Klamath Call Note

Klamath Bird Observatory is celebrating World Migratory Bird Day twice this year. On May 13th, from 8 am-Noon, we will be at North Mountain Park.  Activities include the big sit, a self-guided activity book, seven bird walks with two in Spanish, a bird-calling contest, exhibitors like Wildlife Images, and other kids’ activities. We will then travel over the hill to Klamath Falls on May 20th from 10 am – 3 pm at Veterans Park. A family-focused event that features high-quality, experiential education to celebrate and explore the unique features of our national wildlife refuges and other public lands for meeting the needs of migratory birds. 

Klamath Bird Observatory will be at the Rogue Earth Day event on Friday, April 21st, from 3 – 7 pm at the Southern Oregon University Farm. This event is for the whole family. Come by our table and say hi! Thank you to everyone that shopped at the Ashland Co-op in March to support KBO. We raised over $7,000 and couldn’t be more thankful for our fantastic community. To top it off, Medford Co-op has picked KBO to be on the ballot for their 2024 Positive Change Program. If you are a Medford Co-op member, you can vote for us from 4/21 – 5/6

We are very grateful to be able to participate in the Ashland Co-op’s Change for Good Program. The last day to round up is Friday, March 31st. This is the week to forget that onion, run to the store for a late-night snack, or treat yourself to that afternoon coffee. When checking out, tell your cashier you want to round up for bird conservation. 

Join KBO for an evening of photography. Kirk Gooding takes us on a journey to see beauty and richness from a new perspective. The photography selected for viewing focuses on nature and birds. After a brief introduction, we ask you to sit back and connect to the sights and sounds created in this presentation.  We will then look at each photo individually and discuss the bird or the landscape as a way of learning about places in Oregon, local birds, and what you might expect to find—the perfect way to prepare you for spring migration.  The presentation will take place on March 28th at 6 pm. This is a hybrid presentation, and the in-person portion will be at the KBO office in Ashland, OR.

Join KBO for a migration south to Brazil. Brazil is known for its astonishing bird diversity, with over 1800 species registered. You will travel with local scientists and founders of Mantiqueira Bird Observatory (OAMa), Luiza Figueira and Pedro Martins, and KBO’s Director of Conservation, Jaime Stephens. OAMa has planned a 9-day immersive trip that you won’t want to miss exploring Brazil’s biodiverse cloud forests, photography workshop, and delicious Brazilian food. There is still one spot available!  This trip is more than a memorable vacation. It is an opportunity to support bird conservation across borders. The trip fee will fund OAMa’s bird banding program for a whole year and the Bird Banders Beyond Borders intern exchange program.  The trip is taking place on April 12th-20th, 2023. The trip fee is $5,000 and covers hotels, food, and transportation in Brazil

Contemplative photography combined with nature photography can be deeply soul-soothing, educational, and plays an important part in conservation.  It gives details about the appearance or behavior of birds and has resulted in the protection of landscapes and species. This presentation on March 28th, at 6 pm, celebrates the power of photography and our love for birds.  Kirk Gooding selected some of his favorite nature photos and created this series set to music. This event is in-person at KBO office and available via Zoom. This event is free.

Starting March 1st thru the 31st, you can round up your change at the Ashland Food Coop to support Klamath Bird Observatory. Just ask your cashier! 

Join KBO board members Amanda Alford and Dick Ashford for an all-day outing on March 18th, where we’ll look at everything the Klamath Basin has to offer. Dick and Amanda will plan a route that will give us our best chances of seeing the varied birdlife for which “the basin” is famous. And, we’ll have lots of fun doing it!

KBO is looking to fill two positions Nest-Searching Technician and a Nest-Searching Intern for our Oregon Vesper Sparrow demography research program. We are contributing to a range-wide study to understand the causes of decline in this imperiled subspecies. Primary duties will include nest-searching and color-band resighting in meadows of the western Cascades and occasional data entry or other tasks based.

We are pleased to announce a new internship exchange program! Bird and Banders Beyond Borders between KBO and Mantiqueira Bird Observatory. 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. We are excited to share the first two interns to participate in this program, Victor Gonzalez and Otávio Rocha!