Author: Elva Manquera

Great Grey Owl Talk by Harry Fuller

Written by Elva Manquera on August 21, 2023. Posted in Klamath Call Note, KBO Family, Trips & Events.

Great Gray Owls are scarce over much of the range shown in typical field guides or online range maps. There are small regions within their overall range where they are more numerous. In this, they are like many birds that are very picky about habitat and food supply—Pinyon Jays, MacGillivray’s Warblers, and Green-tailed Towhees.

Jackson County is most likely the southernmost hotspot for great grays. There might be as many great grays here as in all of California, where they are state-designated endangered species. There has never been a confirmed sighting in Siskiyou County, which is only a few miles from where owls breed in this county. Likely there are many more great grays in Oregon than in Washington State. In Europe, the species is found primarily in boreal forests. Along the Pacific Slope, they occur in small numbers as far south as Fresno County.

Why are they here? How do they behave? Survive? Deal with humans? What does climate change portend?

Date and Time: September 22nd at 6 pm

Location: Klamath Bird Observatory office in Ashland, Zoom option available

Cost: FREE

Great Grey Owl book and Harry’s most recent publication, Birding Harney County will be available for sale during the event.

Before his retirement, Harry managed TV and Internet newsrooms in San Francisco and London. He has written three natural history books, including Great Gray Owl in California, Oregon, and Washington, and San Francisco’s Natural History, Sand Dunes to Streetcars. Harry also contributed to a chapter about Common Nighthawks in Edge of Awe, an anthology of essays about Malheur National Wildlife Refuge published by Oregon State University Press in 2019. He has been leading bird trips and teaching birding classes since the 1990s. See Harry’s birding journal online here.

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.

Let’s Talk Bird Series Registration

Written by Elva Manquera on August 11, 2023. Posted in uncategorized.

Remember also to fill out the COVID Release Form and Liability Waiver.

Fall FUNdraising and Outreach Events

Written by Elva Manquera on August 11, 2023. Posted in Klamath Call Note, Birds & Birding, KBO Partners, Trips & Events.

The Klamath Bird Observatory board members are excited to introduce our fall outreach and FUNdraising events.

Let’s Talk Bird Series

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: $100 suggested donation

Register Here

Save The Dates

Registration for these events will open approximately one month before the event day. Mark your calendars now, and keep an eye out for the emails.

Great Grey Owl Talk with Harry Fuller – September 22nd, 6 pm, at the KBO Office – Free, signed Great Grey Owl books available for purchase

Walk Into Ashland Past with Jeff LaLande – October 7th & 14th at 11:30 am. The walk starts at the Ashland Library – $75 per person

Field Trip to Scott Valley with Dick Ashford – October 21st – $40 per person

Field Trip to the Klamath Basin with Dick Ashford – November 4th – $40 per person

Klamath Basin Raptor ID Class and Field Trip with Dick Ashford – December 7th and 9th – $75 per person

Bird Conmigo August 12th

Written by Elva Manquera on August 3, 2023. Posted in Klamath Call Note, Birds & Birding, KBO Education, Trips & Events.

Join us on August 12th at 9 am for Bird Conmigo. Birding with friends and family is a great way to connect. We will be exploring Bear Creek Park. Many of the birds seen there you can find in your backyard. Klamath Bird Observatory will provide binoculars and Spanish/English guidebooks. This event is free and Spanish/English bilingual.

Acompáñanos este 12 de Agosto a las 9 a.m. en el recorrido de observación de aves Bird Conmigo. Observar aves con amigos y familia es una gran forma de crear vínculos cercanos. Exploraremos el parque Bear Creek, donde encontraremos algunas aves que habitan también en los patios de las casas. Habrá binoculares y guías bilingües en Español/Inglés disponibles para su uso durante el recorrido cortesía de Klamath Bird Observatory. Este evento es gratuito y bilingüe.

Register Here

Presale 2023-24 Conservation Science Stamp & Duck Stamp

Written by Elva Manquera on July 28, 2023. Posted in Klamath Call Note.

Available for Pre-Sale Now 2023-2024 Conservation Science Stamp & Federal Duck Stamp

Klamath Bird Observatory has partnered with artists to create an annual Conservation Science Stamp for many years. This stamp is sold with the Federal Duck Stamp to support ALL of bird conservation for $40. The funds from the Conservation Science Stamp support KBO’s mission – advancing bird and habitat conservation through science, education, and partnerships. This year’s stamp highlights the yellow-breasted chat, Icteria virens. We picked this iconic KBO bird to celebrate World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) with the theme Water: Sustaining Bird Life. This year’s artist is Jasmine Vazquez from Portland, OR.

The two stamps are sold together to support All of bird conservation for $40. They are available for pre-sale and can be purchased here.

Ryan Terrill, PhD

Written by Elva Manquera on July 13, 2023. Posted in KBO Staff.

Ryan Terrill grew up birding in the Santa Cruz mountains of central California and has a life-long interest in birds. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from UC Santa Cruz and his Ph.D. in Biology from Louisiana State University, where his thesis focused on understanding how avian molt strategies interact with evolution over time. He has authored over 25 peer-reviewed articles in Ornithology and is an author of the Field Guide to the Birds of Bolivia. In addition to studying the ecology and evolution of avian molt, his research has also focused on the distribution and conservation of birds of the Americas. He was involved in discovering and describing a new species and genus of bird to science: The Inti Tanager (Heliothraupis onelilli) in Bolivia, and he continues to work to understand the population size, distribution, and risks for this species. His recent work has focused on understanding populations of Mexican birds over the 20th century from a framework of long-term distribution and occupancy trends, as well as the effects of climate change on the molting grounds of North American molt-migratory birds. He has served on various committees and boards, including the editorial boards of Western Birds and The Neotropical Naturalist journals, the California Bird Records Committee, and the Howard and Moore Checklist of the Birds of the World advisory committee.

As Science Director, Ryan will lead the development, design, and review of monitoring and research studies, including long-term monitoring, effectiveness monitoring, and theoretical research; oversee staff leading long-term bird banding (25+ year dataset), long-term monitoring, and applied ecology studies using point count methodology, and full-lifecycle limiting factors research focused on single species using multiple methodologies; advance KBO’s robust body of science focused on bird populations and their response to management and/or restoration of shrub-steppe, western forests, oak woodlands, riparian, and montane meadows of Oregon and northern California; and contribute to forest collaboratives, provide expertise specific to bird conservation and the application of birds as focal species to inform planning and evaluate success.

Click HERE to Contact Ryan

Visit a KBO Banding Station

Written by Elva Manquera on July 12, 2023. Posted in Klamath Call Note, Birds & Birding, Trips & Events.

Take a trip to the Upper Klamath to a KBO banding station on Friday, July 21st. There you will get to meet this year’s banding crew and learn about the importance of bird banding. The fee from this FUNdraiser helps pay for the cost of running our six banding stations. This event is a family-friendly event. Click HERE to register.

*There was an issue with the form that is now fixed. Apologies if you tried to register and were unable.

BottleDrop Nonprofit Program

Written by Elva Manquera on July 6, 2023. Posted in Klamath Call Note.

Donate your Recycling

KBO is now a part of the BottleDrop Nonprofits program. Thanks to BottleDrop, you can recycle your cans and bottles and then donate the deposit received to your favorite nonprofit (KBO). All you need is a free BottleDrop account, and you can start donating your recycling today. Below are steps on how to set up a BottleDrop account, where you can drop off your recycling, and how to donate to KBO.

How to Set Up a Bottle Drop Account

Visit Bottledrop.com and click Create Account on the right side of the page. Pictured Below. Follow the steps. You can also create an account at the kiosk located at the BottleDrop sites.

Where You Can Drop Off Your Cans and Bottles

Once you have an account, click here to find a BottleDrop location near you to start recycling.

How to Donate to KBO

Now that you have an account and funds, you can donate the funds to KBO to support bird conservation. To do that, visit BottleDrop and log into your account. Click view details under Use Give, circled in red below.

Next, click on Search Nonprofits in orange. Once you have done that then you can search for Klamath Bird Observatory. It will walk you through the steps to donate available funds to KBO.

Bird Banding with Klamath Bird Observatory Biologists: Science in Action

Written by Elva Manquera on June 23, 2023. Posted in Klamath Call Note, Trips & Events.

Join KBO’s bird banding team in the field this summer for a bird banding experience. This is a unique opportunity to meet some of our scientists in a small group setting, learn about bird banding and see some of Oregon’s birds up close. You will experience a beautiful Upper Klamath Lake field station and observe live-action science, including mist netting and data collection. This is an excellent introduction to science in the field for kids and young adults (as well as great for non-birders, almost birders, and fully-fledged birders). Come and have fun in the field with us!

WHEN: Friday, July 21st, 6:30 a.m. to approximately 11:30 a.m. (including drive time to and from Ashland).
WHERE: Upper Klamath Lake
TRIP LEADER: Lisa Michelbrink, KBO Board Member
COST: Space is limited to 4 cars of 4 people each. Carpooling is essential. The price is $40 per person.

Please bring a water bottle and snacks. 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. The Upper Klamath Lake has great birding.

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.

Bird Conmigo Saturday, June 17th, at 9 am

Written by Elva Manquera on June 14, 2023. Posted in Klamath Call Note, Trips & Events.

Bird Conmigo provides Spanish/English bilingual bird walks at Bear Creek Park. Birding is a great family activity; these walks are great for bird likers at any level. This is a free event, and binoculars are available.

Join us this Saturday, June 17th, at 9 am.

Bird Conmigo ofrece recorridos de observación de aves con guías bilingües en Español/Inglés, los recorridos serán en el parque Bear Creek. La observación de aves es una actividad ideal para hacerse en familia y estos recorridos son excelentes para todos aquellos que disfrutan las aves. Este evento es gratuito y habrá binoculares disponibles para préstamo.

Acompáñanos este sábado 17 de Junio a las 9 am.