1994/2005 Turkey Vulture Data

Year

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

Total

27,467

28,340

16,479

30,429

23,898

17,792

NOTE: a migration exit route through Onyx and not visible from the Kelso Valley site was utilized in both 2003 and 2004. 22 Sept 2004 - hundreds of vultures were casually observed leaving through the Scodie Mountain route, 23 Sept 2004 - at least one thousand vultures were casually observed leaving through this route. In 2003 over six thousand were informally counted using this route. Anyone observing large flocks of vultures in the Capp Canyon, Scodie Mountain or Walker Pass area should contact Terri with the date, location and approximate number of vultures seen.

Onyx Route, informally surveyed: 1 Oct 2004. "955" TUVU - 2 Oct. 2004 "4" TUVU

Year

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

Total

149

93

134

136

170

112

BIRDS:  ... - species as of 15 Sept.

MAMMALS:
REPTILES:
DRAGONFLIES:
BUTTERFLIES:
INSECTS:

Note: Count period shortened and protocol changed to one day per week.
 

Volunteers are essential

Volunteers are needed each year to help count vultures and raptors migrating through. The count site is staffed every Friday from 9 am to 3 pm, except rainy days (Turkey Vultures do not fly when it rains).

2006 Cadre of Volunteers: Terri Gallion, JENNA.

Special thanks to ARK, Birdie Foster, Walter Mecham, Vern & Beaujourn Shull, and Richard Rudnick.

If you would like to volunteer for the 2006 count or more information contact:

Terri Gallion

Director, Kern Valley Vulture Watch

PO Box 335, Onyx, CA 93255

UPS/FedEx: 8055 Easy Street, Onyx, CA 93255

Phone: (760) 378-4173

Email

BIRDS: California Quail, Chukar, American White Pelican, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Northern Goshawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Ferruginous Hawk, Golden Eagle, American Kestrel, Prairie Falcon, Peregrine Falcon, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Greater Roadrunner, Anna's Hummingbird, Cliff Swallow, Violet green Swallow, Barn Swallow, White-throated Swift, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Black Phoebe, Say's Phoebe, Western Scrub Jay, Pinyon Jay, Common Raven, Horned Lark, Loggerhead Shrike, Cactus Wren, Rock Wren, Bewick's Wren, European Starling, Northern Mockingbird, Yellow-rumped Warbler, California Towhee, Brewer's Sparrow, Black-throated Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Brewer's Blackbird, Western Meadowlark, House Finch, Lesser Goldfinch ... 47 species as of 10 Oct.

MAMMALS: Coyote (Canis latrans), White-tailed Antelope Squirrel (Ammospermophilus leucurus), California Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus beecheyi), Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys sp.)
REPTILES: Desert Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus magister), Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis), Side-blotched Lizard (Uta stansburiana)
DRAGONFLIES: Blue-eyed Darner (Rhionaeschna multicolor), Common Green Darner (Anax junius), Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum)
BUTTERFLIES: Monarch (Danaus plexippus), Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia), California Sister (Adelpha bredowii), Painted Lady (Vanessa sp.), Checkered White
INSECTS: Tarantula Hawk (Pepsis sp.), Stink Beetle (Eleodes armata), California Harvester Ant (Pogonomyrmex californicus)

BIRDS: Teal sp., California Quail, American White Pelican, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Northern Goshawk, Swainson's Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Ferruginous Hawk, Golden Eagle, American Kestrel, Prairie Falcon, Peregrine Falcon, Mourning Dove, Greater Roadrunner, Anna's Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Violet green Swallow, Tree Swallow, Barn Swallow, White-throated Swift, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Say's Phoebe, Western Scrub Jay, Pinyon Jay, American Crow, Common Raven, Loggerhead Shrike, Cactus Wren, Rock Wren, Bewick's Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Mountain Chickadee, California Thrasher, Northern Mockingbird, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, California Towhee, Spotted Towhee, Chipping Sparrow, Brewer's Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Black-throated Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Western Meadowlark, Blackbird sp, House Finch, Lesser Goldfinch, Pine Siskin... 55 species as of 11 Oct.

MAMMALS: White-tailed Antelope Squirrel (Ammospermophilus leucurus), California Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus beecheyi), Black-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus californicus), Coyote (Canis latrans)
REPTILES: Side-blotched Lizard (Uta stansburiana), Desert Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus magister)
DRAGONFLIES: Blue-eyed Darner (Rhionaeschna multicolor), Common Green Darner (Anax junius), Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum), Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata)
BUTTERFLIES: Monarch (Danaus plexippus), Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia), California Sister (Adelpha bredowii), Cabbage White (Pieris rapae)
INSECTS: Tarantula Hawk (Pepsis sp.), Stink Beetle (Eleodes armata), Honeybee (Apis sp.), California Harvester Ant (Pogonomyrmex californicus)

California Quail, American White Pelican, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Northern Goshawk, Swainson's Hawk, Ferruginous Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Rough-legged Hawk, Golden Eagle, American Kestrel, Merlin, Prairie Falcon, Peregrine Falcon, Greater Roadrunner, Anna's Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird, Mourning Dove, Band-tailed Pigeon, Lewis's Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Northern Flicker, White-throated Swift, Violet-green Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Barn Swallow, Bewick's Wren, Rock Wren, Cactus Wren, Bushtit, Loggerhead Shrike, Western Scrub Jay, Pinyon Jay, American Crow, Common Raven, Black Phoebe, Say's Phoebe, Northern Mockingbird, California Thrasher, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Lazuli Bunting, Black-throated Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Spotted Towhee, California Towhee, White-crowned Sparrow, Western Meadowlark, Scott's Oriole, Brewer's Blackbird, Lesser Goldfinch, Lawrence's Goldfinch, House Finch... 56 species as of 18 Oct.

MAMMALS: Coyote, California Ground Squirrel, White-tailed Antelope Squirrel
REPTILES: Southern Pacific Rattlesnake, Sagebrush Lizard, Side-blotched Lizard, Western Fence Lizard
DRAGONFLIES: Variegated Meadowhawk, Common Green Darner, Blue-eyed Darner
BUTTERFLIES: Checkered White, Cabbage White, Orange Sulphur, California Sister, Common Buckeye, Queen, Monarch
INSECTS: Eleiodes armata (Stink beetle), Ants, Tarantula Hawk

NOTE: Over six thousand vultures were casually observed flying out through the Onyx area this year. These birds were not visible from the vulture count site. Anyone observing large flocks of vultures in the Capp Canyon, Scodie Mountain or Walker Pass area should contact Terri with the date, location and approximate number of vultures seen.

American White Pelican, Great Egret, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Ferruginous Hawk, Golden Eagle, Merlin, American Kestrel, Prairie Falcon, California Quail, Mourning Dove, Greater Roadrunner, Vaux's Swift, White-throated Swift, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird, Anna's Hummingbird, Northern Flicker, Acorn Woodpecker, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Say's Phoebe, Loggerhead Shrike, Western Scrub-Jay, Common Raven, Horned Lark, Tree Swallow, Barn Swallow, Oak Titmouse, Bushtit, Cactus Wren, Rock Wren, Bewick's Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Northern Mockingbird, California Thrasher, Le Conte's Thrasher, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Nashville Warbler, California Towhee, Black-headed Grosbeak, Lazuli Bunting, Lark Sparrow,  Black-throated Sparrow, Brewer's Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Brewer's Blackbird, House Finch, Lesser Goldfinch, Lawrence's Goldfinch. 58 species through October 17th.

American White Pelican, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk, Swainson's Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Ferruginous Hawk, Rough-legged Hawk, Golden Eagle, American Kestrel, Merlin, Prairie Falcon, Chukar, California Quail, Gull species, Mourning Dove, Greater Roadrunner, Vaux's Swift, White-throated Swift, Anna's Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird, Acorn Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Say's Phoebe, Loggerhead Shrike, Western Scrub-Jay, Pinyon Jay, Clark's Nutcracker, Common Raven, Cliff Swallow, Barn Swallow, Mountain Chickadee, Cactus Wren, Rock Wren, Bewick's Wren, Northern Mockingbird, California Thrasher, Le Conte's Thrasher, Western Tanager, California Towhee, Lark Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Western Meadowlark, House Finch, Lesser Goldfinch, Lawrence's Goldfinch...50 species through September 24th.

Double-crested Cormorant, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Northern Goshawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Swainson's Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Ferruginous Hawk, Rough-legged Hawk, Golden Eagle, American Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Prairie Falcon, Chukar, California Quail, Rock Dove, Mourning Dove, Greater Roadrunner, Anna's Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Say's Phoebe, Cliff Swallow, Loggerhead Shrike, Western Scrub-Jay, Common Raven, Mountain Chickadee, Cactus Wren, Rock Wren, Canyon Wren, Bewick's Wren, Northern Mockingbird, Sage Thrasher, California Thrasher, Le Conte's Thrasher, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, California Towhee, Lark Sparrow, Sage Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Western Meadowlark, Brewer's Blackbird, House Finch, Lesser Goldfinch, Lawrence's Goldfinch...52 species through October 15th.

Double-crested Cormorant, Turkey Vulture, Duck species, Osprey, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Northern Goshawk, Broad-winged Hawk, Swainson's Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Ferruginous Hawk, Rough-legged Hawk, Golden Eagle, American Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Prairie Falcon, Chukar, California Quail, Gull species, Rock Dove, Mourning Dove, Greater Roadrunner, Vaux's Swift, White-throated Swift, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Anna's Hummingbird, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Gray Flycatcher, Say's Phoebe, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Western Kingbird, Loggerhead Shrike, Western Scrub-Jay, Pinyon Jay, Common Raven, Horned Lark, Tree Swallow, Violet-green Swallow, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Barn Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Mountain Chickadee, Oak Titmouse, Bushtit, Cactus Wren, Rock Wren, Canyon Wren, Bewick's Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Northern Mockingbird, Sage Thrasher, California Thrasher, Le Conte's Thrasher, European Starling, Phainopepla, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Green-tailed Towhee, Spotted Towhee, California Towhee, Chipping Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Black-throated Sparrow, Sage Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Black-headed Grosbeak, Western Meadowlark, Brewer's Blackbird, Bullock's Oriole, Scott's Oriole, House Finch, Pine Siskin, Lesser Goldfinch...78 species.

Compare the Kern Valley Vulture Watch results with 5 years of the Tehachapi Vulture Count - http://tmbc.info/turkey_vulture_count.html