Valerie Cassity
Special to the Sun

Audubon California’s Kern River Preserve held their 15th annual Autumn Nature and Vulture Festival last weekend, Sept. 26-27 at their headquarters in Weldon. The festival celebrates the biodiversity of the Kern Valley, highlighting the annual fall migration of the turkey vultures, which stop off at the preserve by the thousands on their way to winter in Mexico.

“It’s a good idea exposing animals that aren’t endangered to the public,” said Andy Ganick, Wildlife Biologist with the Southern Sierra Research Station. “We spend so much time focusing on animals that are endangered, but animals that are doing fine need attention, too!”

Turkey vultures take to the air to ride the morning thermals in Weldon.

Overhead, “kettles” of vultures soared and rode the thermals, much to the fascination of locals as well as Californians from all parts of the state and visitors from around the world. Festivities on the open lawn included vendors and organizations that informed visitors about the Valley’s natural highlights. Buzz Lansford had a large display of local reptiles, including rattlesnakes, lizards, and a desert tortoise which the children enjoyed petting.

“I think this is pretty incredible,” said Kernville resident Rhonda Stallone.” “It helps our local kids get a more intimate view of the nature in our own back yard,” she said as her son, Sebastion, worked on an art project. “I’ve noticed that our local schools don’t offer curriculum around the local ecology, and this is a way we can share that science with our children.”

According to Alison Sheehey, Kern River Preserve Outreach Director and Festival Coordinator, an average of 25,000 have been seen flying over a single point in the South Fork Valley. The vulture count includes only the birds that pass over a single observation point, five miles south of Audubon’s Kern River Preserve. This Pacific Flyway vulture migration is one of the five largest known in North America.

There were plenty of activities for naturalists at all levels, including nature walks for beginners, bird watching, reptile tours, and a butterfly walk around the Preserve. Desert Mountain RC&D held a small native plant sale while informing the public of fire resistant landscapes that require minimal water.

Ivett Plascencia, of the Fish and Wildlife Service’s Bittercreek National Wildlife Refuge, spoke to the crowd about the near extinction and the ongoing efforts to protect and replenish the California Condor population.

Sheehey hosted an amusing wildlife-calling contest. Sounds of birds, barn animals and snakes wafted through the mid-moring air. In the adult category, long-time birder Terri Galleon, of Weldon, won the grand prize with her yellow billed cuckoo and California quail bird calls; Georgie Bergeron was awarded second place for her rattlesnake imitation; and Lynn McDonald took third place with her rooster call. In the children’s category, brothers Tyler and Zachary Goss, of Bodfish, tied for first place, and each was presented with a a Kern River Preserve T-shirt.

The Kern Valley Turkey Vulture Festival is sponsored by Audubon–California, Friends of Audubon’s Kern River Preserve, Kern River Valley Revitalization, Southern Sierra Research Station and TLH.

“One of the benefits of the festival is to bring the community and visitors into the Kern Valley to introduce them to one of nature’s most unique creatures during its fall migration,” said Sheehey. “Audubon California is happy to introduce people to the South Fork Kern River and our efforts to protect the largest riparian cottonwood willow forest in California.”

For more information, visit http://kern.audubon.org.