Field Trip Logistics
Fees
Trip fees vary. Please read very carefully the fees for each
individual field trip. Owling trips may be significantly higher in cost
when participation per trip is highly restricted.
Trip Planning
Trip fees cover personalized trip planning services (E-mail:
bbarnes@lightspeed.net,
Phone: 760-382-1260). Trips listed may or may not go
any day (except those listed on Saturday/Sunday), please list days you
will attend the festival and trips desired and Bob Barnes, the trips
coordinator, will arrange your personalized schedule.
Payment
There is no pre-payment for field trips. Payments for all field
trips will be made during the festival. Fees will be collected at the
start of your first field trip unless otherwise directed at that time.
Where to Meet
Field trips will start and end at more than one location. Be sure to
check the detailed festival schedule very carefully to determine exactly
where each of your field trips start and end. Please arrive at each
trip’s departure point 10-15 minutes before scheduled departure.
Kern River
Preserve - Meet up to 15 minute before scheduled departure
time. Take Hwy 178 to entrance to Kern River Preserve, drive .2 miles
on dirt road to Audubon property. Continue through forest and bear
left along road, continue past parking area and park beyond the trees
at sign designating field trip parking. Park straight in toward the
trees or bushes, form only two rows, do not parallel park.
Kernville - Meet up
to 15 minutes prior to departure. Take Kernville Road to Riverside
Park across from Riverside One Stop (Shell gas station). Take
opportunity to use restrooms at this stop.
Fay Ranch Road
(Sprague Ranch) - Meet up to 15 minutes prior to departure. Take
Hwy 178 to Fay Ranch Road, drive 1.6 miles and turn left at gate near
open hay barn. Park straight in along fence line on both north and
south sides of fence. Do not block hay barn. If needed create a third
row in center. Do not parallel park. Do not drive beyond hay barn
area.
Lake
Isabella Park-and-Ride - Meet up to
15 minute prior to departure. Take Hwy 155 exit off Hwy 178. Turn
toward Wofford Heights. Park and ride is in front of Lake Isabella
Motel.
Kissack Bay - Meet
5 minutes prior to workshop time. Kissack Bay (Cove) is located in the
hamlet of Mountain Mesa along Highway 178. Mileage from the Kern River
Preserve to Kissack Bay is just under 7 miles. Turn toward the
reservoir by the sign at the west edge of Mountain Mesa. Meet your
group and follow your leader from the entrance.
South Fork Middle School - 5225 Kelso Valley
Road, Weldon. Take Kelso Valley Road (just east of the entrance to
KRP), drive ~2.3 miles to the school turn right into the parking lot. Dinners will be
held in the school's multi-purpose room.
What to Bring
All trips will be via private car caravan. Carpooling is highly
encouraged. Bring food and water to last all day. Bring comfortable
walking shoes and layered clothing for weather that may range from
cloudless to rainy and cold to hot. If possible, bring two-way radios
for inter-car communication.
Magazine Articles
California Cornucopia - Birding Kern County by Bob Steele, WildBird
Magazine, September/October 2005.
(Available by going to:
http://www.bobsteelephoto.com/home/articles/birding_Kern.html)
Find It Here! The Kern River Valley and Southern Sierra Nevada of
California by Bob Barnes and Bob Steele, in the American Birding
Association’s Birding magazine, April 2003.
(Available by going to
http://www.bobsteelephoto.com/home/articles/Kern2.pdf)
Kern and Tulare Counties bird sightings (Available by going to
www.birdingonthe.net)
Reference Books
A Birder’s Guide to Southern California edited by Brad Schram,
American Birding Association, 2007 (Kern River Valley and Southern
Sierra Nevada, pp. 120-139; Kern Desert Oases and Piute Mountains, pp.
140-147; Inyokern – Le Conte’s Thrasher, pp. 148-149; and Other Good
Birding Spots – Kern County, pp. 328-332)
Birding Northern California by John Kemper, The Globe Pequot Press, 2001
(Western Divide Highway, pp. 319-321 and Kern River Valley, pp. 322-326)
Web Sites
Kern County Birding –
www.naturali.org/birding.htm
Kern River Valley Birding -
www.krvbirding.org
Kern and Tulare Counties bird sightings -
www.birdingonthe.net/birdmail.html
Bob Steele Photography -
http://www.bobsteelephoto.com/home
Other References (butterflies, other insects, other vertebrates,
plants, general natural history)
http://www.naba.org/meeting/planning.html
Travel Information
Click this link for maps and travel
information.
Accommodations
Click here for
Hotel and Camping Information. The Kernville Chamber of Commerce may
also provide lodging information. Phone: (760) 376-2629.
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