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The Chat May 2020

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The Chat May 2020 The Chat Kerncrest Audubon Society, PO Box 984, Ridgecrest, California May 2020 MAY CALENDAR Due to the need for our members to exercise social distancinG, and in accordance with Guidance from the National Audubon Society, the Annual MeetinG scheduled for May 21 has been cancelled. But don't forGet the: Saturday May 9 BIRDATHON The 2020 BIRDATHON Saturday 9 May Our annual Birdathon is the major fundraiser each year for Kerncrest Audubon Society’s support of our educational efforts and our support for Audubon California’s Kern River Preserve. We will carry on, in spite of the need to socially distance ourselves! If you want to participate, please form a family team, a team of one, or have team members drive separate cars. In lieu of meetinG for pizza and a count after the event, lists of species seen should be submitted to Bob Barnes, as an email at [email protected], or by text messaGe to 760-382-1260, or as a last resort as a phone call to that number. The date of 9 May was selected to coordinate with the “Global BiG Day” of birdinG run by the Cornell Laboratory of OrnitholoGy utilizinG checklists submitted from all over the world via “eBird”. Last May, more than 35,000 people took to forest and fields around the world reportinG more than two-thirds of the world’s bird species in a sinGle day. 0ur count hours this year match those of the Global BiG Day, that is Midnight to Midnight. You can report your species count to Bob Barnes the followinG day. Donations, either as a flat sum or a "per-species" amount should be mailed to Kerncrest Audubon Society, PO Box 984, RidGecrest, CA 93556. If you wish to calculate by species, the number of birds siGhted will be published in the next issue of The Chat. Usually just under 100 are reported. NESTING TRICOLORED BLACKBIRDS RETURN We have some Good news to report in this time of Gloomy news. For the first time in over 8 years Tricolored Blackbirds have nested in the Kern River Valley. This is the result of a lonGtime effort by a consortium of local conservation Groups includinG Kerncrest Audubon. The Tricolored Blackbird is found only in the west coast states and nests primarily in California Grasslands. It, like the PassenGer PiGeon, is a colony nestinG bird that, despite very larGe numbers, is threatened with extinction. Their numbers dove throuGh the 1990’s and on throuGh the early 2010’s because their Central Valley natural Grasslands disappeared. Small breedinG colonies were known of in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada includinG some around the Hot SprinGs Wetland area and the Kern River Preserve. The Kern River Valley colonies had disappeared by 2012 due to loss of water. In 2014 Kerncrest Audubon and Kern Audubon jointly applied for and received a California Audubon Partnership Fund matchinG Grant to restore Tricolored Blackbird habitat in the Kern River Valley. MatchinG funds and volunteer labor were provided by Kerncrest Audubon, Kern Audubon, the Arthur and Sydney Barnes Family Foundation, The Southern Sierra Research Station, and the Kern River Valley HeritaGe Foundation. Water sources were secured, and wetlands were planted in 2014 and 2015 that eventually Grew into invitinG habitat for the Tricolored Blackbird. Then we waited for the birds to come back. This sprinG, numbers of Tricolored Blackbirds have returned to the Kern River. OriGinally about 50 were seen at the Hot SprinGs Wetlands some carryinG nestinG material. Four hundred were seen at the Canebrake Preserve on May the first. This marks the first time since about 2012 that these birds have bred in the valley. This is Good news because havinG dispersed breedinG populations outside of the Central Valley Greatly increases the chances for survival of the species. VALLEY SIGHTINGS Please report unusual siGhtinGs to Dan Burnett at [email protected] or by phone at (760) 375-8634 (leave messaGe) or submit to www.eBird.orG for Dan to glean. Indian Wells Valley Sightings for period from 1 April 2020 thru 30 April 2020 Sightings listed here are somehow unusual, rare, or noteworthy (in the opinion of the author). April saw Spring arrive along with lots of bird species. Spring also saw some wintering birds leave the valley. This month there were 156 species reported in the IWV area by 18 observers and 1,683 total reported sightings. Acorn Woodpecker (1) by Susan and Bob Steele in Grapevine Canyon (4/16) American Robin only 8 sightings of this bird – (7) by Bob Barnes in North West Ridgecrest and (1) by Susan and Bob Steele in Inyokern. Ash-throated Flycatcher – first of spring by Susan and Bob Steele in Grapevine Canyon (4/16). Black-chinned Sparrow (1) by Susan and Bob Steele in Short Canyon (4/22). Black-throated Gray Warbler (1) by Susan and Bob Steele in Grapevine Canyon (4/16) and (2) in Cow Haven Canyon (4/24). Blue-gray Gnatcatcher several sightings first of spring by Susan and Bob Steele in Indian Wells Canyon (4/4). Canada Goose still here, (8) at the Watchable Wildlife Area by Lee Sutton. Cedar Waxwings (11) by Tom Rindt in Heritage Village (4/8) and (5) by Bob Barnes in North Ridgecrest (4/18). Dark-eyed Junco have left Ridgecrest (last reported in town 4/6). Dusky Flycatcher (1) by Susan and Bob Steele in Sand Canyon (4/11 and 4/18) and (1) by Lee Sutton in the Indian Wells Canyon (4/13). Eared Grebe are here in numbers in the winter but the greatest number reported in April was (3) by Susan and Bob Steele at the Inyokern Water Treatment Plant (4/23) Golden Eagle were reported 8 times the most unusual by Linda Bates who came upon it in the middle of North Brown Road (4/13). Hermit Thrush three reports – greatest number (5) by Susan and Bob Steele in Indian Wells Canyon (4/5). Hutton's Vireo (1) by Lee Sutton on in South East Ridgecrest (4/19). Orioles are here numerous sightings of Hooded, Scott’s, and Bullock’s throughout the area. Lazuli Bunting (1) Lee Sutton in Indian Wells Canyon (4/13) and Susan and Bob Steele - Freeman Canyon (4/29) and Black Mountain (4/27). LeConte’s Thrasher reported 5 times – several locations. Northern Flicker have left the valley for the summer (smart birds) – last report (4/15). Swallows and Swifts came through the area in great numbers – Barn, Bank, Cliff Northern Rough-wing, Violet-green, Tree - (no Vaux reported). Pacific-slope Flycatcher (1) by Lee Sutton in the Indian Wells Canyon (4/13) and (1) by Susan and Bob Steele in the Freeman Canyon (4/29). Peregrine Falcon (1) Susan and Bob Steele in Sand Canyon (4/18) and (1) by Hector Villalobos in Freedom Park (4/10). Phainopepla (2) Susan and Bob Steele at Black Mountain (4/10) and (2) by Dan Burnett at CCC College (4/28). Pine Siskin (2) by Dan Burnett in North Ridgecrest ((4/14 and 4/11). Yellow Warbler only one report (1) Susan and Bob Steele at the Inyokern Water Treatment Plant (4/21). Thanks to the following observers: Barbara Bane, Bob Barnes, Neal Barry, Linda Bates, Dan Burnett, Keith Condon, Julie Hendrix, Chris and Rosie Howard, Susan Moore, Tom Rindt, Kerry Ross, Susan and Bob Steele, Lee Sutton, Lynne Thompson, Hector Villalobos, Rose Whipple, and Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology keepers of eBird. Kern River Area Sightings 1 April through 30 April 2020 The Kern River area is large. It has a wide variety of ecosystems which attract a large number of birds and birders. The sightings listed here were gleaned from eBird submissions. The species listed here are listed because there were few reported or they were (in the eyes of the writer) noteworthy. During the period there were 167 species including many returning migrants. There were 20 observers who, together, submitted 3,098 bird sightings. American Wigeon two sightings both by Alison Sheehey (2) in Weldon (4/9) and (26) in the South Fork Wildlife Area. The first Ash-throated Flycatcher for the season by Alison Sheehey in Cyrus Canyon (4/12). Bald Eagle – 5 sightings. Two birds at SSRS and three at South Fork Wildlife area. Barn Owl (1) at Weldon (4/1 and 4/9) and (1) at Migrant Corner by Alison Sheehey. Belted Kingfisher at the Kern River Preserve by Alan Moss on several days (4/2 through 4/9). Black-chinned Hummingbird first of the season by Alison Sheehey in Weldon (4/10). Black-headed Grosbeak first of the season by Denise LaBerteaux in Kelso Valley (4/4). Black-throated Gray Warbler first this season - William Rockey at the Kern River Preserve (4/4). Blue Grosbeak (1) Alan Moss at the KRP (4/25 and 4/26), (1) Savannah Stewart on Fay Ranch Rd. (4/26). Blue-gray Gnatcatcher returned (4/2) numerous sightings throughout the valley. Canada Goose (6) by Alison Sheehey in Weldon (4/9). Cedar Waxwing (1) Denise LaBerteaux in Kelso Valley (4/4), (4) by Alan Moss at the KRP (4/20). Clark’s Grebe (2) by Savannah Stewart at Lime Point, Lake Isabella (4/30). Eared Grebe (3) by Savannah Stewart at Lime Point, Lake Isabella (4/30). Green Heron (1) by Savannah Stewart at KRP – Mill site (4/20). Lazuli Bunting first of season by Denise LaBerteaux in Kelso Valley (4/20). Least Sandpiper (1) Alison Sheehey at the Hot Springs Wetlands (4/13) and (12) by Reed Tollefson at Lake Isabella (4/16). Long-billed Dowitcher (2) by Alison Sheehey at the South Fork Wildlife Area (4/12) MacGillivray's Warbler (1) Denise LaBerteaux in Kelso Valley (4/26) and (1) by William Rockey at Migrant Corners (4/30).
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