Date: 6/15/26 4:43 pm From: Dan Cooper via groups.io <lathrotriccus...> Subject: [CALBIRDS] Kern River Valley re-survey, July 11
Birders,
The Southern Sierra Research Station is pleased to announce the South Fork Kern River Valley Rapid Assessment Summer Bird Count, to be held the morning of Saturday, July 11. This is being run to compare with the impressive counts made in 1999-2001 that involved a who's who of California birders (more details below).
- Please email back (see below) to let us know if you're interested in participating.
- We will meet just before sunrise, near Weldon, CA (exact location TBD).
- Depending on the number of people, we will break into groups of counters, and count all individuals of all species detected (visual/audial), like a Christmas Bird Count.
- We will include eBird and non-eBird instructions/options for counting.
- Groups will meet back at around 11-noon for a wrap-up and lunch. Any "good birds" can be chased after the wrap-up.
We will also likely meet up the night before (7/10) at the Kern River Brewing Co. in Kernville for dinner. Coffee/snacks that morning may be provided, depending on the venue.
Lodging is "on your own", but options include a KOA along Hwy. 178 ( https://koa.com/campgrounds/lake-isabella/), various motels in Kernville (20-30 min. away), the Walker Pass BLM campground (20 min. away), and many hotels in Bakersfield (45 min. away). Unfortunately, no camping is available on the Kern River Preserve nowadays, as access is closed due to repeated flood damage. Contact us for questions.
*Background*: In the summers of 1999, 2000 and 2001 (7-10 July each year), more than 100 birders from around California met to conduct a "cooperative survey" of the riparian habitats of the South Fork Kern River Valley, centered on Weldon, CA. The 2000 survey coincided with the WFO annual conference in Kernville, and these included some of the most active birders in the state, some of whom are no longer with us.
These three counts resulted in 8,200-9,000 individuals of 98-112 species being tallied by the groups. Our aim for 2026 is to repeat these surveys as faithfully as possible, to compare today's numbers and diversity. Some astonishing totals were made, likely not to be repeated this year, including: up to 34 Yellow-billed Cuckoos (often the main target species for field trips here); 11-24 southwestern Willow Flycatchers (nearly extirpated today); up to 204 Blue Grosbeaks, 6-15 Brown-crested Flycatchers, 26-47 Summer Tanagers...and 372 Yellow Warblers (in 2000). Vagrants such as Red-eyed Vireo, Northern Parula, and Lucy's Warbler were also found as were 11 Indigo Buntings in 2000.
This should be a great opportunity to reconnect with some of us "old-timers" who did the original counts, but also to make new birding friends, hone your birding-by-ear skills, and just have fun in a beautiful corner of the state.
*Please share* this announcement within your network, and reach out with any questions. We hope to see you up in Weldon next month for the July 11th rapid assessment!
Thanks,
Dan Cooper (Board Chair) and Bob Barnes (Advisor), Southern Sierra Research Station (in Weldon, CA)
Dan's email: Lathrotriccus AT gmail.com or dan AT cooperecological.com
