Susan Barr
Kern Valley Sun

Turning off of Highway 178 onto the Kern River Preserve in Weldon, you are immediately enveloped by a wonderful sense of country quiet. As you meander along the dirt track, the hustle and bustle of the everyday world fades away. The road enters a thick grove of shade trees, and the lush green canopy overhead results in a temperature drop of several degrees. It was this wonderful shady oasis that was the setting for last weekend’s 10th Annual Kern River Valley Hummingbird Celebration.

The Preserve itself, is comprised of 1,127 acres of forest, meadows and wetlands which are bisected by the Kern Valley's South Fork Kern River. Surrounded by the majestic mountains of the Sequoia National Forest, it protects part of California's largest remaining Fremont cottonwood and red willow lowland riparian forest. While the area is home to 200 plus species of nesting birds, it was the eight species of hummingbirds who currently reside there, that took center stage last weekend. Four of those species breed on the preserve, while two routinely migrate through the area and two are of what is known as a “vagrant variety.” People journeyed to the preserve, from far and wide, to view the multitude of tiny birds up close.

One of the hundreds of hummingbirds at Saturday’s 10th annual Hummingbird Celebration at the Kern River Preserve in Weldon approaches a feeder, the source of nourishment they require for the incredible demands of migration.

Michelle Cervantes, of Newport Beach, learned of the event over a year ago and scheduled vacation time from work so that she could be there. Cervantes, who has hummingbird feeders on each level of her home, loves watching the little flying dynamos. She summed up her appreciation for the birds by stating, “I admire their tenacity; they fly forwards and backwards. They may be small, but they're mighty.”

Kathryn Laub, of Simi Valley, traveled up to the event that morning with her husband, Jeff. Sitting on a bench in a shady spot off of one of the hiking trails, she commented that she was, “Fascinated by how territorial the male hummingbirds are. They can be violent if they need to and don't mind using those sharp little beaks of theirs.”

Event attendees were able to take advantage of an educational slide show at the visitor center, informative talks, hikes on the various trails, as well as viewing the hummingbirds at a plethora of feeders scattered throughout the area. Some visitors, like Tom Ryan, from Running Springs, wasn't content to be a passive bird watcher. He opted to use a hand-held hummingbird feeder, and lured individual birds into landing just inches away from his body. It wasn't clear who enjoyed the experience more, man or bird.

When looking for a good word to describe these tiny feathered creatures, “tenacious” is probably the best choice. Their heartbeats routinely beat at 500 to 1260 beats per minute. They are fierce and fearless despite their size and will not hesitate to collide with another bird. They routinely use their bills to try and attack the eyes of other hummingbirds. Their wings, which can beat approximately 70-80 times per second, rotate at the shoulder, allowing them to make a forward stroke followed by a backward stroke. Hence, their hovering appearance.

Most hummingbirds start their migration south, as early as July. The birds need all of the quick and easy nourishment they can find to sustain the incredible energy demands of migration. Although they rely on nectar-filled feeders along the way, it is protein that makes up the majority of their diet. The can eat up to 400-500 tiny insects and spiders a day. By keeping feeders full for at least three weeks after you see the last bird in the fall, you ensure that these incredible little aviators will make it all the way to their ultimate destination. As an added bonus, by providing a consistent source of food, grateful hummingbirds will remember your location and grace you with their presence year after year.

Reed Tollefson, manager of the Audubon California preserve, has worked there for over 21 years and is still fascinated by the tiny birds. He said that their widespread appeal is due largely to the fact that, “They're tough little creatures. They weigh next to nothing, but yet they can make the incredible journey from Alaska to Mexico.” He also added, that the hummingbirds lucky enough to have found the preserve, ”Seem to like the pleasant surroundings and enjoy having a respite from the tough world.”

The preserve has nature trails, a visitor center, and picnic tables. A multitude of field trips and other special events are held there throughout the year. The preserve is open to the public, from dawn to dusk, every day of the year, including all holidays. For more info, contact the preserve at (760) 378-2531.

Want to attract more hummingbirds to your yard? See the hummingbird sidebar, at right.

Susan Barr

Kern Valley Sun

Try out the following recipe for homemade nectar: Boil 1 part granulated sugar to 4 parts water, i.e. 1/4 cup of sugar to 1 cup water. Be sure to let it cool before pouring into the hummingbird feeder. You do not have to add red food coloring, although red is an excellent choice to get your feeder noticed by passing hummingbirds. Once they know a feeder offers sugar water, they will use it no matter what color it is.

Some of the best plant choices to attract hummingbirds to your backyard are bee balm, honeysuckle, hollyhocks, geranium, petunias, guara, fire bush, flame acanthus and autumn sage.

If readers have more ideas and suggestions, send them to us at editor@kvsun.com.