Tweeties,

I guess TURKEY VULTURES are on the move everywhere. My source in
Bakersfield, CA told me about this one in the Bakersfield Californian paper.
Are you happy now Diann? I got you a turkey vulture story!

Lydia In Kent, WA
lgaebe at msn.com

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Bird lovers flock to vulture fest
Filed: 09/25/99

By BOB SABERHAGEN
Californian correspondent

WELDON - Kern Valley's turkey vultures did not disappoint bird-watchers as
they lifted off from Weldon's Kern River Preserve Saturday for their annual
winter migration.

More than 2,000 of the red-headed birds swarmed from stands of dogwoods and
willows of the Audubon Society's 1,120-acre preserve near Lake Isabella,
delighting nearly 300 bird enthusiasts at Audubon's sixth annual Turkey
Vulture Festival.

The vulture fest celebrates the phenomenon of fall migration of the
estimated 28,000 birds living in the Central Valley and thousands of others
passing through from as far north as Canada.

After warming themselves in the morning sun, the birds finally soared from
their overnight roosts circling in groups of 100 or more to catch the
thermals rising from the valley floor over the 8,000-foot Sierra Mountain
peaks girding the nearby Sequoia National Forest.

Once airborne, the birds headed south toward their winter destinations in
Mexico, and Central and South America.

The 2,312 birds counted by Audubon Society volunteers Saturday bring the
total to 10,967 that have traveled through Kern Valley since Sept. 1. More
than 5,000 of those were seen in the past three days.

Many of those watching Saturday's exodus were new to bird watching.

Nine-year-old Joshua Head won't forget his first bird festival experience
after being selected by Kern River Research Center researcher Chris Otahal
to release back to the forest a recently banded and examined song sparrow.

"It was really soft," said Head, who had traveled from Nome, Alaska, with
his parents, David and Lori Head, and siblings Jeremy, Sonja and Benjamin
Head. The Heads were visiting grandparents Jim and Sharon Manson of Lake
Isabella, who brought the family to the fest. "I could feel his heartbeat."

Visitors enjoyed field trips, workshops on bird banding, geology and
birding, children's activities, information booths and displays, including a
live owl and hawk presented by Cal State Bakersfield's Facility for Animal
Care and Treatment.

The event continues through Monday, including morning and evening roost
visits.

The preserve entrance is located 57 miles east of Bakersfield off highway
178, 1.1 miles east of Sierra Way.






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Lydia In Kent, WA
Lydia Gaebe
lgaebe at msn.com

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