Date: 9/14/26 11:46 am From: Chris Spurgeon via groups.io <chris...> Subject: [LACoBirds] Help out with the fall Turkey Vulture migration count in Kern County
Posting this in the hope that some LA county folks will be interested in driving one county north to help out. Feel free to share and repost
--------
*Volunteer for the 2026 Kern River Valley Turkey Vulture Count!*
Southern Sierra Research Station is excited to announce plans to resume the annual Kern River Valley fall Turkey Vulture count!
Originally conducted from 1994–2005, this count documented one of the largest Turkey Vulture migration phenomena in the United States, with nearly 30,000 individuals passing through the Kern River Valley each fall.
We are seeking volunteer counters from September 19 through October 10, 2026, during the peak of vulture migration through the Kern River valley. Volunteers will help count migrating raptors alongside SSRS staff for approximately 5–6 hours per day.
Volunteers should plan to be available for at least two days of counting during the count period. This will allow enough time for training and for volunteers to become familiar with the movement of birds through the Kern River valley.
Interested in joining the count? Please go to the SSRS website and fill in the contact form and enter your details.
● Contact form: https://southernsierraresearch.org/contact/ ● Indicate that you are interested in Volunteer activities
● Then you will see an option to indicate Vulture count.
● Please put some dates you may be available in the comments.
● If you have already done this, no need to do it again. You will get an email soon.
Come be part of the return of this long-running migration count and help us document one of
the KRV's most spectacular seasonal wildlife movements!
