Alison Sheehey-Special to the Sun

With silver-lined wings catching each rising pocket of warm air, turkey vultures have begun their annual flight of passage through the beautiful blue skies of the Kern River Valley.

Autumn is the time to celebrate the magnificence of turkey vultures and to appreciate the palate of color that fall brings to our area. So many vultures and so many people will help herald this special event, the 12th Annual Turkey Vulture Festival at Audubon-California's Kern River Preserve in Weldon. A variety of activities, many free of charge, are planned to help you enjoy your visit to the Kern Valley. The Friends of the Kern River Preserve will be on hand to help interpret the region, and Charlotte Goodson will delight the children with stories and crafts.

There will be booths from Sequoia National Forest, Windwolves Preserve, the FACT animal rescue center, Highway 178 Corridor Celebration, Friends of the Hatchery, Herp-Ecology reptile rescue, the U.S. Postal Service's special Turkey Vulture Cancellation Station, the Lepidopterists' Society and Sierra ForestKeeper, along with others still confirming.

Listen to the sounds of music from the talented groups "Out of the Blue" and "Carrion Luggage." These roving troubadours will delight and engage guests in song beginning at noon.

Learn about native plant gardening, feeding birds, how to use binoculars, Turkey Vultures and much more relating to nature's autumn splendor.

After the booths have closed up, stay for a picnic at the preserve and observe the vultures drop into the forest for their overnight rest before continuing their long journey to points south of the Rio Grande.

Sunday is devoted to field trips around the Kern Valley.