Kern Audubon Society News
10th ANNUAL ALEUTIAN GOOSE FESTIVAL
Come join the "Celebration of Wildness" on the extreme coast of northern California. Experience an in-depth extended weekend MARCH 28-30, 2008 in the home of Redwood National and State Parks and the Smith River National Recreation Area, by choosing amongst the 60+ workshops/fieldtrips led by experienced, qualified guides. Outstanding birding, geology, Native American Heritage and more.............Register online at www.aleutiangoosefestival.org or 1-707-465-0888
Keynote speaker for this year's celebration is Humboldt State University's Professor Stephen Sillett, the leading researcher in the study of the canopy of the towering redwoods. Recently featured in Richard Preston's best selling book "The Wild Trees" . Professor Sillett will share his passion for his work in the fog shrouded tops of the world's tallest trees.
More KAS Leadership Positions Filled
Kern Audubon's leadership is growing. Don and Yvonne Turkal are in charge of Programs and Roger Coley is chair of the Field Trip Committee; other members of that Committee are Bill Moffat and Bill Lydecker. Dr. Doug Dodd, CSUB professor of conservation history, has assumed the chair of the Conservation Committee. Dawn Bradley will conduct the monthly raffles and organize the December Potluck Auction.
Bird Lists from Goose Lake and Tumblen Lake, prepared by Andrea Jones.
Location: Goose Lake--IBA (Kern Co.)
Observation date: 8/13/07
Notes: Survey with Kern Audubon at Tumblen Lake.
Number of species: 23
Mallard 10
Cinnamon Teal 6
Ruddy Duck 2
Pied-billed Grebe 2
American White Pelican 1
Green Heron 1
Black-crowned Night-Heron 1
Northern Harrier 2
American Coot 2
Killdeer 3
Black-necked Stilt 35
American Avocet 2
Greater Yellowlegs 2
Western Sandpiper 10
Least Sandpiper X
Long-billed Dowitcher 40
Wilson's Phalarope 2
Red-necked Phalarope 1
Black Phoebe 1
Western Kingbird 4
Loggerhead Shrike 1
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1
Marsh Wren 3
Location: Goose Lake--IBA (Kern Co.)
Observation date: 8/13/07
Notes: Survey conducted with Kern Audubon on the Badger Almond property of CCF.
Number of species: 25
Mallard 4
Cinnamon Teal 8
American White Pelican 45
American Bittern 1
Great Blue Heron 1
Snowy Egret 3
Green Heron 1
Black-crowned Night-Heron 1
White-faced Ibis 30
Turkey Vulture 2
Northern Harrier 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Peregrine Falcon 1
Killdeer 5
Black-necked Stilt 125
Greater Yellowlegs 25
Western Sandpiper 2
Long-billed Dowitcher 110
Wilson's Phalarope 4
Mourning Dove 1
Great Horned Owl 1
Western Kingbird 6
Loggerhead Shrike 1
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1
Western Meadowlark 2
New Field Trip Leaders
Future field trips will be organized and led by three active birders in Kern Audubon- Roger Coley, co-ordinator, Bill Moffat, and Bill Lydecker. Roger is a retired attorney and with his wife Barbara, does a lot of birding and sends out the Audubon Warbler each month. Bill Moffat is Ranger at Tule Elk State Reserve, has been birding since childhood, and usually is accompanied by his wife Debbie, a beginning birder and accomplished botanist. Bill Lydecker, relatively new to birding and to Bakersfield, has been on most of the Chapter field trips in the past year and birds somewhere in Kern County almost every day. Currently he is coordinating the Burrowing Owl survey in Kern County.
America's Birdiest County Competition
Bob Barnes, Kern County coordinator for America's Birdiest Inland County competition, reports on kerncobirding@yahoo.com that Kern County has been named the Birdiest Inland County for the fourth consecutive year. Most of the 235 species recorded in the 72 hour period on April 27-29 were reported by participants in the Kern River Valley Nature Festival. Details, birds, participants, other records, may be found on the web site above.
New Birding Book for Sale
You will enjoy this special book The Verb 'To Bird' by Peter Cashwell. A high school English teacher, Cashwell is an avid birder, and his illustrated paperback relates many adventures he has had birding and with other birders.
The Barnes and Noble "Discover Great New Writers" Selection for Summer 2003, which, according to the publisher, is "Part memoir, part natural history, part apology... will enlighten and entertain anyone who's ever wandered around wet fields at the crack of dawn with dog-eared field guides crushed against the granola bars in their pockets. But you don't have to know the field marks of an indigo bunting to appreciate Cashwell's experiences with non-lending libraries, venomous insects, sports marketing, and animated Christmas specials."
The book is an entertaining and educational read and and will make a great gift for a birder friend. Copies of the book will be available at monthly meetings and field trips for $15, $10 for KAS members, or call Madi at 322-7470.
"Western Backyard Birds: An Introduction to Familiar Urban Species"
can help you identify, learn the names, or show others, many of the birds commonly seen in Kern County. This weatherproof, pocket size, foldout has 10 panels with about 16 birds per panel, showing males in breeding plumage, with common and scientific names, and size. You will be able to get a picture to compare much faster than thumbing through your field guide. Get one of these 4" x 8 1/4" guides at Kern Audubon meetings or field trips for $6 each. Give one to a youngster or maybe an oldster! They'll be glad you did.