Kern River Preserve 2004


Redwood Region Ornithological Society Field Trip to the Kern River Preserve and Surrounding Area
June 11-14, 2004


Birds (140 species):  Western/Clark's Grebe, American White Pelican, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Turkey Vulture, Mallard, Osprey, Cooper's Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Prairie Falcon, Chukar*, Blue Grouse, California Quail, Mountain Quail, Killdeer*, Wilson's Snipe, California Gull, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Greater Roadrunner, Great Horned Owl*, Lesser Nighthawk, Common Nighthawk, White-throated Swift, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Anna's Hummingbird, Costa's Hummingbird, Calliope Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Acorn Woodpecker, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Williamson's Sapsucker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Nuttall's Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, White-headed Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Olive-sided Woodpecker, Western Wood-Pewee, Willow Flycatcher, Hammond's Flycatcher, Dusky Flycatcher, Gray Flycatcher, Black Phoebe, Says Phoebe, Vermilion Flycatcher, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Brown-crested Flycatcher, Western Kingbird, Horned Lark*, Loggerhead Shrike, Plumbeous Vireo, Cassin's Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Steller's Jay, Western Scrub-Jay, Pinyon Jay, Clark's Nutcracker, Common Raven, Tree Swallow, Violet-green Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Mountain Chickadee, Oak Titmouse, Bushtit, Verdin, Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch, Pygmy Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Cactus Wren, Rock Wren, Canyon Wren, Bewick's Wren, House Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Western Bluebird, Mountain Bluebird, Townsend's Solitaire, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, Wrentit, Northern Mockingbird, Le Conte's Thrasher, European Starling, Cedar Waxwing, Phainopepla*, Orange-crowned Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Grace's Warbler, MacGillivray's Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Wilson's Warbler, Summer Tanager, Western Tanager, Green-tailed Towhee, Spotted Towhee, California Towhee, Chipping Sparrow, Brewer's Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Black-throated Sparrow, Sage Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Black-headed Grosbeak, Blue Grosbeak, Lazuli Bunting, Red-winged Blackbird, Tricolored Blackbird, Western Meadowlark, Brewer's Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Hooded Oriole, Bullock's Oriole, Scott's Oriole*, Purple Finch, Cassin's Finch, House Finch, Red Crossbill, Lesser Goldfinch, Lawrence's Goldfinch, Evening Grosbeak, House Sparrow. Plus a male Indigo Bunting x Lazuli Bunting hybrid.

Bird nests:  Cooper's Hawk, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Verdin, Cactus Wren*.

Mammals:  Desert Cottontail, Black-tailed Jackrabbit*, Yellow-bellied Marmot, Douglas's Squirrel, California Ground Squirrel, White-tailed Antelope Squirrel, Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel, Chipmunk sp., Botta's Pocket Gopher, Woodrat sp., Bat sp., Coyote, Long-tailed Weasel, Mule Deer.

Reptiles and Amphibians:  Pacific Treefrog*, Desert Spiny Lizard, Western Fence Lizard, Coast Horned Lizard*, Western Whiptail, California Whipsnake*.

Butterflies:  Western Tiger Swallowtail, Pale Swallowtail, Checkered White, Cabbage White, Lilac-bordered Copper*, Sylvan Hairstreak*, Mountain-Mahogany Hairstreak*, Hedgerow Hairstreak*, Thicket Hairstreak*, Gray Hairstreak, Western Pygmy-Blue, Spring Azure, Arrowhead Blue*, Sierra Nevada Blue*, Greenish Blue, San Emigdio Blue*, Acmon Blue, Mormon Fritillary*, Mylitta Crescent, Hoary Comma*, Mourning Cloak, Milbert's Tortoiseshell, West Coast Lady*, Common Buckeye*, California Sister*, Monarch, Mexican Cloudywing, Pacuvius Duskywing, Northern White-Skipper*, Sandhill Skipper*, Sonoran Skipper*.

Dragonflies and Damselflies:  Vivid Dancer*, Western Red Damsel*, Darner sp., Flame Skimmer.

* Observed only on the afternoon of June 14 or on June 15 (after the end of the official field trip)

Thanks again to Bob Barnes for showing us around this wonderful area!




Troy Meadow


Pacuvius Duskywing


South Fork Valley


Morning birding in South Fork Valley


South Fork Valley


American Kestrel


Adult male Black-chinned Hummingbird, Kern River Preserve Headquarters


Immature male Anna's Hummingbird, Kern River Preserve Headquarters


Anna's Hummingbird, Kern River Preserve Headquarters


Anna's Hummingbird, Kern River Preserve Headquarters


Landers Meadow, Piute Mountains


Swertia tubulosa, Piute Mountains


Verdin nest with juvenile, Inyokern


Home of the "LCTH" (Le Conte's Thrasher), Inyokern


Our group at Kern River Preserve Headquarters


Near Portuguese Meadow, Greenhorn Mountains


Mimulus sp., near Portuguese Meadow, Greenhorn Mountains


Portuguese Meadow, Greenhorn Mountains


Portuguese Meadow, Greenhorn Mountains


Portuguese Meadow, Greenhorn Mountains


Beetle on Bistort, Portuguese Meadow, Greenhorn Mountains


Calochortus sp., north of Kernville




Alan Wight
Sonoma County, California
Email:  shwand@sonic.net

All Photos © 2004 Alan Wight