action Committee of West Marin in cooperation with PRBO Conservation Science, Marin Audubon Society, Madrone Audubon Society, American Birding Association, Point Reyes National Seashore and many other groups. If you have any questions about the Festival, send an email to prbnfestival at gmail.com (use AT symbol) or call the Festival Headquarters at 415-663-9312. You can help make the Festival successful by forwarding this message to your birding and other friends with an interest in nature and the outdoors -- and you can help publicize the Festival by putting a link to it on your website or Facebook page. If there are websites you think the Festival should contact to establish a link, please send an email to prbnfestival at gmail.com (use AT symbol) Also, if you find any problems with the website, please let the sponsors know at once by sending an email to prbnfestival at gmail.com (use AT symbol). Hope to see you at the Festival! Will Wilson Corte Madera Subject: Horned Grebe at Lake Ming east of Bakersfield 1/25/10 From: "Ken and Brenda Kyle" <kbgoldennugget2 AT aol.com> Date: Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:12:29 -0000 Today, Monday, 1/25/10, we saw a Horned Grebe. The Horned Grebe was seen at Lake Ming at 3:20PM at the west end boat launch area. This evening we will place a couple of photos of the Horned Grebe into the kerncobirding photo section in the album labeled 01 Birds. Ken and Brenda Kyle Bakersfield Subject: NEW! Ad. Male YB Sapsucker: 1/24/10-Canebrake ER From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2010 14:31:19 -0800 24 Jan 2010 HIGHLIGHT: ADULT MALE YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER in a gray pine at the end of the one mile long Public Access Trail on the California Department of Fish & Game's Canebrake Ecological Reserve at the east end of the South Fork Kern River Valley (see notes below in species list), northern Kern County/southern Sierra Nevada. This location is about seven miles east of the JUVENILE YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER first found by Alison Sheehey on 9 Jan 2010 and continuing though at least 23 Jan 2010 in the pine trees at Scodie Park; a small (2 acre) Kern County park in the community of Onyx. Location: South Fork Valley--Canebrake Ecological Reserve Elevation: 2950' at Yellow-bellied Sapsucker observation site Observation time/date: 6:40am-8:205am, 1/24/10 Temperature at Start-Finish: 26F-35F Observer: Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern Co., CA Number of species: 33 Highlight: Adult male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (see notes below) * Mallard 10 * Wild Turkey 1 * California Quail 10 * Great Blue Heron 1 * Red-shouldered Hawk 1 * Red-tailed Hawk 2 * YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER 1 NOTES: LOCATION - The Canebrake ER Public Access Trail is one mile long. It parallels an east to west peninsular hillside with a filled-in-with-dirt flume running along it c. 50' above the valley floor during the last 1000'+ of the trail. At the trail's end is a single, isolated, large gray pine next to the flume. A sapsucker call was head from the end of the trail. It was soon pin-pointed as being in the gray pine. When the bird was located in the pre-sunrise light tapping on the side of the larger vertical branches of the gray pine this bird was determined to be a Red-naped Sapsucker, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, or a hybrid. After the sun hit the gray pine and a vantage point on top of the dirt-filled flume was secured, numerous excellent views were made looking southwest/west into/up 30-40' in the gray pine tree for the next 20-25 minutes. FIELD MARKS NOTED: large, vertical, white wing patch; solid red throat with bold black line bordering/framing the red throat; solid red crown patch on head; hind crown and back of neck black and white with not even a trace of red in the nape ... a very clean bird; a bold, bright, wide eyebrow-stripe; a bold black line running back through the eye from the base of the bill to the upper neck; a bold, wide, white stripe between the black eye-line and black frame of the red throat and bordering said frame; two rows of buffy (not white, not off-white)horizontal ragged "stripes" running essentially the vertical length of the back; a narrow vertical break separating the two buffy rows on the back; no hint of juvenvile brownish plumage anywhere in the head and neck region (This was a very clean black, white, and red bird from the neck up.); brownish markings ("spotting") on the hind end of the flanks. The preceding observed field marks led to the conclusion that this particular individual sapsucker was an adult male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Observer: Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern Co., CA * Nuttall's Woodpecker 4 * Northern Flicker 2 * Black Phoebe 3 * Say's Phoebe 1 * Western Scrub-Jay 1 * Common Raven 3 * Oak Titmouse 4 * Rock Wren 1 * Canyon Wren 1 * Bewick's Wren 3 * Marsh Wren 1 * Ruby-crowned Kinglet 5 * Western Bluebird 14 * Hermit Thrush 2 * Wrentit 1 * European Starling 4 * Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 1 * Spotted Towhee 1 * California Towhee 4 * Lark Sparrow 1 * Song Sparrow 6 * Lincoln's Sparrow 1 * White-crowned Sparrow 67 * Red-winged Blackbird 35 * Tricolored Blackbird 15 * blackbird sp. 350 * House Finch 30 The base of the above report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/) Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County, California [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Continues From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Sat, 23 Jan 2010 20:31:30 -0800 Hi, HIGHLIGHTS of today's Sa, 23 Jan 10 birding in the Kern River Valley (with complete lists following at the end for those interested): The juvenile YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER first discovered by Alison Sheehey 1/9/10 was still present in Scodie Park in Onyx this morning. Also present was a RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER and MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE (rare at this location even though not unexpected). At Tillie Creek Campground in Wofford Heights, one of the three RED-NAPED SAPSUCKERS discovered an being tacked by John Schmitt was observed along with personal records of 48 PHAINOPEPLAS and 68 PURPLE FINCHES. A DARK-EYED (PINK-SIDED) JUNCO found earlier in the morning by John Schmitt was relocated in the vicinity of the playground area. None of the 3 TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES John heard and saw earlier in the morning in the vicinity of the handicapped designated camp sites were heard or observed during my following visit. The arm of Isabella Reservoir back up by the Main Dam as viewed from just below the Forest Service office between the two dams (as accessed by either Barlow Road or Ponderosa Road) provided relatively close-up looks of 2334 COMMON MERGANSERS, 2000 EARED GREBES (estimate as many were packed together in groups of what appeared to be 50-300 individuals each), and 1267 WESTERN GREBES and CLARK'S GREBES (with plenty of both during the count). Ten minutes later on the South Fork arm of Isabella Reservoir as viewed from South Fork Recreation Area were 704 COMMON MERGANSERS, 1831 WESTERN GREBES and CLARK'S GREBES, and 171 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS. Fifty AMERICAN WHITE-PELICANS were on a mud bar/sandbar off Isabella Reservoir's Kissack Cove. The cove also hosted 2 OSPREYS and several hundred gulls with all nearby gulls being CALIFORNIA GULLS or RING-BILLED GULLS. A quick, five minute check was made of Scodie Park in Onyx again in the afternoon on the way back to Ridgecrest from the Kern River Valley. The hope was to observe one of the two WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKERS (which have been wintering in Onyx and often seen in the park) to complete a one day sapsucker sweep. The sweep was denied this day. The following reports were generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/) Location: South Fork Valley--Scodie Park Observation date: 7am-7:25am, 1/23/10 Number of species: 13 * American Kestrel 1 * Mourning Dove 37 * Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1 Continuing ... red on throat appeared to be more saturated this visit. * Red-breasted Sapsucker 1 * Common Raven 6 * Mountain Chickadee 1 This species is rare at this location. But, it is not unexpected. * Oak Titmouse 1 * Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 * American Robin 1 * Northern Mockingbird 2 * European Starling 1 * Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 2 * House Sparrow 10 Location: South Fork Kern River Valley--IBA Observation date: 1/23/10 Notes: 7:35am-7:36am. Number of species: 1 * Prairie Falcon 1 Perched on top of telephone pole along south side of CA Hwy 178 just west of Fay Ranch Rd. Location: Lake Isabella--Barlow Rd. and Ponderosa Rd. Observation date: 1/23/10 Notes: 8am-8:05am. 38F. Ducks on water surface in Borel Canal. Number of species: 3 * Bufflehead 9 * Common Goldeneye 7 * Common Raven 8 Location: Keyesville--Slippery Rock Launch Site Observation date: 1/23/10 Notes: 8:11am-8:18am. Number of species: 3 * Black Phoebe 1 * American Dipper 1 * Dark-eyed Junco 10 Location: Lake Isabella--Main Dam Overlook Observation date: 1/23/10 Notes: 8:21am-8:26am. 39F. Number of species: 7 * Common Merganser 2000 * Eared Grebe 2000 * Western/Clark's Grebe 1000 * American White Pelican 40 * Double-crested Cormorant 10 * American Coot 10 * Bewick's Wren 1 * Western Bluebird 2 Location: Wofford Heights--Tillie Creek Campground Observation date: 1/23/10 Notes: 8:35am-11am. 40F-48F. Number of species: 32 * California Quail 86 * Turkey Vulture 1 * Cooper's Hawk 1 * Red-tailed Hawk 1 * Mourning Dove 2 * Anna's Hummingbird 1 * Acorn Woodpecker 11 * Red-naped Sapsucker 1 * Nuttall's Woodpecker 2 * Black Phoebe 2 * Western Scrub-Jay 46 * Common Raven 9 * Oak Titmouse 19 * Bewick's Wren 1 * Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2 * Western Bluebird 26 * Hermit Thrush 2 * American Robin 4 * Northern Mockingbird 6 * European Starling 7 * Phainopepla 48 * Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 2 * Spotted Towhee 8 * California Towhee 6 * Lark Sparrow 3 * White-crowned Sparrow 43 * Golden-crowned Sparrow 3 * Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 16 * Purple Finch (Western) 68 * House Finch 40 * American Goldfinch 3 * House Sparrow 2 Location: Lake Isabella--Barlow Rd. and Ponderosa Rd. Observation date: 1/23/10 Notes: 11:50am-12:40pm. Number of species: 7 * Common Merganser 2334 * Eared Grebe 2000 * Western Grebe 50 * Clark's Grebe 50 * Western/Clark's Grebe 1167 * Double-crested Cormorant 5 * Great Blue Heron 1 * American Coot 50 Location: Lake Isabella--South Fork Recreation Area Observation date: 1/23/10 Notes: 12:50pm-1:30pm Number of species: 4 * Common Merganser 704 * Western/Clark's Grebe 1831 * Double-crested Cormorant 171 * Great Blue Heron 3 Location: Lake Isabella--Kissack Cove Observation date: 1/23/10 Notes: 2:30pm-3pm. Number of species: 16 * Gadwall 92 * American Wigeon 17 * Cinnamon Teal 2 * Northern Shoveler 1 * Green-winged Teal 34 * Common Goldeneye 2 * American White Pelican 50 * Double-crested Cormorant 30 * Osprey 2 * Red-tailed Hawk 1 * American Coot 480 * Least Sandpiper 40 * Ring-billed Gull 20 * California Gull 100 * gull sp. 500 * Common Raven 70 * Horned Lark 200 Location: South Fork Valley--Scodie Park Observation date: 1/23/10 Notes: 3:20pm-3:25pm. Number of species: 2 * Western Bluebird 6 * Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 1 Continued Happy & Productive Birding, Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County, California [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: California Burrowing Owl Consortium Meeting From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:20:20 -0800 Hi, At first glance, the 11:30am, 1pm, and 2pm presentations scheduled for this meeting appear to have the most relevance in terms of the future occurrence of Burrowing Owls in Kern County. Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County, CA CALIFORNIA BUROWING OWL CONSORTIUM MEETING - Sponsored by the Alameda Creak Alliance and Ohlone Audubon Society (Alameda County) DATE: February 6, 2010 TIME: 9AM Doors, 10AM ­ 2:30PM Speaker Presentations LOCATION: Martinelli Event Center, 3585 Greenville Rd., Livermore, CA 94550 SPEAKERS & TOPICS: * 10AM - Dee Vieira ­ City of Antioch Prewett Family Water Park Burrowing Owl Habitat * 10:30 AM - David Cook ­ SCVAS: Dicing ordinance monitoring and enforcement, Mt View advocacy * Shani Kleinhaus ­SCVAS ­ Burrowing Owl advocacy: Shoreline at Mountain View * 11 AM - Troy Rahmig ­ Habitat Conservation Planning Meeting Future Habitat Needs * 11:30 AM- Douglas A. Bell, Ph.D ­ K. Shawn Smallwood, Lee Neher and Douglas A. Bell, Map-based repowering and reorganization of a wind farm to minimize burrowing owl fatalities. * Noon Lunch break * 1 PM - William Boarman Ph.D ­ Updating California Conservation Strategy for Burrowing Owls * 1:30 PM ­ Jack Barclay and Sandra Menzel ­Owl status at Camp Parks, Dublinand Polygynous Nesting in 2009 * 2:00 PM ­ Bob Wilkerson ­ Results from the 2006-2007 California Breeding Burrowing Owl Survey * 2:30 PM ­ Jeff Miller ­ Center for Biological Diversity ­ Petitioning for State Listing of Burrowing Owl * 2:45 ­ Scott Artis ­ City of Antioch: Development Plans and Owl Evictions * 3:00 ­ Program ends, please remain to network with the speakers and other advocate’s COST: $30 walk in, $25 in advance. Fee includes coffee, tea and breakfast pastries served from 9AM to 10AM and a buffet lunch. To register in advance mail a check to: Alameda Creek Alliance c/o Rich Cimino 1281 Ridgewood Rd. Pleasanton, Cal. 94566. NOTE: No refunds after Jan 29th. DIRECTIONS: * Conveniently located off of HWY 580 East. * Exit North Greenville Rd. * Make a left off the exit. * Turn right onto Greenville and go up about 2.5 miles. * Center is on the right just after you pass the winery’s laboratory. * Wrought iron gates and large palm trees mark the entrance. Richard Cimino rscimino AT earthlink.net Birding is fun and educational + it gets us out and away from the TV remote! [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: eBird Gaps: "Week" of 22-31 Jan From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Thu, 21 Jan 2010 15:43:13 -0800 Hi, It is now snowing in Ridgecrest ... huge flakes for an hour or so with no sign of let up. I haven't been able to get over Walker Pass to the Kern River Valley since Sunday evening. Let it snow! Birding on sunny days forecast for Saturday through Monday will be conducted in surroundings which promise to be winter wonderlands. Once Kern birding is widely available I would like to provide the following to have in mind... The following species have never been reported to eBird for the fourth "week" in January in any year: * Ross's Goose * Cackling Goose * Tundra Swan * Canvasback * Ring-necked Duck * Chukar * Ring-necked Pheasant * Wild Turkey * Mountain Quail * Clark's Grebe * California Condor * Merlin * Sandhill Crane * Western Sandpiper * Dunlin * Herring Gull * Caspian Tern * Band-tailed Pigeon * Spotted Dove * Common Ground-Dove * Western Screech-Owl * Northern Pygmy-Owl * Spotted Owl * Northern Saw-whet Owl * White-throated Swift * Lewis's Woodpecker * Williamson's Sapsucker * Red-naped Sapsucker * Red-breasted Sapsucker * Ladder-backed Woodpecker * Downy Woodpecker * Pileated Woodpecker * Cassin's Kingbird * Hutton's Vireo (or any other vireos) * Pinyon Jay * Clark's Nutcracker * Yellow-billed Magpie * American Crow * swallows other than Tree Swallow * Brown Creeper * Cactus Wren * Canyon Wren * Golden-crowned Kinglet * Blue-gray Gnatcatcher * Townsend's Solitaire * Hermit Thrush * Cedar Waxwing * Phainopepla * Black-throated Gray Warbler * Townsend's Warbler * Rufous-crowned Sparrow * Lawrence's Goldfinch Also, the following have not been reported to eBird for any week this January 2010 to date: * Ring-necked Pheasant * Mountain Quail * Green Heron * Northern Goshawk * Mountain Plover * American Avocet * Wilson's Snipe * Caspian Tern * Band-tailed Pigeon * Spotted Dove * Barn Owl * Northern Pygmy-Owl * Burrowing Owl * Spotted Owl * Northern Saw-whet Owl * Pileated Woodpecker * vireos other than Hutton's Vireo * Steller's Jay * Pinyon Jay * Clark's Nutcracker * Yellow-billed Magpie * swallows besides Tree * House Wren * Winter Wren * Townsend's Solitaire * Black-throated Gray Warbler * Townsend's Warbler * Chipping Sparrow * Yellow-headed Blackbird * Red Crossbill * Cassin's Finch Continued Happy & Productive Birding, Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County, California [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: 8 Hooded Mergansers From: "Michael" <macbirder1 AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 21 Jan 2010 02:03:40 -0000 Birders: This week, we have had 8 HOODED MERGANSERS (3 male and 5 female) in the pond behind our home on the 12th fairway of the Rio Bravo Golf Course. A CASSIN'S KINGBIRD has been very sporadic on the golf course, including a brief foray to my back fence, yesterday. There was another in the upper picnic area, west of Lake Ming. All of these areas are northeast of Bakersfield proper. Michael McQuerrey Bakersfield, California Subject: Long-eared Owls, Isabella Birds, Am. Dippers From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:42:08 -0800 Hi, LONG-EARED OWL - In what has been an otherwise unremarkable winter for Long-eared Owls, at least three individuals of this species continued at Desert Memorial Park (AKA Ridgecrest Cemetery) at the east edge of Ridgecrest this morning. Welcome rain and snow has rendered the Kern River Valley inaccessible from Ridgecrest via non-snow tired, non-chained Toyota Corolla the past few days. However, a morning visit last Thursday morning, January 14th revealed the continued presence of... * an OSPREY, a BALD EAGLE, and a PEREGRINE FALCON each perched on the snag of their choice in the North Fork arm of Isabella Reservoir... * 4000-5000 COMMON MERGANSERS, 3000-4000 EARED GREBES, +/- 1000 WESTERN GREBES and CLARK'S GREBES, and 400-500 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS on Isabella Reservoir... * AMERICAN DIPPER at both Bakersfield BLM's Slippery Rock Launch site (across from the entrance to Main Dam Campground below right Isabella Reservoir) and Sequoia National Forest's Delonegha Day Use Area (at the CA Hwy 178 bridge over the Kern River between Lake Isabella and Bakersfield). Continued Happy & Productive Birding, Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern Co., CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: eBird Report - Kern NWR , 1/14/10 From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:57:11 -0800 The following report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) Location: Kern NWR Observation date: 1/14/10 Notes: 11:30am-1:30pm. 55F-58F. Number of species: 47 * Gadwall 300+ * American Wigeon 75+ * Mallard 20+ * Cinnamon Teal 100+ All along auto tour route. Thought to be wintering population supplemented by migrants from the south. Fifty-six Cinnamon Teal counted at the Kern Sanitation Management Authority Wastewater Treatment Plant pond earlier this same day supports the preceding thought. * Northern Shoveler 1500+ * Northern Pintail 200+ * Green-winged Teal 100+ * Canvasback 10 * Redhead 80+ * Ring-necked Duck 1 * Lesser Scaup 6 * Bufflehead 30+ * Ruddy Duck 200+ * Pied-billed Grebe 1 * Eared Grebe 5 * White-faced Ibis 5 * White-tailed Kite 2 * Northern Harrier 12 * Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 * Cooper's Hawk 1 * Red-tailed Hawk 12 * Virginia Rail 3 * Sora 4 * Common Moorhen 4 * American Coot 800+ * Killdeer 1 * Black-necked Stilt 30+ * Greater Yellowlegs 1 * Long-billed Dowitcher 90 * California Gull 2 * Greater Roadrunner 1 * Downy Woodpecker 1 * Northern Flicker 2 * Black Phoebe 8 * Loggerhead Shrike 7 * American Crow 3 * Marsh Wren 20 * Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2 * Northern Mockingbird 1 * Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 8 * Common Yellowthroat 2 * Song Sparrow 9 * White-crowned Sparrow 110 * Golden-crowned Sparrow 2 * Red-winged Blackbird 70 * Western Meadowlark 4 * House Finch 10 Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern Co., CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Kern River County Park (Hart Park & Lake Ming) From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:46:46 -0800 Location: Kern River County Park (Hart Park & Lake Ming) Observation date: 8:20am-9:45am, 1/14/10 Temperature Range: 43F-46F Observer: Bob Barnes Number of species: 45 Greater White-fronted Goose 1 Canada Goose (Large) 17 Wood Duck 11 American Wigeon 6 Mallard 22 Common Merganser 17 Hooded Merganser 1 Ruddy Duck 3 Pied-billed Grebe 5 Western Grebe 2 Double-crested Cormorant 16 Great Blue Heron 3 Great Egret 1 Snowy Egret 1 Black-crowned Night-Heron 5 Turkey Vulture 9 Red-shouldered Hawk 4 American Kestrel 3 American Coot 488 Killdeer 2 California Gull 1 Mourning Dove 2 Rose-ringed Parakeet 3 Belted Kingfisher 2 Acorn Woodpecker 1 Nuttall's Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker 1 Black Phoebe 7 Say's Phoebe 1 Western Scrub-Jay 5 American Crow 3 White-breasted Nuthatch 2 American Robin 2 Western Bluebird 1 Northern Mockingbird 1 European Starling 60 Orange-crowned Warbler 1 Yellow-rumped (Audubon's) Warbler 8 Lark Sparrow 1 White-crowned Sparrow 36 Dark-eyed Junco 21 Brewer's Blackbird 61 Great-tailed Grackle 2 House Finch 31 House Sparrow 7 Location: Hart Park (Kern Co.) Observation date: 1/17/10 Notes: 3:10pm-3:45pm observations made from inside car during a light rain. Number of species: 26 * Greater White-fronted Goose 1 * Canada Goose 17 * Wood Duck 8 * Mallard 20 * Hooded Merganser 1 * Pied-billed Grebe 2 * Double-crested Cormorant 9 * Great Blue Heron 2 * Great Egret 2 * Black-crowned Night-Heron 2 * American Kestrel 3 * American Coot 250 * Rose-ringed Parakeet 75 Flocks of 25, 35, 6, and 7 individuals flying downriver. Two individuals remained perched in a sycamore tree next to main lake during entire observation period. * Belted Kingfisher 2 * Acorn Woodpecker 1 * Nuttall's Woodpecker 1 * Northern Flicker 2 * Black Phoebe 8 * Western Scrub-Jay 1 * American Crow 1 * Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 * European Starling 17 * Phainopepla 1 * White-crowned Sparrow 10 * Brewer's Blackbird 26 * Great-tailed Grackle 6 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Productive spot just off CA Hwy. 58 in Bakersfield From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:28:31 -0800 Hi, A nice spot to check during comings and goings along CA Hwy 58 or while in Bakersfield is the Kern Sanitation Management Authority Wastewater Treatment Plant pond just west off Oswell Ave. and just south of CA Hwy 58. Take the Oswell exit off Hwy. 58, go south to right on the frontage road west a few hundred meters/yards to a nice, cement landing vantage point just before the "No Trespassing" entrance to the plant. The cement landing is at the northeast corner of the pond ... which is in a pit below ground level. A scope is helpful to have for better viewing of birds at the far (west) end of the pond. Even so, this pond is relatively small and "birdable" in a few to several minutes as shown by the 30 minute and 5 minute visits results following here... The following reports (1/14/10 and 1/17/10) were generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) Location: Kern Sanitation Management Authority Wastewater Treatment Plant pond Observation date: 1/14/10 Notes: 10am-10:30am. Satellite Kern Sanitation Management Authority Wastewater Treatment Plant pond just west off Oswell Ave. and just south of CA Hwy 58. Number of species: 14 Gadwall 56 American Wigeon 4 Mallard 39 Cinnamon Teal 56 Northern Shoveler 22 Ring-necked Duck 12 Bufflehead 2 Ruddy Duck 6 Snowy Egret 1 Cattle Egret 4 American Coot 25 Black-necked Stilt 128 Least Sandpiper 2 Long-billed Dowitcher 57 Observation date: 1/17/10 Notes: 4:05pm-4:10pm. Kern Sanitation Authority Wastewater Treatment Plant unit accessed from using frontage road west from Oswell Ave. an bordering the south side of CA Hwy 178. A a relatively quick, five minute scan of pond due to light rain. Number of species: 12 Gadwall 30 Mallard 10 Cinnamon Teal 10 Northern Shoveler 4 Bufflehead 2 Ruddy Duck 2 Cattle Egret 2 American Coot 20 Killdeer 1 Black-necked Stilt 30 Long-billed Dowitcher 20 Mourning Dove 50 Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern Co., CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Photos-Brown Thrasher continues at A.W. Noon Park in Kern County From: "Ken and Brenda Kyle" <kbgoldennugget2 AT aol.com> Date: Fri, 15 Jan 2010 03:18:23 -0000 Today,Thursday,1/14/10, we saw the Brown Thrasher that has previously been reported by other birders on kerncobirding. This Brown Thrasher continues in the juniper looking cypress as reported by other birders. We have placed three photos of this Brown Thrasher into the kerncobiding photo section in the album labeled 01 Birds. We have also placed the same three photos into the CALBIRDS photo section in the album labeled Birds. We saw this Brown Thrasher at 9:00am and again at 1:45pm. It continues in the juniper looking cypress at the A.W. Noon Park that leads to the Buena Vista Golf Course. The Buena Vista Golf Course is on Golf Course Road, west of the Buena Vista Aquatic Recreation Area and east of the hamlet of Dustin Acres. Look for the juniper looking cypress bushes on the left side of the entrance road that leads to the golf course. These bushes are near the slope of a saltbush covered hillside. Do not enter the golf course parking lot. At 9:30 this morning we stood across the road from the juniper looking cypress, and the Brown Thrasher came out from under the bush onto the grass. We were able to observe it through our scope. At 1:45pm we were sitting at a bench across from the bushes, and the Brown Thrasher came out from under the bush. Ken and Brenda Kyle Bakersfield Subject: Vermillion Flycatcher at Kern NWR 1/12/10 From: "Tony Kurz" <tonyk_71220 AT hotmail.com> Date: Wed, 13 Jan 2010 07:50:49 -0000 The VERMILLION FLYCATCHER is back at the Kern NWR. The bird was first seen on the day of the New Year by Steve Laymond. The flycatcher is along the tour route, the southern end of the route. It hangs around near the second parking lot in like Unit 5. Go by the vistor center and pick up a map of the refuge. The flycatcher is either a juvenile male or adult female hard to tell at the distance I saw the bird. I also had a Male BLUE-WINGED TEAL on the Northern end of the route. Tony Kurz Springville Tulare County Subject: Kern eBird Update From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Mon, 11 Jan 2010 19:48:37 -0800 Hi, For those of you into eBird, the following species have never been entered into eBird for the second week of January (8-14) in any year. There are still three days to find and entered them to fill in the blanks: Wood Duck Redhead Hooded Merganser Chukar Wild Turkey Cattle Egret Peregrine Falcon Black-necked Stilt Wilson's Snipe Band-tailed Pigeon White-throated Swift Lewis's Woodpecker Pinyon Jay Clark's Nutcracker Cactus Wren House Wren Orange-crowned Warbler Common Yellowthroat Chipping Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Tricolored Blackbird... Getting the jump on the third week in January the following species have never been entered as being observed January 15-21 in any year. Seven days to find the following to fill in some eBird blanks: Ross's Goose Tundra Swan Common Goldeneye Hooded Merganser Wild Turkey Mountain Quail Bald Eagle Mountain Plover Long-billed Curlew Dunlin Band-tailed Pigeon Western Screech-Owl Northern Pygmy Owl Spotted Owl Northern Saw-whet Owl Lewis's Woodpecker Williamson's Sapsucker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-naped Sapsucker Ladder-backed Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker White-headed Woodpecker Steller's Jay Pinyon Jay Clark's Nutcracker Mountain Chickadee Verdin Red-breasted Nuthatch Pygmy Nuthatch Brown Creeper Bewick's Wren American Dipper Mountain Bluebird Townsend's Solitaire Wrentit Sage Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Rufous-crowned Sparrow Black-throated Sparrow Fox Sparrow Brown-headed Cowbird Purple Finch Cassin's Finch... Continued Happy & Productive eBirding, Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County, California Subject: Onyx's Scodie Park YB Sap Continues From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Mon, 11 Jan 2010 19:29:51 -0800 Hi, The juvenile YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER first found by Alison Sheehey on Saturday at Scodie Park in the community of Onyx and observed by her again Sunday was still present during a 9am-9:10am visit this morning. Good fortune was in the air as this YBSA was the first bird seen in the park during this visit as it flew into a pine tree in the open at less than twenty feet away and worked its way up the trunk and out of site. Just a minute or two later it flew below the first branches of another pine tree at a similar distance, offering another in-the-open observation before hitching up the tree into the foliage cover. The throat of this bird appears to be filled in with red at this point in its life. Other birding notes from the day ... * LE CONTE'S THRASHER was missed at the Middlemiss property in Inyokern ... perhaps it was too early in the morning. * TRICOLORED BLACKBIRD was missed at the Canebrake Ecological Reserve, although a cooperative, perched FERRUGINOUS HAWK. * Forty-five AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS, an OSPREY, and a first cycle HERRING GULL continued at Isabella Reservoir's Kissack Cove. * Five COMMON GOLDENEYES and seventeen BUFFLEHEAD were in the Borel Canal below Isabella Reservoir's Auxiliary Dam while 153 COMMON RAVENS foraged in the freshly plowed agricultural field across Barlow Rd. * An AMERICAN DIPPER continued to use the gentle rapids found below BLM's Slippery Rock Launch site across CA Hwy. 155 from the entrance to Main Dam Campground. * Several thousand COMMON MERGANSERS continued to swirl the still water of Isabella Reservoir just off the south shore of Rocky Point while a lesser thousands of EARED GREBES did the same in the reservoir arm in front of Main Dam. * RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW was missed this day at two close to each other locations 0.7 miles up Sawmill Rd. from CA Hwy. 178. * The Greenhorn Mountains were fairly quiet this day with a lingering, eye-level GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET being the highlight. * Eighteen MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS continued in the vicinity of Kelso Valley Rd. area described by Alison Sheehey in her email to kerncobirding earlier today ... at the cattle guard c. 4 miles south of CA Hwy. 178 in Weldon. Continued Happy & Productive Birding, Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County, California [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Yellow-bellied Sapsucker at Scodie Park in Onyx From: Alison Sheehey <natureali AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 11 Jan 2010 09:57:08 -0800 Hi All, Birded around the Kern Valley yesterday in a quest to see all the woodpecker species I could after seeing a juvenile Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in Scodie Park on Saturday. Although I dipped on Ladder-backed and Pileated (not for lack of trying mind you), I ended up with 11 species of woodpecker for the day. At Scodie Park in Onyx, in addition to the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, there are two female Williamson's Sapsuckers, and three Red-breasted Sapsuckers. A female Nuttall's Woodpecker is also foraging on the Aleppo Pines and Cypress in the park. I heard a Northern Flicker and then saw one flying across the road as I left Onyx. 5 species Took a trip on the Kelso Creek/Kelso Valley Road loop and tried for Ladder-backed Woodpecker, no luck, but did see a nice flock of Mountain Bluebirds on the farm field that has been totally grazed to nothing along Kelso Valley Road. 0 species 5 species for the day. I went to the Kern River Preserve headquarters and saw one male Hairy Woodpecker and heard another, saw a male and female Downy Woodpecker, heard another Northern Flicker and Nuttall's Woodpecker. 4 species 7 for the day. Headed to Tillie Creek Campground to get species 8 & 9. Immediately heard then saw Acorn Woodpeckers. Went to a campsite in the closed area of the campground and found a Red-naped Sapsucker guarding a well drilled Blue Oak. Tillie Creek is overrun with Phainopepla right now. A nice size flock of Purple Finch are working the pines on the northeast edge of the campground. Heard Red-breasted Sapsucker, Nuttall's Woodpecker and Northern Flicker. 5 species 9 for the day. There is one Lewis's Woodpecker wintering along Tillie Creek near Countrywood Drive. It is at a very dangerous curve in the road and I haven't found an easy way to access the area, but I did see it and the Acorn Woodpecker that was chasing it. 2 species 10 for the day. Up to the Greenhorns and a drive along Rancheria Road. Nothing but several loud people enjoying the snow and some snow boarders that were driving way too fast for the road under any condition. Heard only one Mountain Chickadee that responded to pishing. Disappointed I headed back down into the valley very slowly along Hwy 155. As I left the conifer forest off to the northeast I heard a White-headed Woodpecker calling as the sun set. Yes, 11th species for the day!!! A happy tappy day to the end. Ali Sheehey Weldon, CA Subject: Brown Thrasher Continues at A. W. Noone Park From: TEdell AT aol.com Date: Sun, 10 Jan 2010 19:12:33 EST Maggie Smith and I saw the continuing Brown Thrasher at the park this morning between 0900-1000. It was in the arborvitae trees on the left side of the entrance road. Most of our looks were of the bird in flight. We were able to get partially obstructed views while it was perched deep in one tree. Tom Edell Cayucos, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Common Goldeneye at Hart Park From: "merlin_mira_loma" <mbauer AT usc.edu> Date: Sun, 10 Jan 2010 05:40:08 -0000 Interesting Hart Park birds Saturday afternoon 1-09-10: Common Goldeneye (1 m, 5 f) on south side of island main lake, Phainopepla in tree near the watermill, White-breasted Nuthatch. Also 1 female type merganser in the river southeast of the watermill perhaps Red-breasted based on the pattern of white on the chin and above the eye. Good birding, Madeline visiting Bakersfield from Mira Loma Subject: Brown Thrasher continues at AW Noone Park (Kern County) From: Alison Sheehey <natureali AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 08 Jan 2010 09:33:06 -0800 Hi All, Just got a call from Tom Wurster and Liga Auzins. They refound the Brown Thrasher at 9 this morning at the AW Noone Park that leads to the Buena Vista Golf Course. (The Buena Vista Golf Course is on Golf Course Road, west of Buena Vista Aquatic Recreation Area and east of the hamlet of Dustin Acres.) It continues in the Arborvitae (juniper looking cypress) accompanied by the Spotted Towhee. It remains elusive but flushed easily from the bush nearest the golf course. Park along the park road, do not enter the golf course parking lot. Look for the bushes on the left near the slope of a saltbush covered hillside. There is a large Eucalyptus next to the road where you should park and walk west toward the bushes. Ali Sheehey Weldon, CA Subject: Peach-faced lovebird in Ridgecrest From: Barb Walls <_jestergirl AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 7 Jan 2010 16:36:42 -0800 (PST) I had a peach-faced lovebird in my yard in Ridgecrest yesterday and today (January 7). I posted some pictures to my album.Barb Walls [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Information Request: Bendire's Thrasher From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Thu, 07 Jan 2010 10:44:10 -0800 Hi, CONTEXT: Kern County supports a nesting season population of Bendire's Thrasher . REQUEST FOR INFORMATION: Audubon California Important Bird Area Program staff is gathering Bendire's Thrasher observation records in California to help with the Global IBA review process. They are reviewing the pre-existing 145 California IBAs to see which qualify as Global IBAs. Bendire's Thrasher, at a threshold of 30 individuals or 10 breeding pairs, is a species that triggers Global IBA status. Although the existing literature on Bendire's Thrasher provides a welcome base, observation records are requested from all of you who have observed this species in Kern County (or anywhere in California for that matter) in order to develop the most complete status and distribution information possible. All observation records would be helpful no matter how old. Observation records from the years 2000-2009+ would be especially helpful. Records from all observation locations would be helpful. Observations made in the following Kern County habitats/locations would be especially helpful. * Butterbredt Canyon (Butterbredt Spring up to the pass) * Kelso Creek watershed (Butterbredt Canyon Road north of the pass, Kelso Creek Road from its northern start at Hwy 178 south to it end at Kelso Valley Road, Kelso Valley Road from its northern start at Hwy 178 south to the end of the pavement at the pass above Kelso Valley) * Kelso Valley (Kelso Valley Road from the end of the pavement at the pass south on the dirt road portion to Jawbone Canyon Road, Jawbone Canyon Road from Kelso Valley Road east to the pass) * Jawbone Canyon Road (from the pass above Kelso Valley to Hwy 14) Of course, if anyone has observations form any other Kern County location, they would be most welcome, too. Observations reports from other California locations where Bendire's Thrasher have been found are requested, also. Some areas of particular interest to Audubon are: * Mojave National Reserve/Cima Dome * Colorado Desert microphyll woodlands * East Mojave springs * Mojave River corridor Any information is welcome. Of course, the more complete the better. * date * location (as specific as possible) * nesting evidence * habitat (as complete as possible) I have volunteered to assist by compiling your Bendire's Thrasher information submissions and passing them on to Audubon California IBA staff. Please email reply with your observations to: bbarnes AT lightspeed.net (Bob Barnes) Accumulated Kern County information will also be provided to Audubon California-Kern River Preserve staff and to Kelli Levinson, North American Birds Kern County Coordinator, for her to add to the official Kern County bird records files. Submissions received ASAP (in the next one to two weeks) will best fit in with Audubon's Bendire's Thrasher IBA work time line. Thank you in advance for assisting Audubon California in their efforts to best insure the long-term survival of Bendire's Thrasher in Kern County and throughout this species' range in California. Continued Happy & Productive Birding, Bob Barnes P.S.: Please forward this request to any individual you believe might only receive it via your forward. Thank you. BB. Bob Barnes 1009 Las Cruces Ave., Ridgecrest, Kern Co., CA 93555 E: bbarnes AT lightspeed.net P: 760-382-1260 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Fay Ranch Rd. Birding Getaway From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Tue, 05 Jan 2010 07:58:59 -0800 All, Please! No replies via kerncobirding.! This is a one time announcement! Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County. "...there is a foreclosure on Fay Ranch Rd. in really lovely birding country. It is only 58K. I was looking at it a year ago. It sold for 163K in 2007. I think the remodeling is incomplete, but what's been done is nice.. I already bought in Squirrel Valley. However, you might know someone interested in the area. I've attached the current information and the photos from a year ago. 58K might interest an avid birder. http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/Weldon_CA_93283_1114966174 http://agentpromls..com/public_reports/listing_images.htm?ID=2210144&Area=AL Thanks, Barb Walls" [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: 3 Jan 10: Lake Isabella High Numbers From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Mon, 04 Jan 2010 07:34:08 -0800 Some Bob Barnes' observations during the 3 Jan 10 Kern River Valley Christmas Bird Count (NOTE: Alison Sheehey, KRV CBC Count Compiler, is participating in the Bear Valley Springs CBC today. I am confident she will send out a report on overall highlights and results of the Kern River Valley CBC at her earliest convenience.): I spent the afternoon counting numbers of abundant species on Isabella Reservoir while Bob Steele and Susan Steele perused specifically for rarer birds. One-by-one counts of numerous individuals can be tedious. But, the one-by-one results for me are often at great variance with my estimates. So, one-by-one counts seem to work best for me. 1:15pm-1:45pm: The south shore of Rocky Point and just off shore paralleling waters produced a count of 4651 COMMON MERGANSERS. The one-by-one count I made was 25 minutes in length looking north from the South Fork Recreation Area. 2:10p-2:30pm: Along with 150 more I counted in the waters scoped from Main Dam Overlook, the Common Merganser total is a record 4801 in 30+ years of count history. 2:30pm-2:50pm: I one-by-one counted 3968 EARED GREBES in 20 minutes from French Gulch Marina. All individuals were contained within the area of Isabella Reservoir framed by Engineer Point, the reservoir's Main Dam, and the "west" shore of the reservoir to opposite the tip of Engineer Point. This is a record total as well. I counted a low total of 805 WESTERN GREBES/CLARK'S GREBES. 685 of these were counted one-by-one off the tip of Rocky Point, 120 were counted in the reservoir area below the Main Dam. I counted 494 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS including 479 from the South Fork Recreation Area scoping spot. I found the north arm of the reservoir to be virtually devoid of birds with the exception of a few Mallards (6), Double-crested Cormorants (15), Great Blue Herons (8), Ospreys (2), Am.\erican Coots (5), and gulls (30). I counted 5 OSPREYS (3 in the reservoir's South Fork arm and 2 in the North Fork arm). My major specific count territory was the first 1.7 miles of Sierra Way from CA Hwy. 178 north and west to Audubon-California Kern River Preserve/Sequoia National Forest South Fork Wildlife Area boundary). HIGHLIGHTS: NORTHERN PINTAIL 3, HOODED MERGANSER pair, RUDDY DUCK 1, FERRUGINOUS HAWK 1, SORA 1. NOTE: This count use to be awash in Ruddy Ducks averaging 5788 individuals the first five counts (CBCs 79-83) ... even once leading the nation in number of CBC RUDDY DUCKS with 9208 individuals tallied on1 Jan 83). This species is now rare on this count with 10 of the past 21 counts tallying ZERO individuals, 5 of the past 21 counts tallying ONE individual, and a high count of 21 individuals on one count in the past 21 counts. The severe drop-off in individuals started the year after the record count. Back to 3 Jan 10 ... Sierra Way eBird report follows... Location: Kern River Preserve--Sierra Way Time/Date: 5:20am-11:40am and 4:15pm-5pm, 3 Jan 2010 Notes: 23F-58F. 5.5 miles on foot. 6 hours, 55 minutes on foot. Number of species: 40 * Mallard 128 * Northern Pintail 3 * Green-winged Teal 7 * Hooded Merganser 2 * Ruddy Duck 1 * California Quail 1 * Pied-billed Grebe 1 * Cooper's Hawk 1 * Red-shouldered Hawk 2 * Red-tailed Hawk 3 * Ferruginous Hawk 1 * American Kestrel 1 * Sora 1 * American Coot 4 * Mourning Dove 2 * Great Horned Owl 4 * Nuttall's Woodpecker 4 * Downy Woodpecker 2 * Hairy Woodpecker 3 * Northern Flicker 5 * Black Phoebe 2 * Say's Phoebe 1 * Loggerhead Shrike 2 * Common Raven 25 * Oak Titmouse 4 * Rock Wren 1 * Bewick's Wren 8 * Marsh Wren 3 * Ruby-crowned Kinglet 5 * Western Bluebird 14 * Hermit Thrush 1 * Northern Mockingbird 1 * European Starling 25 * Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 1 * California Towhee 2 * Song Sparrow 92 * White-crowned Sparrow 47 * Dark-eyed Junco 6 * Red-winged Blackbird 200 * House Finch 61 Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County, California [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Snow & Ross's Geese, Long-eared Owl, Red-breasted Nuthatch From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Sat, 02 Jan 2010 18:10:07 -0800 Location: Ridgecrest Watchable Wildlife Park Observation date: 1/1/10 Highlights: Snow Goose, Ross's Goose, Long-eared Owl, Red-breasted Nuthatch Snow Goose 250 Ross's Goose 4 Snow/Ross's Goose 25 Canada Goose 3 American Wigeon 1 Northern Shoveler 100 Green-winged Teal 8 Bufflehead 2 Ruddy Duck 12 Red-tailed Hawk 1 American Kestrel 2 American Coot 6 Killdeer 1 Rock Pigeon 68 Long-eared Owl 3 Roosting in pine trees in Desert Memorial Park (cemetery)... Black Phoebe 2 Say's Phoebe 1 Common Raven 8 Marsh Wren 2 Red-breasted Nuthatch 1 Northern Mockingbird 1 European Starling 27 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 3 Savannah Sparrow 2 Song Sparrow 3 Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) 1 Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 17 The above report was generated automatically by eBird v2( http://ebird.org/california/) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: 2 Jan 10 SFV CBC: Canebrake ER Results From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Sat, 02 Jan 2010 18:06:12 -0800 Location: South Fork Valley--Canebrake Ecological Reserve Observation date: 5:55a-4:40pm, 1/2/10 Observer: Bob Barnes Notes: 30F-58F. 10.75 hours on foot. 7 miles on foot. Canebrake Ecological Reserve (c. 600 acres of upper ranch) Number of species: 56 * American Wigeon 2 * Mallard 64 * Green-winged Teal 9 * Wild Turkey 2 * California Quail 54 * Cooper's Hawk 1 * Red-shouldered Hawk 2 * Red-tailed Hawk 1 * Golden Eagle 1 Adult. * Merlin 1 * Virginia Rail 8 * Sora 1 * American Coot 2 * Mourning Dove 3 * Great Horned Owl 3 * Anna's Hummingbird 1 * Nuttall's Woodpecker 12 * Downy Woodpecker 3 * Hairy Woodpecker 4 * Northern Flicker 5 * Black Phoebe 2 * Say's Phoebe 2 * Western Scrub-Jay 9 * Common Raven 7 * Oak Titmouse 13 * Bushtit 9 * White-breasted Nuthatch 3 * Rock Wren 1 * Canyon Wren 1 * Bewick's Wren 11 * Marsh Wren 4 * Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3 * Western Bluebird 21 * Hermit Thrush 1 * Wrentit 2 * Northern Mockingbird 1 * California Thrasher 1 * European Starling 25 * Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 4 * Spotted Towhee 3 * California Towhee 9 * Rufous-crowned Sparrow 1 * Lark Sparrow 9 * Song Sparrow 41 * White-crowned Sparrow 307 * Golden-crowned Sparrow 10 * Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 49 * Red-winged Blackbird 25 * Tricolored Blackbird 15 * Western Meadowlark 49 * Brewer's Blackbird 215 * Brown-headed Cowbird 3 * blackbird sp. 100 * House Finch 31 * Pine Siskin 9 * Lesser Goldfinch 8 * House Sparrow 15 Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Inyokern Prairie Falcon, Le Conte's Thrasher, etc. From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Wed, 30 Dec 2009 13:54:23 -0800 Location: Inyokern--Middlemiss Observation date: 8:30am-10am, 12/30/09 Observers: Bob Barnes, Terri Middlemiss Highlights: Prairie Falcon 1, Costa's Hummingbird 1 (adult male), Verdin 1, Le Conte's Thrasher 1,... Notes: Species wintering on site NOT observed during this particular observation period - Greater Roadrunner, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Black-throated Sparrow Species Observed: 17 * California Quail 50 * Cooper's Hawk 1 * Prairie Falcon 1 * Eurasian Collared-Dove 30 * Mourning Dove 3 * Anna's Hummingbird 1 * Costa's Hummingbird 1 * Common Raven 1 * Verdin 1 * Northern Mockingbird 1 * Le Conte's Thrasher 1 * Spotted Towhee 1 * White-crowned Sparrow (Gambel's) 100 * House Finch 80 * Lesser Goldfinch 10 * American Goldfinch 10 * House Sparrow 200 The above report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org). Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Brown Thrasher, Buena Vista Lake From: "Michael" <macbirder1 AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 28 Dec 2009 02:09:06 -0000 Birders: Gary File and I relocated Ali Sheehy's BROWN THRASHER this morning in AW Noone Park, near Buena Vista Lake. We were searching the junipers along the west side of the park when the bird flew into a tree nearby. It then flew across the road to pines and eucs. We finally got good views in one of the pines. Michael McQuerrey Bakersfield Subject: Brown Thrasher still at AW Noone Park in Kern Co From: Alison Sheehey <natureali AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 26 Dec 2009 09:50:43 -0800 /Hi All, Arrived at the park at 3 p.m. searched and played Brown Thrasher tape. Nothing until just before dusk, it flew in from the WNW part of Buena Vista Golf Course. The bird does not respond to anything. Along with 300 other birds it is spending the night in the Arborvitae (juniper looking cypress). It is really skittish and not cooperative at all. My gut tells me the bird will hang around and may be feeding on berries somewhere on the golf course. I left at 5:15 p.m. (No photos... arghhh!). Location: A. W. Noon Park/, 29322 Golf Course Road, Dustin Acres. Ali Sheehey Weldon, CA Here is the e-bird list. Number of species: 26 California Quail 55 Came into the Arborvitae to spend the night. May have been more. American Kestrel 2 Killdeer 5 California Gull 1 Flying over aqueduct gull sp. 6 flying over aqueduct Eurasian Collared-Dove 5 Mourning Dove 6 Nuttall's Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 3 Black Phoebe 1 Common Raven 75 White-breasted Nuthatch 3 working Aleppo Pine on west side of entry road, moved to mulberries on eastern side of road Brown Creeper 1 working Aleppo Pine on west side of entry road, moved to mulberries on eastern side of road Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3 Hermit Thrush 1 came in at dusk, spent time under arborvitae and in a puddle in the lawn nearby Northern Mockingbird 3 2 responded to Brown Thrasher CD, chased Brown Thrasher when it came in for the night. Brown Thrasher 1 First seen on Buena Vista CBC on Monday, December 21, 2009, returned to try to photograph it. The bird did not respond to tapes. It came in as the sun was setting at 5 p.m. It is extremely skittish. I am familiar with this bird as I have seen it many times during my east coast birding adventures. It looks like a mockingbird on steroids that has been dipped in rusty milk chocolate. Although there are no noticeable wing bars, I did see what appeared to be dark ivory on the outer tail feathers near the edge. The bird was following the winter resident Spotted Towhee that lives in the arborvitae. The thrasher was first observed at around 2:30 p.m. on the 21st. Today, it flew in from the hill west of the shrubs. It was flying in from the WNW and may have been feeding on some type of berry on the Buena Vista Golf Course. European Starling 53 Yellow-rumped Warbler 8 Spotted Towhee 1 winter resident White-crowned Sparrow 35 Golden-crowned Sparrow 3 Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 2 Brewer's Blackbird 15 House Finch 41 Lawrence's Goldfinch 12 4 birds were seen and photographed on Monday, December 21st. Bob Barnes observed over 150 in the Buena Vista Aquatic Recreation area during the Buena Vista CBC. The 12 birds were scattered throughout the park in groups of four at the top of various deciduous trees. I am familiar with this species and identified it by call. The birds identified on Monday were not calling and identified while I was photographing them as the male's black chin and forehead startled me. I was not expecting this species. American Goldfinch 1 Having only one of this species was unusual. I may have missed other members of the flock as it was with House Finches that were very skittish and flew upon approach. Subject: Brown Thrasher still at AW Noone Park in Kern Co From: Alison Sheehey <natureali AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 26 Dec 2009 09:50:43 -0800 /Hi All, Arrived at the park at 3 p.m. searched and played Brown Thrasher tape. Nothing until just before dusk, it flew in from the WNW part of Buena Vista Golf Course. The bird does not respond to anything. Along with 300 other birds it is spending the night in the Arborvitae (juniper looking cypress). It is really skittish and not cooperative at all. My gut tells me the bird will hang around and may be feeding on berries somewhere on the golf course. I left at 5:15 p.m. (No photos... arghhh!). Location: A. W. Noon Park/, 29322 Golf Course Road, Dustin Acres. Ali Sheehey Weldon, CA Here is the e-bird list. Number of species: 26 California Quail 55 Came into the Arborvitae to spend the night. May have been more. American Kestrel 2 Killdeer 5 California Gull 1 Flying over aqueduct gull sp. 6 flying over aqueduct Eurasian Collared-Dove 5 Mourning Dove 6 Nuttall's Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 3 Black Phoebe 1 Common Raven 75 White-breasted Nuthatch 3 working Aleppo Pine on west side of entry road, moved to mulberries on eastern side of road Brown Creeper 1 working Aleppo Pine on west side of entry road, moved to mulberries on eastern side of road Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3 Hermit Thrush 1 came in at dusk, spent time under arborvitae and in a puddle in the lawn nearby Northern Mockingbird 3 2 responded to Brown Thrasher CD, chased Brown Thrasher when it came in for the night. Brown Thrasher 1 First seen on Buena Vista CBC on Monday, December 21, 2009, returned to try to photograph it. The bird did not respond to tapes. It came in as the sun was setting at 5 p.m. It is extremely skittish. I am familiar with this bird as I have seen it many times during my east coast birding adventures. It looks like a mockingbird on steroids that has been dipped in rusty milk chocolate. Although there are no noticeable wing bars, I did see what appeared to be dark ivory on the outer tail feathers near the edge. The bird was following the winter resident Spotted Towhee that lives in the arborvitae. The thrasher was first observed at around 2:30 p.m. on the 21st. Today, it flew in from the hill west of the shrubs. It was flying in from the WNW and may have been feeding on some type of berry on the Buena Vista Golf Course. European Starling 53 Yellow-rumped Warbler 8 Spotted Towhee 1 winter resident White-crowned Sparrow 35 Golden-crowned Sparrow 3 Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 2 Brewer's Blackbird 15 House Finch 41 Lawrence's Goldfinch 12 4 birds were seen and photographed on Monday, December 21st. Bob Barnes observed over 150 in the Buena Vista Aquatic Recreation area during the Buena Vista CBC. The 12 birds were scattered throughout the park in groups of four at the top of various deciduous trees. I am familiar with this species and identified it by call. The birds identified on Monday were not calling and identified while I was photographing them as the male's black chin and forehead startled me. I was not expecting this species. American Goldfinch 1 Having only one of this species was unusual. I may have missed other members of the flock as it was with House Finches that were very skittish and flew upon approach. Subject: Buena Vista Recreation Area LAGOs: 12/21/09 From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Tue, 22 Dec 2009 18:17:38 -0800 Location: Buena Vista Lake Recreation Area, Kern County Parks and Recreation Department Time/Date: 7am-5pm, 12/21/09 Note: I spent the day via 7+ miles on foot in the land portion of park. Alternatively, Susan Steele covered the two park lakes (86-acre Lake Evans and 998-acre Lake Webb) where she observed numerous water-associated bird species including 1500+ Ring-billed Gulls, a Western Gull, 2000+ California Gulls, c. 150 Herring Gulls, 15-20 Thayer's Gulls, a Glaucous-winged Gull, and thousands of additional gulls distant enough to be reported as gull species. Number of species in my land-based count area: 60 species Highlight: 174 LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES * Mallard 3 * Northern Shoveler 4 * Ruddy Duck 5 * Pied-billed Grebe 6 * Western Grebe 5 * Clark's Grebe 2 * Western/Clark's Grebe 100 * Double-crested Cormorant 4 * Great Blue Heron 2 * Osprey 1 * Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 * Red-shouldered Hawk 3 * Red-tailed Hawk 4 * American Coot 58 * Killdeer 40 * Greater Yellowlegs 2 * Wilson's Snipe 4 * Eurasian Collared-Dove 15 * Mourning Dove 210 * Barn Owl 1 Daytime visual in Lake Webb campground. * Great Horned Owl 3 All daytime visuals. * Nuttall's Woodpecker 1 * Downy Woodpecker 3 * Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 14 * Black Phoebe 22 * Say's Phoebe 1 * Loggerhead Shrike 1 * American Crow 6 * Common Raven 6 * Horned Lark 56 * White-breasted Nuthatch 3 * Rock Wren 1 * House Wren 3 * Marsh Wren 3 * Ruby-crowned Kinglet 26 * Mountain Bluebird 4 (Al DeMartini, Alison Sheehey) * American Robin 21 * Northern Mockingbird 17 * California Thrasher 3 * European Starling 300 * American Pipit 1 * Cedar Waxwing 4 * Orange-crowned Warbler 6 * Yellow-rumped Warbler (all Audubon's) 48 * Common Yellowthroat 2 * Lark Sparrow 1 * Song Sparrow 8 * Lincoln's Sparrow 3 * White-crowned Sparrow 250 * Golden-crowned Sparrow 1 * Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) 1 * Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 50 * Red-winged Blackbird 500 * Tricolored Blackbird 10 * Western Meadowlark 7 * Brewer's Blackbird 500 * Great-tailed Grackle 58 * Brown-headed Cowbird 200 * blackbird sp. 3000 * House Finch 169 * Lawrence's Goldfinch 174 3:30pm-4pm - Flyover flock led to small (15'20') roost trees in parkland bordering Lake Evans near west end of park. Attempt to determine individuals by sex was made in first two of five roost trees. This was abandoned as it was realized more than two trees of goldfinches were involved. The last several minutes a simpler total individuals count was made. The noise from each tree was a pleasant tinkling symphony ... very different from Lesser Goldfinches and American Goldfinches. ASIDE: Each tree also had a number of House Finches in them. The last tree had a handful of Lawrence's Goldfinches and numerous American Goldfinches and House Finches. No Lesser Goldfinches were found by any counters in the Buena Vista Lake CBC circle this day. * American Goldfinch 130 * House Sparrow 26 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Kelso Creek Sanctuary, Frog Creek Rd Highlights: 19 Dec 09 From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Tue, 22 Dec 2009 17:51:25 -0800 Location: Kelso Valley Rd--Kelso Creek Sanctuary Time/Date: 8:15am-10am, 12/19/09 Audubon-California's 156 acre Kelso Creek Sanctuary. Observers: Bob Barnes, Ernie Flores, Alison Sheehey, Gary Woods. Highlights: Western Screech-Owl, 5 woodpecker species Western Screech-Owl 1 Stunning visuals... Great Horned Owl 1 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 3 Nuttall's Woodpecker 5 Downy Woodpecker 1 Hairy Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker 1 Loggerhead Shrike 1 Western Scrub-Jay 1 Oak Titmouse 2 Rock Wren 2 Bewick's Wren 9 Western Bluebird 13 California Towhee 1 Black-throated Sparrow 1 Stunning ... extended viewing at 10'-15'. White-crowned Sparrow 21 Dark-eyed Junco 41 Location: Kelso Valley Rd--Frog Spring Time/Date: 10:15am-11:05am, 12/19/09 Observers: Bob Barnes, Ernie Flores, Alison Sheehey, Gary Woods. California Quail 1 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1 Western Scrub-Jay 1 Bewick's Wren 4 Marsh Wren 1 California Thrasher 1 Spotted Towhee 1 California Towhee 1 White-crowned Sparrow 200 Location: Frog Creek Road Time/Date: 11:05am-1:35pm, 12/19/09 Prairie Falcon 1 Sage Sparrow 80 Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Kern River County Park: 17 Dec 09 From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Tue, 22 Dec 2009 17:42:51 -0800 Location: Kern River County Park Time/Date: 6:20am-12pm, 12:40pm-4pm, 12/17/09 Observers: Bob Barnes, Gordon Black, Gary File, Bill Lydecker. 5 mile walk along the Kern River through Kern River Couny Park from the Upper Picnic Area next to Kern River Golf Course down river to Mirror Drive in Hart Park. Coverage: Lake Ming, Kern River corridor, Hart Park. Number of species: 80 Highlight: Species diversity within the Bakersfield City Limits Greater White-fronted Goose 1 Canada Goose 16 Wood Duck 10 Gadwall 18 American Wigeon 25 Mallard 115 Northern Shoveler 24 Northern Pintail 1 Green-winged Teal 6 Canvasback 2 Ring-necked Duck 8 Hooded Merganser 4 Common Merganser 76 Pied-billed Grebe 13 Western Grebe 3 Double-crested Cormorant 59 Great Blue Heron 6 Great Egret 4 Snowy Egret 1 Green Heron 1 Black-crowned Night-Heron 7 Osprey 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk 2 Red-shouldered Hawk 10 Red-tailed Hawk 4 American Kestrel 5 Merlin 1 Common Moorhen 1 American Coot 680 Killdeer 1 Spotted Sandpiper 3 Greater Yellowlegs 6 Eurasian Collared-Dove 1 Mourning Dove 120 Rose-ringed Parakeet 12 Great Horned Owl 2 Anna's Hummingbird 6 Belted Kingfisher 6 Acorn Woodpecker 17 Red-breasted Sapsucker 3 Nuttall's Woodpecker 10 Downy Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker 48 Black Phoebe 63 Say's Phoebe 1 Western Scrub-Jay 50 American Crow 1 Common Raven 10 Oak Titmouse 5 Bushtit 42 White-breasted Nuthatch 5 Bewick's Wren 5 Marsh Wren 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 52 Western Bluebird 5 Hermit Thrush 2 American Robin 3 Northern Mockingbird 16 California Thrasher 4 European Starling 192 Phainopepla 2 Orange-crowned Warbler 4 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 86 Common Yellowthroat 1 Spotted Towhee 13 Lark Sparrow 40 Fox Sparrow 1 Song Sparrow 27 Lincoln's Sparrow 7 White-crowned Sparrow 450 Golden-crowned Sparrow 14 Dark-eyed Junco 70 Red-winged Blackbird 40 Western Meadowlark 10 Brewer's Blackbird 105 Great-tailed Grackle 2 House Finch 49 Lesser Goldfinch 10 American Goldfinch 290 House Sparrow 14 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/) Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Tehachapi Area Birding Sites: 16 Dec 09 From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Tue, 22 Dec 2009 17:36:46 -0800 The following is a summary of reports generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/). Note: Reports from four Tehachapi area birding sites. Tehachapi's Brite Lake is just south of and above Cummings Valley Rd. Highlights from two other Tehachapi bird areas. Location: Tehachapi--Brite Lake Time/Date: 7:15am-10:15am, 12/16/09 Observers: Bob Barnes, Tracy Drake, Ron Melin. Number of species: 50 Highlight: Lewis's Woodpecker 13 Mallard 115 Green-winged Teal 2 Lesser Scaup 3 Bufflehead 6 Common Merganser 6 Ruddy Duck 8 California Quail 125 Pied-billed Grebe 7 Western Grebe 3 Great Blue Heron 3 Black-crowned Night-Heron 2 Cooper's Hawk 2 Red-tailed Hawk 2 Golden Eagle 1 American Kestrel 2 Merlin 1 American Coot 32 Killdeer 6 Least Sandpiper 5 Long-billed Dowitcher 2 Mourning Dove 60 Lewis's Woodpecker 13 Acorn Woodpecker 31 Downy Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker 9 Western Scrub-Jay 15 Common Raven 4 Oak Titmouse 8 White-breasted Nuthatch 6 Rock Wren 2 Bewick's Wren 2 Marsh Wren 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2 Western Bluebird 30 Hermit Thrush 3 European Starling 22 Phainopepla 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 3 Spotted Towhee 15 California Towhee 7 Song Sparrow 2 White-crowned Sparrow 279 Golden-crowned Sparrow 1 Dark-eyed Junco 15 Red-winged Blackbird 10 Western Meadowlark 11 Brewer's Blackbird 8 House Finch 70 Lesser Goldfinch 2 American Goldfinch 1 Location: Tehachapi--Cummings Valley Rd. Time/Date: 12/16/09 (10:20am-11:25am: upper portion, 12:20pm-1:25pm: lower portion). Observers: Bob Barnes, Tracy Drake, Ron Melin. Number of species: 40 Highlight: Lewis's Woodpecker Mallard 11 California Quail 12 Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 Red-tailed Hawk 4 Ferruginous Hawk 1 Prairie Falcon 1 American Coot 1 Killdeer 17 Wilson's Snipe 12 Mourning Dove 9 Lewis's Woodpecker 1 Acorn Woodpecker 21 Northern Flicker 3 Loggerhead Shrike 2 Western Scrub-Jay 18 Common Raven 22 Horned Lark 15 Oak Titmouse 9 Bushtit 10 White-breasted Nuthatch 6 Bewick's Wren 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 4 Western Bluebird 1 Hermit Thrush 2 European Starling 75 American Pipit 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 3 Spotted Towhee 5 Lark Sparrow 4 Savannah Sparrow 5 Song Sparrow 4 Lincoln's Sparrow 2 White-crowned Sparrow 159 Dark-eyed Junco 11 Red-winged Blackbird 3 Tricolored Blackbird 71 Western Meadowlark 24 Brewer's Blackbird 60 blackbird sp. 400 House Finch 18 House Sparrow 8 Location: Tehachapi--Arosa Rd. Time/Date: 1:30pm-1:50pm, 12/16/09 Observers: Bob Barnes, Tracy Drake, Ron Melin. Highlight: Lewis's Woodpecker 3 Lewis's Woodpecker 3 Acorn Woodpecker 8 Western Scrub-Jay 4 Western Bluebird 12 Spotted Towhee 2 White-crowned Sparrow 33 Golden-crowned Sparrow 1 Location: Tehachapi--Alpine Forest Time/Date: 1:50pm-3pm, 12/16/09 Observers: Bob Barnes, Tracy Drake, Ron Melin. Highlight: Red-breasted Sapsucker 4 California Quail 1 Acorn Woodpecker 20 Red-breasted Sapsucker 4 Steller's Jay 9 Western Scrub-Jay 25 Common Raven 38 Oak Titmouse 19 Bushtit 11 White-breasted Nuthatch 6 Western Bluebird 2 Spotted Towhee 14 California Towhee 7 White-crowned Sparrow 43 Golden-crowned Sparrow 20 Dark-eyed Junco 84 Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Kern R. Valley & Bakersfield Highlights: 15 Dec 09 From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Tue, 22 Dec 2009 17:19:46 -0800 Target birding with Chicago area birder Mark Agnor. The following is a summary of reports generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/). Location: Wofford Heights--Tillie Creek Campground Time, Date: 7:15am-8:30am, 12/15/09 Observers: Mark Agnor, Bob Barnes, John Schmitt. California Quail 40 Bald Eagle 1 adult Acorn Woodpecker 15 Nuttall's Woodpecker 2 Black Phoebe 1 Western Scrub-Jay 15 Oak Titmouse 12 Western Bluebird 15 California Thrasher 1 Phainopepla 15 Spotted Towhee 4 California Towhee 8 White-crowned Sparrow 50 Golden-crowned Sparrow 2 Purple Finch (Western) 15 Location: Greenhorn Mtns. Time, Date: 8:30am-10:30am, 12/15/09 Observers: Mark Agnor, Bob Barnes, John Schmitt. Mountain Quail 1 Gave "quark" call a handful of times. Acorn Woodpecker 4 Nuttall's Woodpecker 1 White-headed Woodpecker 1 Steller's Jay 5 Western Scrub-Jay 8 Mountain Chickadee 5 Oak Titmouse 1 Golden-crowned Kinglet 2 Wrentit 6 California Towhee 3 Fox Sparrow (Thick-billed) 2 White-crowned Sparrow 10 Location: South Fork Valley--Canebrake Ecological Reserve Time/Date: 11:30am-12:30pm, 12/15/09 Observers: Mark Agnor, Bob Barnes. Say's Phoebe 1 Western Scrub-Jay 2 Oak Titmouse 1 Spotted Towhee 1 California Towhee 1 Lark Sparrow 1 White-crowned Sparrow 20 Tricolored Blackbird 4 Western Meadowlark 10 Brewer's Blackbird 50 Location: Lake Isabella--French Gulch Marina Time/Date: 12:55pm-1pm, 12/15/09 Observers: Mark Agnor, Bob Barnes. Eared Grebe 10 Western Grebe 20 Clark's Grebe 5 Western/Clark's Grebe 1000 American White Pelican 20 California Gull 25 Location: Keyesville--Slippery Rock Launch Site Time/Date: 1:05pm-1:10pm, 12/15/09 Observers: Mark Agnor, Bob Barnes. Black Phoebe 1 Oak Titmouse 1 Canyon Wren 1 American Dipper 1 Location: Hart Park, Bakersfield (Kern Co.) Time/Date: 2:15pm-2:25pm, 12/15/09 Observers: Mark Agnor, Bob Barnes. Wood Duck 6 Hooded Merganser 1 Rose-ringed Parakeet 5 Acorn Woodpecker 7 Black Phoebe 5 Western Scrub-Jay 2 Location: Union Cemetery, Bakersfield Time/Date: 2:40pm-2:55pm, 12/15/09 Observers: Mark Agnor, Bob Barnes. Spotted Dove 0 Rose-ringed Parakeet 3 Location: Beale Park, Bakersfield Time/Date: 3pm-3:25pm, 12/15/09 Observers: Mark Agnor, Bob Barnes. Spotted Dove 0 Rose-ringed Parakeet 35 Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Buena Vista CBC great birds From: Alison Sheehey <natureali AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 21 Dec 2009 22:16:31 -0800 Hi All, The Buena Vista CBC was conducted today and we had some great birds. Best was a BROWN THRASHER at A. W. Noone Park at Buena Vista Golf Course west of Buena Vista Lake near the hamlet of Dustin Acres. Al Demartini and I found the bird in the arborvitae along the northwest edge of the park. It was hanging with a Spotted Towhee. We scored 5 species of thrasher in our territory. Northern Mockingbird, California Thrasher (1), Sage Thrasher (2), Le Conte's Thrasher (6), and the Brown Thrasher. The other notable species were 2 Lawrence's Goldfinch which we were pretty proud of until Bob Barnes reported 180 Larry's in the very west picnic area at Buena Vista Lake by Lake Evans. Susan Steele, the gull maven, found a 1st cycle WESTERN GULL, many THAYER'S GULL and a GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL. Bob Barnes found a Bonaparte's Gull. The three other regular species were also found around the lake, Herring, Ring-billed and California. Frank Gibson and Bill Lydecker found an adult male VERMILION FLYCATCHER along the bike path at the eastern edge of the Kern Water Bank. The preliminary total of species stands at 110. Thanks to the six people who participated in the final Buena Vista count. After 20 years, I am giving up compiling this count. Ali Sheehey Weldon, CA Subject: Lake Ming Cassin's Kingbird From: "Michael" <macbirder1 AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 16 Dec 2009 19:04:52 -0000 Birders: For those of you doing the Bakersfield CBC, Sunday, a CASSIN'S KINGBIRD was hanging out on the fence running along the west parking lot, today. This is the second report in recent days, with Bob Barnes having found one recently, as well. There were OAK TITMICE in the group picnic area east of Lake Ming. Those are not always found in that area. A big "Thank You," to Bob Barnes for hosting the Chicago fiddler from Mannheim Steamroller, too. I gather they had a successful day. Thanks, Bob. Michael McQuerrey Bakersfield, California Subject: Tuesday Birding Pal in exchange for Mannheim Steamroller tickets From: "musicmd AT ameritech.net" <euphidl@ameritech.net> Date: Mon, 14 Dec 2009 02:13:26 -0000 Hello Kern County birders, My name is Mark Agnor. I am a musician and birder from Chicago. I am coming to Bakersfield tomorrow night(12/14) to play my electric violin in the Mannheim Steamroller Band at the Rabobank Center on Tuesday night(12/15). I am looking for advice and maybe a guide to help find some target bird species on Tuesday, December 15. I do not have transportation, and I'm not sure which of my birds can be found in Kern County at this time, but here is my wish list: Tricolored Blackbird "Thick-billed" Fox Sparrow "Large-billed" Savannah Sparrow California Thrasher California Gnatcatcher Oak Titmouse White-Headed Woodpecker Condor Spotted Dove(I've seen the post referencing Beale Park and Union Cemetery) Mountain Plover Any advice in finding any of these species would be much appreciated. I would gladly provide tickets to the Tuesday night show in exchange for a few hours of birding companionship. Thank you very much, and good birding Mark Agnor (773) 450-3086 Subject: Kern Co. eBird Locations & CBC Season From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Sun, 13 Dec 2009 12:47:21 -0800 Hi, Christmas Bird Count season is upon us ... 14 Dec 09 - 5 Jan 10. Many birders will be gathering data for specific locations which can/may/should/will be entered into the eBird California database: http://ebird.org/ebird/ca/ The preceding prompts this email with a list for reference of several established Kern County eBird Hotspots (Essentially any publicly accessible location regardless of overall birding quality) for eBird observations entry for specific locations in CBC circles, for entry of past Kern County observations (back as many years as one wishes), and for entry of observations from this day forward. As you may already know, for those analyzing eBird data, observations lists from specific locations are most usable/valuable. BAKERSFIELD ***Bakersfield Sewage Ponds ***Beale Park - Spotted Dove and Rose-ringed Parakeet location. ***Union Cemetery - Spotted Dove location. BAKERSFIELD - KERN RIVER COUNTY PARK ***Kern River County Park (erroneously labeled Kern River State Park on eBird maps) - This Bakersfield area hotspot covers the 100s of acres found along five miles of the Kern River corridor from the Upper Picnic Area next to Kern River Golf Course above Lake down the Kern River river including observations made in the California Living Museum, Hart Park, Kern County Soccer Park, Kern River, Kern River Campground, Kern River Golf Course, and Lake Ming areas of this park. ***Hart Park (Kern Co.) - This hotspot covers the Hart Park portion of Kern River County Park. ***Lake Ming - This hotspot covers the Lake Ming portion of Kern River County Park. BAKERSFIELD - KERN RIVER PARKWAY ***Kern River Pkwy--Manor St. to Chester Ave. - This hotspots covers the Kern River corridor portion of the Kern River Parkway between Manor St. on the east and Chester Ave. on the west. ***Kern River Pkwy--Truxton Lakes - This hotspot covers the Truxton Lakes area of the Kern River Parkway. ***Kern River Pkwy--Yokuts Park - This hotspot covers the Yokuts park area of the Kern River Parkway. EAST KERN DESERTS ***Bird Spring ***Butterbredt Springs ***Cerro Coso Community College - in Ridgecrest ***California City Central Park ***Galileo Hill--Silver Saddle Ranch and Club ***Inyokern--Middlemiss - covers the 10-acre Middlemiss (Le Conte's Thrasher) property north of Inyokern. ***Jawbone Canyon Rd. ***Ridgecrest Watchable Wildlife Park - includes the area encompassing Desert Memorial Park (cemetery), sewer ponds, and Desert Empire Fairgrounds at the east edge of Ridgecrest. FORT TEJON STATE HISTORIC PARK ***Fort Tejon SHP GREENHORN MOUNTAINS ***Greenhorn Mountain County Park ***Greenhorn Mtns.---Sawmill Rd. ***Greenhorn Mtns.--Alta Sierra ***Greenhorn Mtns.-- FS 24S15 (Greenhorn Summit to Tulare Co.) ***Greenhorn Mtns.---Hwy 155 west slope ***Greenhorn Mtns.--Rancheria Rd. (FS 25S15) ***Greenhorn Mtns.--Sunday Peak - trail starts in Tulare Co. then goes into Kern Co. for Southern California Sooty Grouse searches ***Greenhorn Mtns.--Tiger Flat JAWBONE CANYON ROAD ***Jawbone Canyon Rd. ***Jawbone Canyon Rd.--Kelso Valley ***Jawbone DWP KELSO CREEK WATERSHED ***Frog Spring - 14.5 mi. south of Hwy 178 on Kelso Valley Rd., then east 0.5 mi. on Frog Creek Rd. (SC 47) ***Kelso Creek Rd. ***Kelso Creek Sanctuary - 15 mi. south of Hwy 178 ***Kelso Valley Rd.--0.0-0.25 mi S of Hwy 178 - a riparian strip ***Kelso Valley Rd.--Cane Canyon - a dirt spur road into Cane Canyon ***Kelso Valley Rd.--Mile 14.5-18.0 - a Kelso Creek riparian strip ***Kelso Valley Rd.--Rocky Point - 7-8 mi. south of Hwy 178. ***Kelso Valley Rd.--Tunnel Spring - 18 mi. south if Hwy. 178. ***Kern Valley Vulture Watch Site KERN RIVER CANYON ***USFS--Delonegha Day Use Area KERN RIVER VALLEY - CHIMNEY PEAK ROAD ***Chimney Peak National Back Country Byway (Kern Co.) - covers byway from its start at Hwy 178, north about 6 miles to the top of the pass at the Lamont Peak trailhead at the Kern County/Tulare County line. KERN RIVER VALLEY - KERN RIVER PRESERVE ***Kern River Preserve - This hotspot covers the entire Kern River Preserve including those portions not accessible or easily accessible to the general public. ***Kern River Preserve--Fay Ranch Rd. - This hotspot covers Fay Ranch Rd. from CA Hwy 178 north about 2 miles to the end of the flat, straight, portion of the road. ***Kern River Preserve--Headquarters - This hotspot covers everything most logically accessed on foot from the Headquarters parking area...the entrance road from CA Hwy 178 north to Headquarters, the Headquarters yard, the Nature Trail, and the ranch road running west from the Headquarters parking area. ***Kern River Preserve--Migrant Corner Trail - This hotspot covers the Migrant Corner Trail from its start on the northeast side of the Sierra Way bridge over the South Fork Kern River east about 1 air mile to the end of the meadow at the riparian forest running north from the main forest to the hillside. This location includes the hillside above the trail and the entire semicircular bowl form by the hills around the north side of the meadow. ***Kern River Preserve--Sierra Way - This hotspot covers Sierra Way from CA Hwy. 178 north then west for 1.7 miles to the fence line separating the Kern River Preserve on the east from the South Fork Wildlife Area (Sequoia National Forest) on the west. There is a large pullout on the right at about 1.6 miles. The wooden fence line is found coming down the rocky hillside around the corner west from the pullout. At this point, this hotspot includes Prince's Pond. KERN RIVER VALLEY - KERNVILLE ***Kern River--north fork (Kern Co.) ***Kernville--business and residential areas ***Kernville--Whiskey Flat Trail ***Sierra Way--Kern Co./Tulare Co. Line - site to try for Kern Co. Black Swift KERN RIVER VALLEY - KEYESVILLE ***Keyesville--Slippery Rock Launch Site KERN RIVER VALLEY - LAKE ISABELLA (COMMUNITY AREA) ***Bob Powers Gateway Preserve ***Kern Valley Plaza KERN RIVER VALLEY - LAKE ISABELLA (RESERVOIR AREA) ***Lake Isabella - covers the entire reservoir ***Lake Isabella--Engineer Pt. ***Lake Isabella--French Gulch Marina ***Lake Isabella--Kissack Cove ***Lake Isabella--Main Dam Campground ***Lake Isabella--Main Dam Overlook ***Lake Isabella--North Fork - covers the entire north arm of the reservoir ***Lake Isabella--Pioneer Point Campground ***Lake Isabella--South Fork Recreation Area ***Lake Isabella--Tillie Creek Campground KERN RIVER VALLEY - SOUTH FORK VALLEY ***Canebrake Ecological Reserve ***Cliffs east of Cottage Grove Cemetery ***Scodie Park ***South Fork Valley--Fay Ranch Rd. (upper) - 2.0 miles north to end. ***South Fork Valley--Onyx ***South Fork Valley--Paul's Place - 0.75 mile long Paul's Place and corresponding section of CA Hwy. 178. KERN RIVER VALLEY - SOUTH FORK WILDLIFE AREA (Sequoia National Forest) ***South Fork Wildlife Area--Hanning Flat - off Sierra Way, 2.9 mi. from Hwy 178. ***South Fork Wildlife Area--KOA Access - walk through gate access off the north side Hwy 178, 1.2 miles west of Sierra Way. ***South Fork Wildlife Area--north - Watchable Wildlife Area off the south side of Sierra Way, 2.1 miles north and west off Hwy 178. ***South Fork Wildlife Area--south - Watchable Wildlife Area off north side of Hwy 178, 1.8 miles west of Sierra Way PIUTE MOUNTAINS ***Piute Mountain Rd.--east - east of Landers Meadow ***Piute Mtn Rd.--Landers Meadow SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY FLOOR ***Buena Vista Recreation Area - This hotspot covers Kern County's Buena Vista Aquatic Recreation area between Bakersfield and Taft and west of Interstate 5. It incudes 998-acre Lake Webb and 86-acre Lake Evans ***Kern NWR - This hotspot covers the 10,000+ acre Kern National Wildlife Refuge located 19 miles west of Delano. ***Tule Elk State Reserve - This hotspot covers the Tule Elk State Reserve near Tupman and west of I-5. TEHACHAPI ***Brite Lake ***Tehachapi Mountain Park ***Tehachapi Sewage Ponds ***Tehachapi Willow Springs Rd.--riparian WALKER PASS ***Walker Pass--Pacific Crest Trail-south ***Walker Pass East--81.5 - Joshua tree woodland at Hwy 178 mile 81.50. ***Walker Pass West--72.85 - a riparian strip ***Walker Pass West--74.00 (Bert's Park) - mixed habitats at Hwy 178 mile 74.00. ***Walker's Pass Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County Subject: Mountain Plovers=Kern/Kings Co. From: "carlagary" <carlagary AT ncinternet.net> Date: Sat, 05 Dec 2009 01:21:02 -0000 This morning I had 52 Mountain Plovers in a field on the north side of Garces Hwy. just outside the entrance to the Kern National Wildlife Refuge. also there were 20 Mountain Plovers in a field on the west side of 6th Ave. 1 miles north of the Kern/Kings Co. Line (Kings Co.) Gary File Bakersfield Subject: Not rare From: "Michael" <macbirder1 AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:16:00 -0000 Hello, birders. There is this partial-albino American Coot at Lake Ming, right now. The strangest looking thing. And there's been a Ruddy Duck with a white head, at the sewer ponds for months. Michael McQuerrey Bakersfield Subject: Fall NAB reports From: "kernkel" <kkheindel AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 01 Dec 2009 03:29:49 -0000 Birders: The Fall Season (1 August - 30 November) has ended, and it is time to compile a report detailing the significant sightings that took place in Kern County. Please forward to me all reports of interest including unusual species, late/early migrant dates, out of season records, high numbers, notable absences etc…. Please include descriptions, photographs, recordings, sketches, etc. to support your claims and add to the value of your finds. Please submit these reports no later than December 10th. Thanks for your help in this, and I look forward to receiving your reports. Kelli H. Levinson KKHeindel AT gmail.com Subject: 30 Nov 09: Isabella Reservoir From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:26:36 -0800 Location: Lake Isabella Observation date: 11/30/09 Locations: Kissack Cove (8:20am-9:50am), Paradise Cove (9:50am-10am), South Fork Marina (10am-10:40am), Engineer Point (10:45am-11:50am), Hwy 155 at Main Dam pull-out (12pm-12:05pm), French Gulch Marina (12:10pm-12:15pm), North Fork Marina (12:25pm-12:50pm). Reservoir was counted in sectors to avoid count duplication. NOTE: Another day with outstanding birding conditions ... clear, bright, smooth water. However, unsuccessful in search for hoped-for species from among scoters, Long-tailed Duck, Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, and rarer gulls. Still, numbers of Common Mergansers (450), Eared Grebe (1625), Western/Clark's Grebes (2635), Double-crested Cormorant (392), plus 5 Ospreys and an adult Bald Eagle. Number of species: 38 Gadwall 40 American Wigeon 30 Mallard 130 Green-winged Teal 45 Bufflehead 12 Common Merganser 450 Pied-billed Grebe 3 Eared Grebe 1625 Western Grebe 10 Clark's Grebe 5 Western/Clark's Grebe 2620 American White Pelican 53 Double-crested Cormorant 392 Great Blue Heron 17 Osprey 5 Bald Eagle 1 adult Delta in the North Fork... American Coot 85 Killdeer 11 Least Sandpiper 82 Long-billed Dowitcher 1 Ring-billed Gull 16 California Gull 330 Herring Gull 1 1st cycle...at Kissack Cove... gull sp. 150 Say's Phoebe 2 Western Scrub-Jay 1 Common Raven 24 Horned Lark 4 Rock Wren 1 Bewick's Wren 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 European Starling 1 American Pipit 1 Phainopepla 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler 1 Savannah Sparrow 2 White-crowned Sparrow 10 Western Meadowlark 15 Brewer's Blackbird 117 House Finch 12 The above report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/) Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: 27 Nov 09: Kern R Valley From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Sat, 28 Nov 2009 12:19:23 -0800 27 Nov 09: Kern River Valley (CA Hwy. 178 through the South Fork Kern River Valley IBA, Slippery Rock Launch Site, Tillie Creek Campground, Isabella Reservoir's North Fork, FS 24S15 (Greenhorn Summit n. to Kern Co./Tulare Co. line), Isabella Reservoir's Engineer Point, Isabella Reservoir's Kissack Cove, and South Fork Valley's Paul's Place)... HIGHLIGHTS: Common Merganser (162), Eared Grebe (111), American White Pelican (56), Double-crested Cormorant (307), Osprey (6), Ferruginous Hawk (1), Peregrine Falcon (1), Greater Roadrunner (1), Red-naped Sapsucker (3), White-headed Woodpecker (1), Canyon Wren (1), Townsend's Solitaire (2), Phainopepla (19), Bobcat (1). eBird details for South Fork Valley, Slippery Rock Launch Site, Tillie Creek Campground, Greenhorn Mountains, and Isabella Reservoir follow now... Location: South Fork Kern River Valley--IBA Observation date: 11/27/09 Notes: Raptors observed on telephone poles and wires along CA Hwy 178 from mile marker 62.50 in Onyx to mile marker 53.00 in South Lake. Number of species: 3 * Red-tailed Hawk 7 * Ferruginous Hawk 1 Light phase individual... * American Kestrel 1 The above report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/) Location: Keyesville--Slippery Rock Launch Site Observation date: 11/27/09 Number of species: 5 * California Quail 1 * Western Scrub-Jay 1 * Canyon Wren 1 * American Dipper 1 * House Finch 2 The above report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/) Location: Wofford Heights--Tillie Creek Campground Observation date: 11/27/09 Notes: 7:25am-9:25am. 36F-48.3F, 43%-21.4%, 0-0 kph wind. Observers: Bob Barnes, John Schmitt, Mark Schmitt. Mammal: Bobcat 1. Number of species: 28 * California Quail 25 * Red-tailed Hawk 1 * Acorn Woodpecker 15 * Red-naped Sapsucker 3 An adult male was photographed by Mark Schmitt. * Nuttall's Woodpecker 3 * Northern Flicker 1 * Loggerhead Shrike 2 * Western Scrub-Jay 26 * Common Raven 6 * Oak Titmouse 8 * Bushtit 6 * White-breasted Nuthatch 2 * Bewick's Wren 1 * Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2 * Western Bluebird 9 * Northern Mockingbird 4 * California Thrasher 1 * European Starling 2 * Phainopepla 19 * Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 4 * Spotted Towhee 9 * California Towhee 4 * White-crowned Sparrow 27 * Golden-crowned Sparrow 1 * Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 11 * Purple Finch 6 * House Finch 22 * House Sparrow 3 The above report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/) Location: Lake Isabella--North Fork Observation date: 11/27/09 Notes: 9:35am-9:55am. Number of species: 11 * California Quail 1 * Double-crested Cormorant 41 * Great Blue Heron 4 * Osprey 2 * Peregrine Falcon 1 * Belted Kingfisher 1 * Say's Phoebe 1 * Western Scrub-Jay 1 * Common Raven 4 * White-crowned Sparrow 4 * House Sparrow 1 The above report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/) Location: Greenhorn Mountains--FS 24S15 (Greenhorn Summit to Tulare Co) Observation date: 11/27/09 Notes: 10:25am-11:35am. 52F, 23% humidity at start. Number of species: 7 * White-headed Woodpecker 1 * Steller's Jay 3 * Mountain Chickadee 9 * Red-breasted Nuthatch 3 * White-breasted Nuthatch 1 * Townsend's Solitaire 2 One of these two individuals was singing. * American Robin 1 The above report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/) Location: Lake Isabella--Engineer Pt. Observation date: 11/27/09 Notes: 12:20pm-1pm. Individuals different than those in North Fork or at Kissack Cove. Number of species: 13 * Mallard 9 * Common Merganser 162 Only three of the 162 individuals were in adult male plumage. * Eared Grebe 111 Two separate flocks (72 and 39 individuals) * Western Grebe 3 * American White Pelican 1 * Double-crested Cormorant 88 * Great Blue Heron 2 * Osprey 2 * American Coot 7 * California Gull 10 * Greater Roadrunner 1 * Common Raven 8 * House Finch 2 The above report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/) Location: Lake Isabella--Kissack Cove Observation date: 11/27/09 Notes: 1:10pm-1:45pm. Number of species: 11 * Canada Goose 6 On gravel bar with pelicans... * Gadwall 6 On small pond formed by lowered reservoir level. * Mallard 10 On small pond formed by lowered reservoir level. * American White Pelican 55 On gravel bar on current east end of reservoir at Kissack Cove. * Double-crested Cormorant 178 Most in water; several more on snags sticking up out of reservoir * Osprey 2 Six individuals on the reservoir (2 at North Fork, 2 off Engineer's Point, 2 at Kissack Cove.). * Killdeer 4 All at east end of reservoir. * Ring-billed Gull 10 * California Gull 200 * gull sp. 290 Gull numbers continue to build. Over 500 present this day. * Common Raven 10 * Horned Lark 40 The above report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/) Bob Barnes Ridgecrest, Kern County, CA P: 760-382-1260 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Hooded Merganser From: "madielsea" <Madielsea AT aol.com> Date: Sat, 28 Nov 2009 00:32:51 -0000 A single male Hooded Merganser was at Hart Park lake yesterday, Thurs. Nov. 26th, 2:00pm, in the area near the tall eucalyptus heron rookery, along with 6 Wood Ducks. Madi Elsea Subject: no Blackburnian 11/27 From: Andrew Howe <howe395 AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:08:06 -0800 (PST) Vernon and Winona Howe and I looked for the California City BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER much of the morning; we were joined by Jim and Liz from the Central Valley. Despite much looking between 8am and 1:30pm, we were unable to locate the bird. It may still be present, but if so has certainly changed its habits. The TUNDRA SWAN, two ROSS' GEESE, and two CANADA/CACKLING GEESE continue at Central Park; a RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER (possibly with a few RED-NAPED genes) and a RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH were also noted. A check of a nearby site to the northeast produced a RED-BREASTED x RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER, two SLATE-COLORED JUNCOS, and rapidly dying grass. Apparently, this is a big weekend for off-roaders, as evidenced by the several hundred cars and RVs backed up half a mile waiting to buy a permit to drive out toward Silver Saddle and create new roads through the desert. If you decide to visit this part of the county on the weekend, expect throngs of people. Andrew Howe Riverside, CA howe395 AT yahoo.com Subject: 25 Nov 09: Kern R Valley From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:26:17 -0800 25 Nov 09: Kern River Valley (Canebrake Ecological Reserve, first 1.4 mi. of Chimney Peak National Back Country Byway, Cliff east from Onyx's Cottage Grove Cemetery, Isabella Reservoir's Kissack Cove, South Fork Valley's Paul's Place.) ... another day in birding paradise (one of California's many!) ... cool, clear, abundant sunshine, no wind. HIGHLIGHTS: Wood Duck (1), American White Pelican (55), Double-crested Cormorant (152), Osprey (2), Virginia Rail (6), Sora (1), Herring Gull (1 - first cycle), Greater Roadrunner (1), Long-eared Owl (1), Cactus Wren (4), Canyon Wren (1), Mountain Bluebird (17 - 6f, 11m), Black-throated Sparrow (1), Tricolored Blackbird (500),... eBird details for Canebrake, Chimney Peak Byway, Kissack Cove, and Paul's Place follow now... Location: South Fork Valley--Canebrake Ecological Reserve Observation date: 11/25/09 Notes: 6am-8:50am. 29.2F-51.1F; 52%-33% humidity; 0-0 kph wind; clear, sunny (after 7:15am), cloudless skies. Observer: Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern Co., CA. Number of species: 46 (in 2 hrs. 50 min.) vs. up to a maximum of 67 species during past Christmas Bird Counts (8-10 hrs. on field effort). * Wood Duck 1 * Gadwall 2 Paired up... * American Wigeon 8 Single small flock... * Green-winged Teal 8 Single small flock... * California Quail 12 * Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 Appeared to be a male... * Red-shouldered Hawk 1 An adult... * Red-tailed Hawk 1 * Virginia Rail 6 * Sora 1 * American Coot 6 * Long-eared Owl 1 In riparian zone between Public Access Trail and pond & marsh... * Nuttall's Woodpecker 4 * Hairy Woodpecker 1 * Northern Flicker 2 * Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 1 * Black Phoebe 1 * Say's Phoebe 1 * Loggerhead Shrike 1 * Western Scrub-Jay 8 * Common Raven 6 * Oak Titmouse 2 * Bushtit 15 Single flock in Joshua tree woodland next to parking area. * White-breasted Nuthatch 1 * Rock Wren 2 * Canyon Wren 1 Singing from rocky hillside just east and across Hwy 178 from reserve entrance * Bewick's Wren 3 * Marsh Wren 2 * Ruby-crowned Kinglet 4 * Western Bluebird 10 Includes single flock of nine plus a separate adult male... * Hermit Thrush 1 Along portion of Public Access Trail through closed canopy riparian zone... * American Robin 2 * Wrentit 1 * European Starling 18 * Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 2 * Spotted Towhee 1 * California Towhee 5 * Song Sparrow 9 * Lincoln's Sparrow 1 * White-crowned Sparrow 115 100 of these were in a single flock along the drier portion of the Public Access Trail... * Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 9 * Red-winged Blackbird 100 Foraging among cattle in pasture on Reserve... * Tricolored Blackbird 500 Foraging among cattle in same pasture... * Western Meadowlark 8 Foraging among cattle in same pasture... * Brewer's Blackbird 200 Foraging among cattle in same pasture... * House Finch 15 The above report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/) Location: Chimney Peak National Back Country Byway--Kern Co. Observation date: 11/25/09 Notes: 8:55am-9:20am. Observer: Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern Co., CA. Only two species observed during twenty-five minutes spent on the Chimney Peak National Back Country Byway. Number of species: 2 * Cactus Wren 4 Two on each side of Chimney Peak National Back Country Byway in Joshua tree woodland 1.4 mi. up the Byway from CA Hwy 178. Observed at 9:15am * Black-throated Sparrow 1 This adult was the first found in November 2009. This individual was found about 1.0 mi, up the Byway from CA Hwy 178. Observed at 9:05am. The above report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/) Location: Lake Isabella--Kissack Cove Observation date: 11/25/09 Notes: 10am-11:10am. Observer: Bob Barnes. Number of species: 24 * Gadwall 74 72 together in pond formed by low reservoir level. * American Wigeon 20 Al in shallow pond formed by low reservoir level. * Mallard 1 In shallow pond formed by low reservoir level. * Northern Shoveler 4 On main reservoir. * Green-winged Teal 12 On shallow pond formed by low reservoir level... * Bufflehead 8 On main reservoir surface. * Common Merganser 51 On main reservoir surface. * Western/Clark's Grebe 300 On main reservoir surface. Too far away to hear or visually identify to species... * American White Pelican 55 Single flock on sandbar at edge of main reservoir... * Double-crested Cormorant 152 Perched on exposed snags in low reservoir zone... * Great Blue Heron 1 * Osprey 2 On snags sticking up from low reservoir... * American Kestrel 1 * American Coot 40 On main reservoir surface... * Killdeer 6 * Long-billed Dowitcher 1 Feeding at edge of shallow pond formed by low reservoir. * Ring-billed Gull 10 * California Gull 100 * Herring Gull 1 First cycle. * gull sp. 200 * Greater Roadrunner 1 * Say's Phoebe 1 * Common Raven 6 * Horned Lark 4 * American Pipit 6 * House Finch 14 The above report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/) Location: South Fork Valley--Paul's Place Observation date: 11/25/09 Notes: 12:05pm-12:15pm. Observer: Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County, CA. Number of species: 4 * American Kestrel 1 * Black Phoebe 1 * Common Raven 1 * Mountain Bluebird 17 In crescent-shaped pasture framed by CA Hwy 178 and Paul's Place on the south side of CA Hwy 178 between mile markers 56.00 and 57.00 (between Sierra Way and the Kern River Preserve Headquarters entrance road). The above report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/) Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern Co., CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Blackburnian Warbler and Tundra Swan still at California City From: "profile440" <beren001 AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:43:50 -0000 We saw the Blackburnian Warbler in the previously reported area near the ramshackle community center at about 10:30 this morning (Monday). The Tundra Swan and two Ross' Geese were with some feral geese in the pond nearest thr golf course parking area. Dave Chadsey Rancho Cucamonga Subject: Blackburnian Warbler From: "vernonhowe" <vhowe AT lasierra.edu> Date: Mon, 23 Nov 2009 05:19:48 -0000 A couple of more details about the Blackburnian Warbler at California City Central Park on Sunday (11/22/09). I got there at 11:25am and found the bird in about two minutes. I then sat on the steps at the rear of the abandoned Community Center and graded calculus tests. For the next two hours the bird was very predictable. Eleven times it came by me always foraging generally in a counter-clockwise direction. It consistently came within five or six feet of me. It seemed completely unconcerned with me and would not spook even when I turned pages on the tests. One time it came up on the steps within two feet of me and worked over a bunch of weeds that were laying on the step. During these two hours it was always on the ground or on debris on the ground. About 1:30pm it came by clockwise and would go up into the weeds, sometimes two or three feet off of the ground. This was when John Luther arrived. It worked more in one general area and further off of the ground than earlier until Tom and Liga arrived. It then took off as described in Tom and Liga's post. What a wonderful setting for grading tests--sitting in the warm sun watching an industrious Blackburnian Warbler and Hooded Mergansers. Good luck and good birding, --Vernon Vernon Howe Riverside, CA Subject: Cal City Blackburnian cont 22 Nov 09 From: "Liga Auzins" <llauzins AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 23 Nov 2009 01:47:34 -0000 Vern Howe and John Luther directed us to the Blackburnian Warbler when we arrived at Central Park near 2PM today. It was foraging on the ground and in low bushes at the edge of the lake as previously described. However, it does fly to other areas in the park. Fifteen minutes after we arrived it flew across the "inlet" to the cottonwoods on the "point" due east of the pool. Later, we refound it working small trees in the main parking lot, then watched it fly to the main area of the park. We also saw five Hooded Mergansers (1 ad male, 3 females, and 1 imm male) diving across the lake (inital report by Vern Howe). Tom Wurster and Liga Auzins Subject: Re: Blackburnian Warbler From: "Brad" <bcsinger AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:47:45 -0000 The bird was easy to find and quite cooperative. In fact, it was very oblivious to human presence. Brad Singer photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bcsinger/4125947922/ Subject: Blackburnian Warbler continues From: "Howard" <redhillbrd AT aol.com> Date: Sun, 22 Nov 2009 02:52:09 -0000 The Blackburnian Warbler was still present today behind the community center at the lake in California City Central Park. Howard King Subject: Blackburnian Warbler From: "carlagary" <carlagary AT ncinternet.net> Date: Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:29:17 -0000 At 7:15 this morning, the Blackburnian Warbler at Californian City-Central Park continues foraging directly behind the community center along the waters edge. Gary File Bakersfield Subject: Mt Bluebird at Kern NWR From: scre AT aol.com Date: Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:21:36 -0500 This afternoon Lauren Harter and I stopped at the Kern NWR on the auto tour loop at parking lot #2 we had a female MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD. Hadn't seen any reports of any movements of them in this part of the Central Valley yet this year. Good Birding. David Vander Pluym Ventura, Ca [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Fwd: Blackburnian Warbler still at Cal City From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:00:03 -0800 Hi, Curtis Marantz sent me an email asking me to pass on word that Jon Dunn called him today to say that he saw the California City Central Park Blackburnian Warbler mid-day today (Thursday) in the same place were it had been seen earlier (in weeds at edge of lake near the community center). Curtis also mentioned that he did not see the Ancient Murrelet at the Salton Sea this morning. For Curtis Marantz and Jon Dunn, Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: eBird CA - Try This From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:05:30 -0800 Hi, You may have already discovered this ... but, try this... Go to: http://ebird.org/content/ca/ Then click on the Kern link under the "Most Checklists Submitted for Current Month" heading. Then click on the "Nov" link at the top of the columns. Then click on the "Greater White-fronted Goose" link at the top of the species list. Then click on the yellow map pin at Lake Isabella to see the... Location: Lake Isabella--Kissack Cove, Kern, US-CA Date: 11/14/09 #: 1 Observer: Alison Sheehey of Alison's Greater White-fronted Goose observation this past Saturday, November 14th. One can do this with any species, any month, or any year back to 1900! To do so, explore the "Change Date" link next to the "Date Range" heading at the top of the page. Cool stuff! And just the tip of the iceberg!!! By the way, the notes when I submit data to eBird are often much more extensive than on the publicly available information. But, I can find all of my notes when I look up any one of my lists using the "Manage My Observations." "Manage My Observations" is also where I go to fix my mistakes when I come across them ... wrong year, addition of a forgotten species, addition of information to my notes, etc., etc., etc. Of course, one has to register to enter personal data onto eBird in order to "Manage My Observations." But, there is no charge to play! Continued Happy & Productive Birding, Bob [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Fwd: Cal Cty Blackburnian Warbler Update From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:22:20 -0800 Hi, The Blackburnian Warbler first found by Nevada birder Greg Scyphers at California City's Central Park was found later yesterday (Monday afternoon) by Martin Meyers of Truckee. Here is Martin's update: >From: martin AT sierrabirdbum.com >To: "Bob Barnes" >Subject: RE: Blackburnian Warbler at Cal City >Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:09:12 -0700 > >Yup-- got to see it (watched it for about an hour) and got great photos. > The bird fed aggressively and continuously, appearing to be eating weed >seeds and sometimes behaving more like a goldfinch than a warbler. It >was totally oblivious to me, to others walking by, to noise, etc. I >expect it is not doing well (although it could fly okay and didn't >really look like it was starving.) It never left the section >immediately behind the community center and only once flew up into a >tree. > >Martin Meyers Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Western Grebe in NY From: John Lampkin <johnLampkin AT JohnLampkin.com> Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:18:03 -0500 Dear friends out west, During past sojourns to Kern for the Spring Nature Fest, I've been mildly amused by the excitement generated there by some common eastern species that frequent my feeder. Turnabout time! The first ever Rockland County NY record of a Western Grebe was documented this past week, generating what can best be described as mild euphoria. After hanging out at the Piermont Pier, which is located on the Hudson about 30 minutes north of NYC, the boid moved on southward and was last spotted in Raritan New Joisey. Best regards, and looking forward to another Kern Nature Fest, John Lampkin [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Lake Isabella This Morning From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:01:39 -0800 Hi, Species lists follow below. A spectacular day to go birding with clear, bright, blue skies and excellent light conditions. Alison Sheehey kindly related the presence of three RED-BREASTED MERGANSER (2 females and what appeared to me to be a 1st winter male) separate from, then near six female Common Mergansers in Kissack Cove. Nine duck species in relatively close quarters ... which is excellent at this stage of the life of Isabella Reservoir. Also, BONAPARTE'S GULL. ENGINEER POINT was the next stop. This point is located between the two dams (Main Dam, Auxiliary Dam) and sticks out into the reservoir for about a mile. It is accessible by high clearance vehicle to the end. I got my Toyota Corolla pretty close to the end. I mention Engineer Point as it is a great spot for scoping all but the entire reservoir additionally making it a great place to get oriented, especially if you have never birded Isabella Lake before. When loons are present (not found this morning), Engineer Point is often a site from which they may be found (NOTE: If one is an active California county birder, Isabella Reservoir will surely be a destination to visit to add species to one's Kern County list.). Light this morning was excellent for viewing by 9am. 2000 WESTERN/CLARK'S GREBES estimated; 266 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS counted. A brief stop at BLM's Slippery Rock Launch Site (across the street/Hwy. 155 from Main Dam Campground) produced two AMERICAN DIPPERS and a CANYON WREN. About 0.7 miles up Sawmill Road off Hwy. 155 is an excellent Rufous-crowned Sparrow site referred to me by John Schmitt late last spring. It is a great site because it is close at hand ... being just off Hwy. 155 between the communities of Lake Isabella and Wofford Heights. Two RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROWS were observed there this morning. The final birding site of the morning was Isabella Reservoir's north fork. No Bald Eagles yet. 750 WESTERN/CLARK'S GREBES counted. Location: Lake Isabella--Kissack Cove Observation date: 11/16/09 Notes: 7:20am-8:35am - Beautiful, crisp, clear fall day with outstanding light conditions. Number of species: 28 Gadwall 25 American Wigeon 25 (9 adult males) Green-winged Teal (American) 10 Apparently five pairs. Redhead 2 adult males Lesser Scaup 1 Strikingly smaller than accompanying Redheads Bufflehead 1 (female) Common Goldeneye 2 (a pair) Common Merganser 6 (female plumage) Red-breasted Merganser 3 First one individual found by itself. It swam and joined two others. They swam close to six female-plumaged Common Merganser for comparison. Vs. the six Common Mergansers all three Red-breasted Mergansers were smaller, had lighter, rust colored heads (vs. intense in Common's), duller-colored bills, shaggier crests in back (which also never "sat down" like in Common Mergansers), no clean cut between rusty color of head and white on chest, more grayish white vs clean white in Common Mergs, overall were "messier," less crisply marked. One individual was thought to be a fist winter male due to its particular "messiness" look and the fact that the chest had a stippled look to it that suggested a "shadow" of the red breast of an adult male Red-breasted Merganser. Pied-billed Grebe 1 Eared Grebe 1 Western/Clark's Grebe 136 (too far away to hear or visually determine to species) American White Pelican 5 Double-crested Cormorant 10 Great Blue Heron 1 Osprey 2 American Kestrel 1 American Coot 105 Killdeer 1 Bonaparte's Gull 1 Ring-billed Gull 6 California Gull 55 gull sp. 95 Too far away on a sandbar for me to pin down. Loggerhead Shrike 1 Common Raven 3 Horned Lark 22 Rock Wren 3 Together. American Pipit 61 House Finch 6 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/) Location: Lake Isabella--Engineer Pt. Observation date: 11/16/09 Notes: 8:55am-10:25am - Spectacular day ... clear, sunny, outstanding light conditions. Best location to get oriented to all but the entire reservoir. Number of species: 11 Pied-billed Grebe 1 Eared Grebe 65 Western/Clark's Grebe 2000 American White Pelican 26 Double-crested Cormorant 266 Perched on snags off Engineer Point. Great Blue Heron 4 American Coot 6 gull sp. 100 Common Raven 4 Horned Lark 3 Rock Wren 2 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/) Location: Lake Isabella--North Fork Observation date: 11/16/09 Notes: 11:40am-12:00pm - Special morning ... clear, sunny, bright, excellent sun aspect. No Bald Eagles yet! Number of species: 8 Western/Clark's Grebe 750 American White Pelican 1 Double-crested Cormorant 16 Great Blue Heron 2 American Coot 1 gull sp. 50 Common Raven 4 Rock Wren 1 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/) Location: Keyesville--Slippery Rock Launch Site Observation date: 11/16/09 Notes: 10:25am-10:35am. Number of species: 8 Black Phoebe 1 Western Scrub-Jay 1 Common Raven 1 Canyon Wren 1 American Dipper 2 Both in view simultaneously about 200' apart on small rocks forming riffles in Kern River. Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 1 California Towhee 3 White-crowned Sparrow 4 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/) Location: Greenhorn Mtns.---Sawmill Rd. Observation date: 11/16/09 Notes: 11:10am-11:35am - First 0.7 miles of Sawmill Road. Dominated by gray pine except for steeper, rocky hillsides which provide excellent Rufous-crowned Sparrow habitat. Number of species: 6 Western Scrub-Jay 5 Common Raven 2 Western Bluebird 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 2 Rufous-crowned Sparrow 2 Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 3 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Fwd: Blackburnian Warbler at Cal City. From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:01:59 -0800 All, From Martin Meyers. FYI: Greg Scyphers is recognized as a top-notch and careful Nevada birder. Besides, he told Martin he got great photos for reviewers. Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, CA >From: martin AT sierrabirdbum.com >To: "Bob Barnes" >Subject: Blackburnian Warbler at Cal City. (I don't have Kern list posting > privileges) >Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:28:09 -0700 > >Hi, Bob, >Greg Scyphers just called me from California City. He's on his way home >to Reno. >He found a female/immature type Blackburnian Warbler feeding on the >ground right behind the community center in the city park. (There's a >little strip of land between the community center and the lake, and it >was walking around there.) He says he got great photos. > >I'm just now leaving L.A. on my way home, and am going to go that >direction to see if I can find it, too. > >I thought it might be worth posting on the Kern list -- if you agree, >could you post it for me (actually, for Greg). > >Martin > >--------------- > Martin Meyers > email: Martin (...AT...) SierraBirdbum.com > Photo website: http://SierraBirdbum.com > Truckee, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]