Author: Elva Manquera

End of Point Count Season Update

Written by Elva Manquera on October 3, 2023. Posted in Klamath Call Note, Birds & Birding, Conservation, KBO Science.

By Tom McLaren, Biologist Point Count Program

Each spring, KBO conducts a large-scale point count surveying effort to collect data on abundance, habitat use, and bird communities. Many species can only be surveyed during their breeding season when they establish territories and are easily detected by their unique songs. To take advantage of this, our point count surveys take place within a narrow window during the spring breeding season. With the help of a fantastic team of seasonal point count technicians, KBO completed another successful season of surveys this year.

This spring, our surveyors conducted a total of 2101 point counts over 214 survey days. Much of this work was related to long-term monitoring of avian populations and ecological restoration projects. These projects align with KBO’s goals to understand changes to bird communities and to provide conservation relevant science to resource managers.

Our long-term monitoring projects include partnerships with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the National Park Service (NPS). Our partnership with the BLM includes ongoing surveys within the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in southern Oregon and large-scale monitoring of bird populations in eastern Oregon as a part of the Integrated Monitoring in Bird Conservation Regions (IMBCR) program. With over 1,000 detections, Western Meadowlarks continue to be one of our most frequently observed species on our IMBCR surveys. Other notable species include Horned Lark, Sagebrush Sparrow, and Gray Flycatcher, each of which was detected several hundred times on our surveys.

In partnership with the NPS, we also completed our 15th year of point count surveys in national parks of the Klamath-Siskiyou region. Our surveyors visited the Lava Beds National Monument and Redwoods National and State Parks in northern California. At Redwoods National and State Parks, our most commonly detected species were the Pacific-slope Flycatcher (Western Flycatcher) and the Pacific Wren. Notably, in Lava Beds National Monument, our surveyors had several Pinyon Jay detections. These birds, which are under federal review for listing under the Endangered Species Act, are known for foraging on the seeds of the eponymous pinyon pine and are currently suffering a dramatic population decline. The Pinyon jay’s decline is thought to be the result of a loss of suitable pinyon-juniper habitat.

This year, our restoration surveying work took our technicians across Oregon and into Northern California. One of our largest restoration projects in the Northern Blues Mountains included surveys across the Umatilla and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests of Northeastern Oregon in partnership with the United States Forest Service (USFS). Our surveyors also visited regions of Northern California, southern Oregon, and Portland to survey oak, riparian, and aspen restoration sites. Notably, this year marked the initiation of an oak restoration monitoring project as part of an ongoing partnership with the Upper Rogue Oak Initiative. This partnership is focused on restoring and maintaining healthy oak woodlands within the region. With more than 500 detections each, Western Tanagers, Yellow-rumped Warblers, and American Robins were the most frequently seen species on our restoration projects. Our surveyors also had several exciting encounters with more uncommon species, including the American Three-toed Woodpecker, Northern Goshawk (American Goshawk), and Veery.

We’d like to give a big shout-out to our fantastic team of point count surveyors this year. They worked tirelessly to collect high-quality data about our bird communities while navigating life in the field. Our science team is happy to have another successful point count season on the books, and we are looking forward to learning more from the data we have collected.

Scott Valley Hawk Adventure

Written by Elva Manquera on September 25, 2023. Posted in Klamath Call Note, Birds & Birding, Trips & Events.

Please join KBO board members Dick Ashford and Amanda Alford for a hawk-finding outing to beautiful Scott Valley, CA! October should show the early signs of raptor migration in the area; we will search for newly arrived migrants, birds just passing through, and local residents.

We’ll learn about and identify the raptors we see along our route, taking us from just north of Fort Jones south to Etna, crisscrossing the valley as we go. The tour will be conducted at a leisurely pace with time to watch individual raptors and (hopefully) enjoy observing behavior, such as hunting, feeding, and inter and intra-specific interactions. There are no guarantees (it’s a natural show), but Dick will have scouted the area beforehand to locate the best spots. The image above is that of a bird Dick observed south of Fort Jones. Can you guess its ID?

Please be sure to dress comfortably and bring lunch and liquids. Most of our birding will be from the roadside, and walking will be minimal. And, as is our custom, we will not have a formal lunch stop but will eat as the birds do – all day long!

We’ll depart Ashland at 8 AM and return around 5-ish. Because of the narrow farm roads, we are limiting this trip to just 10 attendees. We will carpool (a must!) in 3 vehicles.

Cost: $40 per person

Date: October 21st

We’re looking forward to seeing you in the Field Of Wonder!

Klamath Bird Observatory (KBO) follows Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, and as such, KBO events are offered with COVID-19 safety as a primary concern. Proof of “up-to-date” vaccination will be required for all in-person participants. Upon registration, all individuals attending an in-person event must also fill out KBO’s COVID Release Form and Waiver of Liability. Paper copies may also be available at an event upon advanced request. Please do not attend the event if you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.

NEWS RELEASE: Using Life Cycles of Culturally Significant Birds to Inform Timing of Prescribed Burns

Written by Elva Manquera on September 21, 2023. Posted in Klamath Call Note, Conservation, KBO Partners, KBO Science, Press Room.

CONTACT: Elva Manquera-DeShields, Science Communications and Outreach Manager, Klamath Bird Observatory, 541‐908-0040, ejm@KlamathBird.org

This press release was first published on the Forest Service and United States Department of Agriculture website.

Photo Credits USDA Forest Service photo by Frank Lake
Western Klamath Restoration Partnership prescribed fire at Roger’s Creek near Somes Bar, California, June 2023.

Pacific Southwest Research Station and Klamath Bird Observatory ecologists recently published new findings about using life cycles of culturally significant birds to inform the timing of prescribed burns in the Klamath Siskiyou Bioregion of Northern California and southern Oregon. The research was a collaborative effort with partners from the Karuk Tribe Department of Natural Resources, Michigan Technological University, and others.

The team studied bird banding data from 11 different species collected over 22 years. Focusing on birds that have cultural significance to local tribes, such as orange-crowned warblers, researchers gathered information about their life cycles. Birds expend a lot of energy during molting and breeding seasons, which leaves them more vulnerable to threats such as fire.

Michigan Technological University Assistant Professor and the paper’s co-author, Jared Wolfe, stated that “we found, in general, breeding tends to start near the beginning of April in the redwood forests, and later, towards the end of April, in coastal regions and along the Klamath and Trinity rivers.”

Birds have long been integral to tribal ways of life and part of indigenous knowledge but have suffered population losses. Devastating wildfires fueled by climate change and other factors have caused some western bird species to plummet. Prescribed burns can benefit these birds by helping restore forest ecosystems. However, when prescribed burns take place during birds’ molting and breeding seasons, they can cause unintentional harm.

Klamath Bird Observatory Executive Director and the paper’s co-author, John Alexander, explained that “our research results provide more precise guidance that can inform the timing of prescribed burns based on birds’ breeding and molting seasons.”

Researchers found cultural burning practices, which coincide with natural seasonal cycles, likely pose fewer threats to birds.

Pacific Southwest Research Station Ecologist, Tribal Liaison, Karuk tribal descendant, and the paper’s co-author, Frank Lake, emphasized that “this research can guide land management decisions to better align with traditional tribal burning practices that consider culturally significant birds.”

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The Klamath Bird Observatory (KBO) is a non-profit organization that advances bird and habitat conservation through science, education, and partnerships. Working in the Pacific Northwest and throughout the ranges of migratory birds KBO emphasizes high-caliber science and the role of birds as indicators to inform and improve natural resource management. KBO also nurtures an environmental ethic through community outreach and education.

Headquartered in Albany, California, the Pacific Southwest Research Station is part of the U.S. Forest Service’s Research and Development branch, developing and communicating science to sustain forest ecosystems and other benefits to nature and society. Pacific Southwest Research Station scientists are engaged in research across a network of experimental watersheds, ranges and forests, with research facilities in California, Hawaii and the U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands. For Research and Development happenings, follow Pacific Southwest Research Station on X.

Brazil Trip Registration

Written by Elva Manquera on September 19, 2023. Posted in Travel with KBO.

A fun, adventurous, and engaging way to support bird and habitat conservation beyond borders

Jaime Stephens, KBO Director of Conservation and Luiza Figueira, Mantiqueira Bird Observatory Executive Director

We invite you to join the directors of Klamath Bird Observatory and Mantiqueira Bird Observatory for a 10-day adventure exploring the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil. The trip will be held August 13-22, 2025. During the trip, you will:

1. 1. Visit natural landscapes and enjoying scenic places;
2. Hike through a diversity of habitats;
3. Observe birds and wildlife in nature;
4. Experience local culture;
5. Learn about birds, bird observatories, and international conservation;
6. Support Klamath Bird Observatory and Mantiqueira Bird Observatory science based conservation beyond borders intern exchange program

Klamath Bird Observatory is well known for its broad international reach, focusing on partnerships and capacity building across the ranges of our shared birds. KBO’s bird banding internship program has trained over 283 interns from more than 17 countries. OAMa is a fruit of this capacity-building program, which is now running its training program in Brazil. As part of the continued partnership between these two observatories, we are pleased to announce a new internship exchange program! After training in their home country, biologists will have the opportunity to visit and train at the other observatory. KBO will host a student from OAMa for three or six months each year, and OAMa will host a student from KBO for up to three months at their field station in Brazil, joining the local crew at the year-round bird monitoring on the Mantiqueira Highlands.

In addition to supporting the intern exchange program, this trip will fund OAMa’s banding station for an ENTIRE YEAR! That includes six interns and one banding coordinator. Currently, OAMa is the only banding training program in Brazil.

The cost is $5750 per person, including in-country transportation, single-occupancy lodging, and meals with limited alcoholic beverages – the flight to Brazil is not included. The cost with a double occupancy discount is $5250 per person.

A $ 3,500 deposit is required to reserve your seat. Final payment is due 6 months before departure. Both the deposit and final payment are non-refundable. A portion of the cost directly supports the intern exchange program between the two bird observatories and is tax-deductible. The maximum trip size is 12 participants; some activities will be split into smaller groups. We reserve the right to cancel before March 13th if the trip does not have a minimum number of attendees. Trip activities will include moderate walking, sometimes on uneven trails, and away from facilities for half to full days.

Brazil Trip Itinerary 2025

Check out a presentation about the 2024 Brazil Trip here.

Registration for the 2025 trip is closed. If you are interested in traveling with KBO in the future, please fill out the form below and let us know. We will reach out with more information.

Brazil Future Trips

Name(Required)

First Last

Email(Required)

Phone Number

Comments

Let us know if you have an questions regarding the trip to Brazil or other KBO adventures.

Brazil Trip Registration 2026

Written by Elva Manquera on July 2, 2025. Posted in uncategorized.

A fun, adventurous, and engaging way to support bird and habitat conservation beyond borders

We invite you to join the directors of Klamath Bird Observatory and Mantiqueira Bird Observatory for a 10-day adventure exploring the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil. The trip will take place from September 3 to 12, 2026. During the trip, you will:

Visit natural landscapes and enjoy scenic places;
Hike through a diversity of habitats;
Observe birds and wildlife in nature;
Experience local culture;
Learn about birds, bird observatories, and international conservation;
Support Klamath Bird Observatory and Mantiqueira Bird Observatory science based conservation beyond borders intern exchange program

The cost is $ 6,000 per person, including in-country transportation, single-occupancy lodging, and meals with limited alcoholic beverages. The flight to Brazil is not included. The cost with a double occupancy discount is $5,500 per person.

A $ 3,500 deposit is required to reserve your seat. The final payment is due six months before departure. Both the deposit and final payment are non-refundable. A portion of the cost directly supports the intern exchange program between the two bird observatories and is tax-deductible. The maximum trip size is 12 participants; some activities will be split into smaller groups. We reserve the right to cancel the trip before March 1st if the minimum number of attendees is not met. Trip activities will include moderate walking, sometimes on uneven trails, and away from facilities for half to full days.

2026 Brazil Trip Itinerary

Check out a presentation about the 2024 Brazil Trip here.

Once you have filled out the form below, please complete our online waiver of liability form. That can be found HERE.

Registration for the 2026 trip to Brazil is closed. If you are interested in the 2027 trip to Brazil, you can fill out the form below.

Brazil Future Trips

Name(Required)

First Last

Email(Required)

Phone Number

Comments

Let us know if you have an questions regarding the trip to Brazil or other KBO adventures.

Flock to these September KBO events

Written by Elva Manquera on September 13, 2023. Posted in Klamath Call Note, Birds & Birding, KBO Education, Trips & Events.

You are not going to want to miss this month’s events

There is still time to sign up for the free hybrid Great Grey Owl talk by Harry Fuller. This is happening at the KBO office in Ashland on September 22nd at 6 p.m. and via Zoom. He will be selling his Great Grey Owl book and his most recent publication, Birding Harney County.

You can register here.

The last bird banding outing of the year is happening on September 28th. We will be traveling to the Upper Klamath to witness scientists in action. Fall migration is here, and you aren’t going to want to miss seeing these migrants up close and personal. This is great for bird lovers of all ages. Plus, your $75 donation helps support our intern program, which has hosted over 300 interns from around the world.

You can register here.

We are excited to welcome Wyatt Williams, Invasive Species Specialist with the Forest Health Unit of Oregon Department of Forestry, as the guest speaker for the KSON Quarterly meeting on September 21st from 1:00-2:30 (virtual).

Mediterranean oak borer, pest of oaks, arrives to Oregon — Mediterranean oak borer (MOB) is a tiny wood-boring ambrosia beetle that is a known pest of cork oak in Europe. Like other ambrosia beetles, MOB is a “fungus farmer” carrying various species of fungi from tree to tree, where it inoculates the wood in host trees and grows food for its developing larvae. Usually, ambrosia beetles are thought of as beneficial insects, as the decay fungi help break down and recycle large amounts of wood from fallen trees and branches. However, some fungal species turn out to be pathogenic to host trees, and in the case of MOB, one particular fungal associate, Raffaelea montetyii, is capable of killing some species of North American oaks. In 2018, an Oregon Department of Forestry insect trap picked up the first known MOB specimen in Oregon. Simultaneously in 2018, an unknown agent was killing hundreds of valley oak
(Quercus lobata) in central California. In 2019, the culprit was identified as MOB. Since 2019, researchers in California have verified in controlled experiments that the fungal species is capable of killing Oregon white oak. Since 2018, MOB has spread to three counties in California, killing thousands of valley oak. In Oregon, traps set by the Oregon Department of Agriculture confirms that the insect occurs in four counties of the Willamette Valley and earlier in 2023, the first infestation of Oregon white oak was observed at Sandy River Delta near Troutdale. State and federal agencies are on the lookout for additional infested trees. I will go over the signs and symptoms of MOB and its fungal associates, as well as introduce how to report oak trees to state authorities that are suspected of being attacked by MOB. The detection of MOB in Oregon, and indeed North America, is still relatively new, and we have a lot to learn. MOB could
develop into a major pest of Oregon white oak, or it could be another exotic species that will have moderate or low risk to oaks. We need more field data to assess the risk of MOB to Oregon white oak and other related species.

Zoom information follows:

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83927418735?pwd=U1NaUUlYYkR1ZnVidmlXZlhmZnB6QT09

Cover photo, flock of least sandpipers, by Frank Lospalluto

KBO tracks the first Western Purple Martin with GPS tag technology

Written by Elva Manquera on September 11, 2023. Posted in Klamath Call Note, Conservation, KBO Science.

By Sarah Rockwell

Spoiler alert: Our first recaptured Martin flew almost 8,000 miles to southeastern Brazil and back again!

Retrieved GPS tag – photo credit Joe Metzler

The unique western subspecies of Purple Martin is of conservation concern, roughly estimated at just 3,500 pairs. Relatively little is known about the Western Purple Martin compared to the more abundant eastern subspecies. One of the biggest challenges in identifying ways to help migratory species is that we simply don’t know where they are most of the year. Western Purple Martins breeding in Oregon are only here from about April to August, and until recently, we only had the slightest idea of where they spend the non-breeding months. From 2020-2023, a small team of researchers from KBO, USFS, USGS, and Cape Arago Audubon Society captured adult Western Purple Martins and outfitted them with lightweight archival GPS tags that fit like a backpack with two leg loops to track their movements. Our goal is to track martins that nest in Oregon to discover their migratory pathways and winter roost locations and assess whether conservation actions are needed at these non-breeding sites. This is the first study of its kind with the western subspecies and the first to track them with GPS technology throughout the year!

There is one important catch – to have a battery small and lightweight enough for a small songbird to carry safely, the tags cannot transmit GPS data, only store it on board. Returning tagged birds must be recaptured following a year-long round-trip migration to retrieve the tag and its precious geospatial data. It can be very challenging to find these birds again, not to mention recapture them! So, we were thrilled to recapture our first female, whom we nicknamed Roxa (‘purple’ in Brazilian Portuguese – pronounced more like “hosha”), in the summer of 2021.

Joe is watching for Purple Martins to return to their nesting boxes. Photo Credit Karen McGuire.

Roxa returned with fascinating information, revealing new discoveries about her incredible 8,000-mile journey. After she left her nesting area in coastal Oregon in August, Roxa first headed south to Baja California, where she spent about a month from mid-Aug to mid-Sept on an extended fall stopover – although somewhat unusual for a songbird, this long pause was not totally unexpected, as it matched hints from earlier research using geolocators on a few martins from British Columbia (Fraser et al. 2017). She then continued south through western Mexico, with GPS points taken every 5 days, including stops in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Venezuela before entering Brazil, where she passed over many of her Eastern Purple Martin cousins in their wintering area in the Amazon. She then spent another multi-week stopover in late November in northern Minas Gerais, near Parque Nacional do Peruaçu – which was unexpected! Roxa finally completed the last leg of her trip to the southeastern Brazilian coast, where she spent Christmas in Linhares in the state of Espírito Santo. She even made it to the beach city of Praia do Morro in time for Carnaval before winging her way back north and graciously returning her GPS tag to us.

Joe uses a specialized pole that traps the Purple Martins in their nesting box so the box can safely lowered and the Martins extracted. Photo Credit Karen McGuire.

We now have an amazing window into what Roxa and other Western Purple Martins are up to after they leave Oregon and the incredible voyages they undertake. These insights also lead us to more questions. Why does she stop for so long in Baja California Sur, Mexico, and Minas Gerais, Brazil? Could she be molting and regrowing feathers at one of these locations where the insect food resources are especially abundant? Does she use the same route every year, and do other Western Purple Martins use similar or different routes? What changes are occurring in the habitats she occupies along the way? Are any of these places threatened by deforestation, pesticide use, or other conservation challenges? We hope to apply what we have learned to help make sure the Western Purple Martin’s migratory journey, connecting people and places across continents, remains a phenomenon we can all marvel at well into the future.

Female Purple Martin recaptured – Photo credit Joe Metzler

In summer 2023, we recaptured two more returning Purple Martins with new data to add to our understanding of their migration routes and winter homes – we are so excited to process these data and see how they compare to our first recapture! We also deployed 8 more GPS tags on Purple Martins nesting at Fern Ridge Reservoir near Veneta, OR. Those individuals have finished their nests for this summer and will be leaving soon for parts unknown – but a little less unknown than before – so we will also have more chances to add data to this study next summer.

The USFS, USGS, Purple Martin Conservation Association, and the Greenfield Hartline Habitat Conservation Fund supported this work. The research team comprised Sarah Rockwell from KBO, DeAnna Williams of USFS, Joan Hagar of USGS, and Joe Metzler from Cape Arago Audubon Society. Watch the short video On the Wings of Roxa and join her 8,000-mile journey.

Walk into Ashland’s Past with Jeff LaLande

Written by Elva Manquera on September 8, 2023. Posted in Klamath Call Note, Trips & Events.

Although maybe not as exciting as having an actual “time machine,” KBO Board member Jeff LaLande (archaeologist and historian) will again offer a “Walk Into Ashland’s Past.” It was over a year ago that Jeff first offered this event. It proved to be very popular.

You will walk through the site of the Shasta Indians’ village, where the Plaza is now, and through the town’s changes — from initial settlement by White Americans in the 1850s to the present time. This history walk is meant to enrich your own experience of the town. (Plus, all of your $$$ go to KBO!)

Choose to join one of the two “history walks”: October 7th and October 14th. Both walks will follow the same route, each lasting about three hours. The walk will be followed by the enjoyment of your choice of a “cheerful beverage” and snack at a downtown eatery — Jeff is picking up the tab.

When: Saturday, October 7th and October 14th, 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM
Where: We will meet outside the front of the Ashland Library (near the statue at the intersection of Siskiyou Blvd. and Gresham St. We’ll spend time moseying along East Main Street and along North Main Street to Laurel, then we’ll walk through the Granite St./Skidmore neighborhood, and end at the Plaza.
Max. number of people for each history walk: 18
Donation per person: $75

Final Bird Banding Event of the Year!

Written by Elva Manquera on September 6, 2023. Posted in Klamath Call Note, Birds & Birding, Trips & Events.

Join us for this extraordinary final family-friendly bird banding outing of the year! This fundraiser for our renowned banding program includes an opportunity to meet and chat with KBO’s new Banding Program Manager, Lucinda Zawadski, PhD., Martín López Aguilar from Mexico, and the KBO interns. You will learn about the importance and unique contribution of bird banding to science and see some of Oregon’s birds up close. You will also get to experience one of our field stations on beautiful Upper Klamath Lake and observe science in action, including mist netting and data collection, AND interact with the biologists. After the field station visit, we have a unique opportunity to bird from the deck of Rocky Point Resort with Lucinda and Martín, with light refreshments provided by Rocky Point.

This is a great introduction to science in the field for kids and young adults (as well as for non-birders, almost birders, and fully-fledged birders). Come have fun in the field with us before the birds fly south!

WHEN: Thursday, September 28th, 6:30 a.m. to approximately 1 p.m. (including drive time to and from Ashland). Pick-up time from Rocky Point Resort is 7:45 a.m., if near Klamath Falls.
WHERE: Upper Klamath Lake
TRIP LEADER: Lisa Michelbrink, KBO Board Member
COST: The cost is $75 per person to help support our banding program. Space is limited to 4 cars of 4 people each. Carpooling is essential. We will meet at Rite Aide or Rocky Point Resort, depending on your location.

Please bring a water bottle and any snacks you may need. There will be a short amount of walking on uneven ground. Sturdy shoes/boots are recommended. Dress for the weather in layers, as the morning will be cool. No birding experience is necessary. Please bring binoculars if you have them.

Let’s Talk Bird with Shannon Rio

Written by Elva Manquera on September 1, 2023. Posted in Klamath Call Note, Birds & Birding, KBO Education, Trips & Events.

Join Shannon Rio for three weeks of classes, chatting about our local birds and ending with a field trip. Powerpoint presentations will include, for example, a deep dive into a specific group of birds like woodpeckers and learning fun bird factoids. We will explore the use of a variety of bird guides and info books. This class is collaborative and interactive and meant to be fun. We will meet at noon for 1 1/2 hours, so bring a sack lunch along with your curiosity. Please bring your favorite guidebook for referencing the species we are learning about and sharing with the group. The class will be capped off with an all-day outing to use what you have learned.

Dates: September 11th, 18th, 25th, and field trip on Sep 30th or Oct 1st.

Location: KBO Office in Ashland

Fee: $0-$100 suggested donation