Birding the Basin

May 18, 2008
Hello,While letting the dog out on Friday night I heard a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD in the next neighborhood over. I went on a walk on Sat. morning and found it atop of a house at 5479 BASIN VIEW DRIVE. It could likely be at another house, but I'd bet it would be near that location. They roam around a neighborhood, but there's probably a center to their territory. They can be easily tracked down if they are singing. Sounds that it's imitating: Killdeer, Greater Yellowlegs, Robin calls, Tree Swallow, Western Kingbird... among others. Mockingbirds sing at night, and it's a bird I miss, being away from growing up further south. But the last two nights..... Ahhhhhh! the sounds were great!OBOL has changed its address and I haven't subscribed yet, so you won't see this on OBOL unless someone forwards it.Kevin Spencerrriparia@charter.net

May 18, 2008
On an outing on Friday to the marshes on Bliss Road, we found the American Bittern, but the Cattle Egret was gone (this is a follow up to the sightings of Sunday, May 11th for the NAMC). It was in the middle of the day, very hot, and there was very little life on the water.

Mary Ellen Sargent

Birding the Basin

May 9, 2008

This from Mary Ellen Sargent.
Hi all,

Just wanted to give you some results of birding the area today:

Thanks, Kevin, for the directions to the Tri-colored Blackbird site in Malin. We were able to study the birds in the blackberry bushes.

Thanks, Charlotte, for the location of the Swainson's Hawk over the ridge on Hwy 161. The dark morph was fence sitting. On a related note, I saw a light morph on the Hwy 66 side of town.

For those of you who like hawks, there's a Red-tailed nest on the Lost River in Merrill in downtown, right by the Main St. bridge.....3 downy babies peaking out. Another nest is across from Diamond S meats on Hwy 39 and another is off Hwy 66 just before Lawanda Hills.

White Lake area had a beautiful Bald Eagle. While cruising down Hwy 161, we saw large, I mean large, flocks of White-faced Ibis heading to the refuge. We also were able to compare Caspian and Foster's Terns.

Indian Tom Lake had lots of Western Kingbirds.

Miller Island hosted over 5 Black Terns by the boat launch, and the resident Great Horned Owl and a Yellow Warbler, both in the picnic area.

Mary Ellen Sargent

Tricoloured Colony Saved!

Tricoloured mega-colony saved
Birdlife/ www.birdlife.org
08-05-2008
Audubon California has announced that it has reached an agreement with a farmer to safeguard a single colony of about 80,000 Tricoloured Blackbirds Agelaius tricolor – nearly a third of the world’s population of this Endangered species.
The estimated global population of Tricoloured Blackbirds is 250,000 to 300,000 birds, with at least 95% of these occurring in California. Tricoloured Blackbirds have declined dramatically in the past century as native wetland habitat has been lost and the species has consequently been classified as Endangered. Tricoloured Blackbirds form just a few large nesting colonies each year, and in most cases these occur in crop fields. This puts the colonies in grave danger when farmers cultivate the field before young birds are able to fly.
“This is really a great victory for conservation, and an example of how conservation and agricultural interests can work together to find real solutions”, said Graham Chisholm, director of conservation for Audubon California. “The Tricoloured Blackbird is an important part of California’s natural beauty, and this agreement, combined with other conservation measures, will help to ensure that it has a healthy future.”
Through a cooperative agreement with Audubon California, the farmer will delay the harvest of 65 hectares where the colony is nesting. This delay will provide enough time for the young to leave the nest, ensuring the success of the state’s largest breeding colony. Because the delay in harvesting will reduce the market value of the crop, Audubon California has agreed to compensate the farmer for any lost value.
“This is really a great victory for conservation, and an example of how conservation and agricultural interests can work together to find real solutions” —Graham Chisholm, Audubon California
“Audubon is grateful that this farmer was willing work with us to craft a solution to save this mega-colony of Tricoloured Blackbirds”, said Chisholm. “We’ve found that the more we talk about these issues, the more we understand that we don’t necessarily have to choose between the protection of important species and the economic interests of farming communities.”
Public and private land managers are working to manage habitat for Tricoloured Blackbirds in order to encourage the birds to nest in wetlands and other secure habitats as opposed to agricultural fields.
Audubon California is part of a statewide working group, including public agencies, farmer and rancher organizations, conservation organizations, researchers from UC Davis and others to develop a comprehensive strategy to protect Tricoloured Blackbirds.
The funding for this agreement was made possible thanks to private funds and a grant from the California Department of Fish and Game through the Landowner Incentive Program.See how Tricoloured Blackbird and other threatened birds are faring on May 19 with the launch of the 2008 IUCN Red List for birds.

Klamath Wingwatchers Spring Fling!

Klamath Wingwatchers, Inc.

Invites you to join us
at our Klamath Wingwatchers
Spring Fling Taste of the Arts Fundraiser
Saturday, May 24 of Memorial Weekend 3-8 pm
Stefan Savides, world renowned artist and taxidermist, is opening his home and large backyard pond filled with migratory birds for the pleasure of Wingwatcher supporters.

* Feast your eyes on the birds and the artistic talents of Stefan and his friends * Tickle your palette with Portland St. Market's specialty foods
and wine and beer tastings from 3-7:30 pm
* Fill your ears with wonderful music
* Enjoy relaxed conversation with friends
Tickets are $20 for Wingwatcher Members, $25 for non-members. Members buy tickets for friends at member price. Only 60 tickets will be sold, so get your tickets soon.

Know someone who is not a member who would like to join us? Wingwatcher memberships are $15/person, $25/family, or $35/business.

You can buy your ticket and your membership by calling Leslie Lowe at 882-6509 or
emailing inharmony46@charter.net.
Directions to Savides home/studio: Go south on Washburn Way past Joe Wright Road about 1/2 mile. Stefan's home/ studio is on the left side at 7901 Washburn Way.

Birding the Basin

Hello Everyone:

Here are the recent bird sightings. Remember that Klamath Falls International Migratory Bird Day is Saturday, May 10th at Veterans Park. Hope to see you there!
Thank you,
Cindy Deas
KLMS/KBBT/BRBT
541-892-0596

04/27/08
Hi all, Today at the southern part of Unit 6 on Lower Klamath tour route, there were around 30 Franklin's Gulls soaring about. If you take the main entrance and then turn right at Intersection A, they were about a half mile past where the "totem pole" owls were this winter. That is about a mile Past Intersection F.Charlotte Ann

5-2-08

Sorry, I didn't paste Dave Menke's message. It is below.The evening of May 1 I observed and photographed a single Harris's Sparrow near the recently cut large willow tree aong the Wingwatchers Trail. Great birding along the trail right now. Many other good looks at sparrows (Lincoln's, Savannah, Song) and Warblers (yellowthroat, yellow and yellow-rumped) along the trail. Photo attached. Dave Menke
Sunday, May 4: A EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE was hanging around the west side of Chiloquin. Also, a SOLITARY SANDPIPER was in the wetlands near the RR tracks at the old Chiloquin Millsite.

Other nice birds: a pair of CINNAMON TEAL at the Millsite wetlands, WILSON'S SNIPE (ditto), GRAY and DUSKY FLYCATCHERS (Spinks Park area), BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE (Millsite wetlands), COMMON YELLOWTHROAT (Millsite wetlands), and LARK SPARROW (Millsite).

--
Wes Stone
Chiloquin, OR
http://wesweb.homestead.com/birding.html

Birds and Other Items of Interest

Hi Everyone:

Once again, I've been pretty busy so I got a little behind on postings. Please see new items below.

Thank you,
Cindy Deas
KLMS/KBBT/BRBT
541-892-0596
Hi all, Normally I don't send these things out to you, but this one is really something. There are other videos that can be seen at this site. Some of them are pretty good.Charlotte Annhttp://youtube.com/watch?v=DwepjctCkL0

Hi all, This From Dave Haupt. No mention as to where in Tulelake it was seen, but they have been seen in town before.Charlotte AnnSubject: G-t Grackle, TulelakeA singing male Great-tailed Grackle was present in the town of Tulelake yesterday. Tulelake is in California, ~ 6 miles south of the Oregon border. There were several present in late fall/winter this year - could be a straggler that might want to breed nearby - it's only a matter of time. Also a movement of Savanna Sparrows among others.Dave HauptKlamath Falls

4-23-08
Hi all,
Yesterday morning, I drove down the south part of Unit 4 on Lower Klamath refuge by taking the main entrance road, going left at Intersection B and continuing well past Intersection E. Just to the north the quarry, there is a dirt road that go off to the left. Some of you were there on the last Audubon field trip. An immature male Peregrine Falcon was first seen chasing blackbirds on the hill and a little later, heading off toward the Sheepy East Unit. I would imagine that from there, it worked its way up towards White Lake. While waiting for the visitor center to open, I scoped the Great Horned Owl in the hole on the cliff. The female had a fairly large prey item that she was feeding to at least two young. My best guess was that it was formerly a live coot. Behind the center, a flycatcher appeared in the closest tree. It was there for quite some time, giving excellent looks, but it still was not an easy identification for those of us seeing it. The bird most like it in the field guides was Dusky Flycatcher. A male Rufous Hummingbird was there as well. Bonaparte's Gulls were seen in breeding plumage at the Tee intersection at the end of the English Channel on the Tule Lake tour route. At the parking area at Captain Jack's Stronghold another flycatcher was seen, It looked identical to the one seen at the visitor center.Charlotte Ann

Hi all,
The Lower Klamath refuge is working its long range plans. If any of you want to be part of a group that will present ideas for non-consumptive use on the refuge please contact me. I will be working on a list of ideas that I think will make Lower Klamath and the other local refuges more birder friendly. Even if you do not wish to take an active part in this, please send me any ideas you think should be incorporated into the refuge's planning. A few of my ideas include a lower speed limit, mileage markers, getting heavy trucks off the tour routes, more attention to the habitat requirements of birds other than the hunted ones, walk-in observation blinds and other lots of things I could list. I am certain that every one of you has other good ideas that you believe should be incorporated in future planning. It will be a while before public input is asked by the refuge, but by then, we should be well prepared to submit our thoughts. I would like to see a core group of four or five folks gathering ideas for submission, but any level of help would be greatly appreciated. If any of you have other contacts beyond the 40 or so folks on this e-mailing list, by all means contact them for any ideas they might have. Once we get a core group, we should have a brainstorming meeting. I hope to hear from many of you with your suggestions for improving non-consumptive use on the refuge.
Charlotte Ann

Birding the Basin

Hi Everyone:

I've been attending the Governor's Tourism Conference, so am a little behind. Here is what I have so far:
Thank you,
Cindy Deas
541-892-0596
Klamath Basin Bird News: Went down into Klamath River Canyon today. Drove to campground; biked for 3 mi. and back. Nice day. Most interesting was a pair of WILD TURKEYs. Jake and Jenny. (second time I've observered species in county; 1st time last fall) Other birds: Green-winged Teal,1, White-headed Woodpecker, 2, Acorn Woodpecker 3, Lewis's Woodpecker, 7, Northern Flicker, 4, Violet-green Swallow,1 , Red-tailed Hawk, 2, Golden Eagle, 1 imm., Turkey Vulture, 8, Oak Titmouse, 3, White-breasted Nuthatch, 2, Golden-crowned Kinglet, 4, Brown Creeper, 2, AMERICAN CROW, 2, American Robin, 15, Northern Yellow-rumped Warbler, 25 Sort of still quiet as spring hasn't really kicked in yet.Also of note: Ness Lake has shorebirds. Scoping from Hill Road might be interesting. Kevin Spencer rriparia@charter.net
Woodpecker Tours
Greetings Central Oregon birders,Most of you should have received my recent announcement of the first annual Woodepcker Wonderland Festival, to be held June 6-8 in Camp Sherman. Many of you may be waiting to register for the event, thinking there will be plenty of time. I have been promoting this event in Central and Southern California, and in Texas, since January, and some of the tours are already filling up, so I want to give you fair warning. In a large part, this event is for you -- our friends in the Central Oregon birding community. I have tried to keep the costs minimal to make it accessible to the broadest audience possible. Field trips will be led by some of the best birders in Oregon to areas I know most of you have never explored. And our keynote presentation promises to be an evening to remember. I am excited that so many out-of-state folks are interested in the festival, but I hate to see you miss out on the fun. If you are interested in attending, please get your registration in as soon as possible, as space is limited for all parts of the event. Registration forms can be downloaded from here: http://www.paradisebirding.com/wwfest08.pdf If you have any trouble with the forms or if you have any questions, feel free to get in touch with my by email or phone (408-1753). I look forward to hearing from you and to sharing our quickly-becoming-infamous Woodpecker Wonderland!Steve Shunk

Tule Geese

Hi all, On the field trip today on Lower Klamath, the highlight was seeing a pair of the "Tule Goose" form of Greater White-fronted Geese. The were way down on the south end of the refuge. You go in the entrance and veer left at Intersection B, proceed straight ahead well past Intersection E and take the dirt road that goes left just before you come to the quarry. Take that road until you come to what almost could be called a viewing mound. The geese were on an island to the north of the mound. Also, at Intersection B, the were some more that could well have been Tule Geese, but the sun was beginning to get to me so I retreated to my vehicle and did not scope them, but they appeared to be Tule Geese. An adult Swainson's hawk was seen early this morning perched on the fence on the top of the hill on the north side of Stateline Road just to the west of the notch between Merrill Pit Road and the trailer park. They have nested in the largest juniper on the hill for several years now. I did not see the hawk when I went by there in the early afternoon. That is about all I have, but I'll bet that some of you have something to share with this group. I encourage you to please do so.Charlotte Ann


Moore Park Birding
On April 11 I observed multiple sightings of White-headed Woodpeckers,Red-breasted Sapsuckers and 1 or more Acorn Woodpeckers at Moore Park.Most were in mature ponderosa near the junction of the closed loop roads.Anna's Hummingbird at same location as last year. Merlin on eagle perch(dead snag along nature trail).Dave Menke