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Klamath Call Note
Trip Announcement – Hawks and Ducks in the Klamath Basin
Hawks and Ducks sounds like a title for a family-friendly board game, but early March is that time of year when both waterfowl and wintering raptors are present in the Klamath Basin. Please join KBO board members Amanda Alford and Dick Ashford for an all-day outing on March 8th, when we’ll look at everything “the basin” has to offer. We will follow a route that maximizes our chances of seeing the varied birdlife for which the Klamath Basin is famous. And we’ll have lots of fun doing it! This trip will be limited to just 11 attendees, and we will carpool (a must!) in 4 vehicles of 4 people each, with each car driven by one of our A+ hawk team co-leaders.
A KBO Presentation – A West Coast Migratory Anomaly, Bear Divide
Join us on February 24th at 6 pm for a presentation on Bear Divide by KBO’s Science Director Dr. Ryan Terrill. Bear Divide is a recently discovered migratory bird concentration point near Los Angeles, CA. It is one of the only places in the western United States where you can see bird migration during daylight hours. Calling Bear Divide a migratory hot spot would be an understatement.
Leading the Way: Women in Science and a Conservation Trip to Brazil
Join the Klamath Bird Observatory (KBO) in celebrating International Women in Science Day. We will host a presentation by Mantiqueira Bird Observatory (OAMa) founder and Executive Director Luiza Figueira on February 10th, from 5:30 pm to 7 pm. This presentation is for anyone interested in supporting women in science, learning about bird and habitat conservation in Brazil, or learning more about the international trip. It is free and will have a hybrid option. The in-person portion will be held at the KBO office in Ashland, and we will have light refreshments. There will also be a Zoom option for those unable to attend in person. The Zoom presentation will start at 5:45 p.m.
2025 Field Technician Riparian Bird Monitoring
The Field Technicians will contribute to KBO’s growing riparian bird monitoring program. This is a fantastic opportunity to gain exposure to an array of avian field research techniques while working in a beautiful part of the world. Fieldwork takes place at riparian restoration sites in the Applegate and Rogue Valleys of southwestern Oregon, from April 14 – July 18, 2025 (exact dates TBD).
Join Dr. Sarah Rockwell for her presentation at the Redwood Region Audubon Society January 16 at 7:00 p.m.
Join Dr. Sarah Rockwell for her presentation at the Redwood Region Audubon Society January 16 at 7:00 p.m. The program is entitled “To Southern California, Brazil, and Back: First GPS Tracking of Oregon Vesper Sparrow and Western Purple Martin Migration”. This presentation will be hosted on Zoom and in person. Zoom link can be found in this article
Waterbirds of the Klamath Basin *FULL*
Join KBO on January 28th for a presentation by Shannon Rio on waterbirds of the Klamath Basin. She will be introducing her new waterbird book and ways to explore the picturesque Klamath Basin. This is a free hybrid presentation hosted at the KBO office in Ashland. The following weekend on February 2nd Shannon will be taking a group out to the basin to explore the waterbirds that are spending their winters there. This event is free and open to all ages.
Ready to travel to Brazil?
oin us on an adventure to support bird science conservation beyond borders!
Register Now for the III edition of our Fundraising Field Trip: 13-22 August 2025.
If you love tropical birds and hiking in the mountains, listen closely. Over the course of ten days, you will be exploring wildlife and natural landscape, birding with local ornithologists, visiting national and state parks, and getting involved with local conservation efforts to protect birds and habitats at Atlantic Forest. If that wasn’t enough, the cost of this special trip will help fund the intern exchange program between KBO and OAMa and support the continuation of the bird monitoring program on the Mantiqueira Highlands in Southeast Brazil!
Finding Oregon Vesper Sparrows: A Vital Census in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument
It is estimated that only 3,000 individuals of this declining subspecies remain. The small population size of the Oregon Vesper Sparrow is well-documented, but the causes of its at-risk status are not. As with all migratory birds, population trends may be caused by factors on their breeding grounds, wintering grounds, or migration stopover areas.
Since 2018 Klamath Bird Observatory has been trying to understand the cause of this subspecies’ decline. Getting a snapshot of how many of these birds there are in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument – and where they are – is important baseline data. This information will be especially important if the Oregon Vesper Sparrow is listed as federally endangered or threatened – it is currently in review with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for potential listing under the Endangered Species Act. Read todays article to learn about how many KBO found.
First Outing of 2025 – More Hawks!
Start 2025 of right with one of KBO’s famous Hawk outings with Dick Ashford and Amanda Alford. On Jan 16th, we’ll enjoy a 6-8:30 PM lecture in the KBO “Spa” then enjoy a day-long outing to the Klamath Basin on Jan 18th or Jan 25th. In each case, we’ll depart Ashland at 8 AM and return around 5-ish. We will carpool (a must!) in 4 vehicles of 4 people each. Reserve your spot and register today!
Point Count Update – Hiring for 2025 and 2024 Wrap Up
The year is almost over and soon it will be 2025. To get ready for the new year KBO is searching for its 2025 field technician crew for its point count program. The avian point count surveys will take place from April 28th through July 18th, throughout the ecologically diverse and beautiful regions of southern Oregon, eastern Oregon, and/or northern California. Technicians will conduct work related to multiple projects including monitoring effects of oak and conifer forest restoration on species distributions and long-term monitoring on both private and public lands.
Plus check out how the 2024 season went! We are very thankful for our excellent point count crew this year, who put in an amazing effort to collect high-quality data throughout the region, while also navigating life in the field. In 2024 they recorded over 29,000 individuals of over 200 different species on surveys. At Klamath Bird Observatory, we are happy to have another successful season on the books and are looking f…

Advancing bird & habitat conservation through science, education, and partnerships