Klamath Call Note

This will be a day of casual birding, easy walking with short distances, and exploring the beautiful Upper Klamath area. Our itinerary will start us off at the Rite Aid parking lot in Ashland at 7:30 am on September 25th. Our first stop will be Rocky Point on Klamath Lake to check out water birds and then we will walk the road to see and hear forest birds. From there we will drive to Kimball State Park to view the turquoise headwaters of the Wood River eat lunch and do more birding. The next stop is the nearby Wood River day-use area where we will be walking its short trails. Possible sightings are red-breasted nuthatch, white-headed woodpecker, bald eagle, song sparrow, great blue heron, and possibly a fall migrant. Aspens may treat us to fall colors! Bring bino’s, cameras, lunch, clothes for layering (higher elevation will be cooler temps), and your drink.

Fall migration is in full swing. Come see it in person and up close at KBO’s banding station in Crater Lake. You will get to meet our amazing and knowledgeable banding crew, learn about the science behind banding, and of course, see birds up close. There isn’t a better way to close out the summer. The banding station is welcoming visitors every Tuesday through September. 

We are excited to announce that the Klamath Siskiyou Oak Network (KSON) has received funding from the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB)’s Focused Investment Partnerships grant program for the Little Butte Oak Initiative. KSON partners plan to restore 2,480 acres of oak habitat within the Little Butte Creek Watershed and Table Rocks using ecological thinning, prescribed fire, noxious weed abatement, and native understory planting.

Our board of directors volunteer their time and experience to help us care for the Klamath Bird Observatory. In that light, Lisa Michelbrink has shown exemplary leadership over the last few years. Always rolling up her sleeves and taking on whatever job needs to be done. These jobs include large scale fundraising events, leading the transition of our fundraising through the pandemic, and actively engaging with the bird banding program. For this, we are excited to award Lisa the 2021 Bullock’s Rose Oriole Award.

Need a new hat for your little adventure buddy? Sunday Afternoons is selling bird-themed kid and toddler trucker hats with proceeds going to KBO. The hummingbird and osprey designs were done by artist Acacia Lacy.  You can visit KBO at the Sunday Afternoons storefront in Ashland on September 10th. By doing so you will receive a coupon for your next purchase. Get a hat today and support KBO!

The updated Partners in Flight Conservation of Landbirds and Associated Habitats and Ecosystems in the East Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington (Altman and Stephens 2022) brings forward recommendations and support for the conservation of landbirds and their associated habitats and ecosystems in the East Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington. The desired habitat attributes of 24 focal species are used as a conservation tool providing an opportunity to achieve broad ecosystem and restoration goals.

In partnership with the National Park Service KBO is hosting visitors at our Crater Lake bird banding station on Tuesday mornings, the next tour is July 12th at 7:30 am and 9:15 am. This is an amazing opportunity for the whole family to see migratory songbirds up close and learn about our long-term bird banding program. For five years visitors have observed the banding process from which Crater Lake National Park and KBO gain valuable information about the presence and diversity of songbird species, timing of migration, and productivity of local breeding birds.

Join Shannon Rio for a leisurely day of hiking and birding the pacific crest trail into Little Hyatt Lake. This 8-mile hike starts at Hwy 66 where the PCT takes us through meadows and woods to our lunch spot of Little Hyatt. Migratory birds and resident birds are nesting in this area. The hike is level and rated easy. Upon arrival at the lake, we will enjoy lunch and whatever birds are visiting there. Usually, dippers are in Keene Creek and Osprey like to fish in the lake. Our hike will take us back to our vehicles via the road. Date: Saturday, July 2nd, 7 am – 3 pm.

The newly released conservation plan, Population and Habitat Objectives for Landbirds in Prairies, Oak, and Riparian Habitats of Western Oregon and Washington (Rockwell et al 2022), provides quantitative and multi-scaled population and habitat objectives for 26 focal and seven imperiled bird species. As the title suggests, the plan focuses on prairie, oak, and riparian habitats in the Puget Lowlands, Willamette Valley, and Klamath Mountains ecoregions of western Oregon and Washington. This document was prepared for the Oregon-Washington Chapter of Partners in Flight (PIF), Pacific Birds Habitat Joint Venture, Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Forest Service.