Have you ever stepped into a secluded valley where golden light, rushing water, and a chorus of birds make the whole landscape feel alive around you? This spring, during a special behind-the-scenes tour of Audubon’s Kern River Preserve, members of Audubon’s Grinnell Legacy Society experienced just that as they were guided through our ongoing restoration work. From Brewer’s Sparrow and Burrowing Owl to “grinding rocks” and restored farmlands, members saw firsthand what makes this critical riparian corridor so extraordinary.
Our home base for the trip was the Whispering Pines Motel in Kernville—a cozy spot where the sound of the river lulled us to sleep at night and morning coffee from the in-room kitchenette fueled each day’s adventures.
Exploring the Preserve
Our two-day journey began with a sunset walk at Sprague Ranch, a former cattle ranch where Audubon, with partners, has restored hundreds of acres of native vegetation. As we walked the trail, Preserve Manager Reed Tollefson described how leaving Audubon’s water right Fay Creek has sustained and increased resiliency of habitat for birds and wildlife.
Nearby, we examined a native plant restoration site, where the diverse native plant palette stood in sharp contrast to the muted fields of former hay and alfalfa. The difference was unmistakable: the restored land was alive with sparrows, including a lifer Brewer’s Sparrow for some of our members, while the unrestored fields remained quiet.
Thanks to all the vital restoration progress, the Brewer’s Sparrow was just part of the immense bird joy we experienced on our first day. We also had the chance to examine Native American grinding rocks while the aroma of lupine and other wildflowers drifted on the breeze. Just before the sun went down, an abundance of goldfinches (American, Lesser, and Lawrence’s) darted among the colorful blooms, dazzling our group while we did our best to focus on learning how to distinguish Western from Cassin’s Kingbirds by their white-tipped tails. After a long day of travel and excitement, we closed the evening with a delicious dinner at Sierra Vista restaurant in Weldon, reviving both body and spirit.
Early the next morning, we joined Reed at Kern River Preserve’s private office headquarters and bunkhouse, a location that often houses researchers working with our partners at Southern Sierra Research. During our meeting, we witnessed an unforgettable sight: Tricolored Blackbirds, a threatened species, mingling with a large flock of Red-winged Blackbirds. It was Reed’s first time seeing them there—likely the wetlands, enhanced by ongoing restoration work and precious water availability, played a role… with a little good luck from our group, too.
Bird artist and peregrine protector John Schmitt joined us for a beautiful stretch of our adventure, sharing his bird lore and expertise as we hiked toward a rocky overlook, pausing to admire the wildflowers along the way. At the promontory, we were rewarded with a vast, awe-inspiring view of the Kern River Valley, its lush riparian corridor on display below in a mosaic of cottonwoods, wetlands, and grasslands alive with rails, swallows, and raptors. Reed reminded us that every drop of water sustaining this oasis is safeguarded by Audubon’s historic pre-1914 water rights.
One of the most meaningful moments came when Chairman Robert Gomez, Jr. of the Tübatulabals, Indigenous people of the Kern River Valley, welcomed us to the Kwolokam, or “place of the duck”—ancestral lands recently re-acquired by the tribe. Standing in a wide-open meadow surrounded by yellow wildflowers and pine trees, Chairman Gomez and others shared their vision for the Kwolokam’s future: a hothouse to support community food security, restored orchards, a pond, and a landscape once again welcoming herons, ducks, and the treasured Pinyon Jay at the headwaters of Fay Creek.
Filled with gratitude after our rare, guided visit to Kwolokam, a few of us visited the original Kern River Preserve headquarters. Currently closed due to flooding, the visitor center and manager’s house have been rendered inaccessible as the river has shifted course. Reed explained that with future funding, he aims to reopen public access at Audubon’s Kern River Preserve, featuring trails and interpretive signage, for this lush cottonwood forest remains one of the best places for birds and birdwatching, as well as a critical habitat for birds like the federally threatened Yellow-billed Cuckoo.
After a brief afternoon respite, we carpooled to the nearby Hanning Flat Preserve just before sunset in search of Western Burrowing Owls. This preserve, purchased by the Kern Valley Heritage Foundation with support from Audubon, has become a haven thanks to artificial burrows designed by Audubon and installed by volunteers last year, efforts that have already drawn in both individual owls and nesting pairs. And we were in luck, the owls made an adorable appearance. Watching these remarkable birds emerge at dusk, with Swainson’s Hawks soaring overhead and John adding stories of their fascinating behaviors, was the perfect way to close the day.
