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Tag: Community Education

Ecology of the Birds of Crater Lake National Park Program Series Announced

Crater Lake National Park and Klamath Bird Observatory will present a bird ecology program series this summer and into the fall. These park ranger-led programs will feature a visit to KBO’s bird monitoring station within Crater Lake National Park.

The programs will be on Thursdays, but not every Thursday—please check the Crater Lake bird banding visit flyer for scheduled dates. The first program is next Thursday June 28!

Don’t miss this opportunity to visit KBO’s biologists in the field, see the birds they are studying up close—guided by an expert park ranger.

Click here to view the Crater Lake bird banding visit flyer with more information and how to register for these special events.

KBO is also offering public visits to another of our bird monitoring station in the Upper Klamath Lake area by arrangement. Email Bob Frey for more information.

Big News for World Migratory Bird Day!

World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) in the Year of the Bird is May 12, 2018—a day to celebrate the amazing annual migrations of the birds who know no borders. The day is also for raising awareness of conservation challenges that these world travelers face and what we can do to help.

This WMBD (formerly known as International Migratory Bird Day) is a special one for Klamath Bird Observatory. We are part of a group being recognized for its collaborative achievements in migratory bird conservation. KBO will also be part of two local WMBD celebrations—Rogue Valley Bird Day in Ashland and the WMBD Birdwatching Field Trip at Shasta Valley Wildlife Area near Montague, California.

It has just been announced that the Western Hummingbird Partnership has been given the U.S. Forest Service’s 2018 Wings Across the Americas award. This is a prestigious award that recognizes outstanding achievements in the conservation of migratory birds—to be presented at a special World Migratory Bird Day ceremony in Washington, D.C. this Tuesday May 1st. KBO’s Executive Director Dr. John Alexander will join other members of the Western Hummingbird Partnership Advisory Group in receiving the award.

KBO will join many local partners for the City of Ashland Department of Parks and Recreation’s Rogue Valley Bird Day Saturday May 12th at North Mountain Park from 8 am to 1200 pm. KBO biologists will demonstrate mist netting and banding songbirds as a part of the festivities. We will also join A World Migratory Bird Day Birdwatching Field Trip at Shasta Valley Wildlife Area starting at 7:30 am. This event is sponsored by Klamath National Forest.

CLICK HERE to view the Rogue Valley Bird Day 2018 flyer.

CLICK HERE to view the Shasta Valley Birdwatching Field Trip 2018 flyer.

Join us for World Migratory Bird Day!

 

The Western Hummingbird Partnership addresses a critical need in hummingbird conservation—engaging researchers, educators, and governmental and non-governmental groups in collaborative science and education. Key partners include Klamath Bird Observatory, Environment for the Americas, Point Blue Conservation Science, University of Guadalajara, and U.S. Forest Service. Since 2006, the Partnership has contributed to projects in biosphere reserves, botanic gardens, and national forests and has provided funding in support of projects where western hummingbirds nest, stop during their migrations, and winter.

A New Citizen Science Opportunity

Klamath Bird Observatory and The Selberg Institute recently completed a successful year-long citizen science project on the beautiful Sampson Creek Preserve just east of Ashland. This work would not have been completed without a group of dedicated citizen scientists who spent many mornings birding the property. During the year 119 species were detected on 105 eBird checklists, with Acorn Woodpecker being the most detected species. Though this project is coming to a close we are excited to announce a new citizen science project on the Grizzly Peak Preserve.

This project offers something for all birders and outdoor enthusiasts. Participants will have the choice to bird on fairly flat terrain walking less than two miles through meadows and oak trees or for more adventurous birders to explore off-trail along a gradient of different habitats. The project will take place on a large parcel of private property along the slopes of Grizzly Peak, with survey locations starting just minutes outside of the city of Ashland boundary and continuing up Shale City road. The Preserve is in the foothills of the Cascades and holds a variety of oak habitats as well as coniferous forests and riparian woodlands. The Preserve is a terrific spot for birding and will give the public a unique opportunity to visit and bird in diverse habitats managed for conservation.

Citizen Scientists will be trained on a simple protocol to learn how to collect data, and the opportunity for monthly surveys will continue throughout the year. If you enjoy looking for owls, you are in luck as well. This project will also include two guided night surveys to inventory the local owl population. Participation in surveys will include some walking and/or hiking, recording all birds observed by sight and/or sound, and entering and submitting your findings into eBird Northwest. With this project we aim to complete a robust inventory for the bird species on the Grizzly Peak Preserve by harnessing the power of Citizen Scientists to collect robust data throughout the breeding, migratory, and winter seasons.

As spring migration is underway surveys are starting at the Grizzly Peak Preserve, if you are interested in participating or would like more information please contact KBO Biologist Ellie Armstrong at eea@klamathbird.org.

NOVEMBER TALK AND WALK: ADVENTURES IN BIRDING THE KLAMATH BASIN

It is hard to say what I enjoyed more. Was it the photographs Mel Clements showed us depicting the seasons of the Klamath Basin accompanied to music at the evening talk? Was it being in the Butte Valley with master birding guide Frank Lospalluto pointing out the 10 or so Golden Eagles? Or was it later in the afternoon when outing participant Kirby took us to where the 5,000 Snow Geese and 1,000 Sandhill Cranes were grazing at the back of a large pond on the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge?

Our tribe of 15 bird lovers roamed the Klamath Basin and experienced the wonder of it all: sky, landscape, raptors, and waterfowl. It was in the sharing of the beauty that we felt a sweet connection not just to the land that we love so much but also to each other.

After going on this trip one participant wrote me this email: “Well I just have to say that for my first real birding outing WOW!! Amazing! I look forward to many more birding experiences and am so grateful to have been able to join y’all yesterday and for your patience with my rudimentary questions. Best day ever!!! Hahaha – I have to laugh … cuz actually best day ever was when my daughter was born 41 years ago … and Kirk was there then, too!!?” She shared this birding adventure with the doctor who delivered her daughter. How is that for coming full circle!

 

KBO’s Talk and Walk series occurs throughout the year giving folks a chance to have a beautifully crafted informative talk accompanied by an outing. The next Talk and Walk will be in February and will be on Hawks of the Klamath Basin led by raptor expert Dick Ashford. Information on that will be announced soon. Contact Shannon Rio for information about the Talk and Walk series.

BIRDING BY EAR WORKSHOP

Wild Birds Unlimited and Klamath Bird Observatory will present a Birding By Ear workshop Wednesday June 14, 2017 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm.

Birding by ear is an essential tool for detecting more birds in the field, and your birding experiences will be greatly enhanced as you improve your birding-by-ear skills. In this workshop, John Alexander will teach bird songs and calls using sound recordings, mnemonic devices, sonograms, and drawing. The workshop integrates lecture, images, guided listening, and participation. We will focus on breeding songbirds of the Klamath-Siskiyou Bioregion, comparing sound-alike species of riparian, fir, pine, and oak habitats.

Space is limited to 20 participants – visit the Wild Birds Unlimited store in the Medford Center, or call 541-772-2107 to reserve a spot.

Click here for the Wild Birds Unlimited store in Medford website.

John is the co-founder and Executive Director of Klamath Bird Observatory and has been working to integrate bird conservation with natural resource management in the Pacific Northwest since 1992. He is focused on applying bird conservation science as a tool for advancing ecosystem conservation regionally, nationally, and internationally. His expertise includes participatory action research; ecological monitoring and research using standard bird and habitat sampling techniques; the use of scientific results for overcoming land stewardship challenges; and the development of applied science tools and teaching materials for natural resource management professionals, community members, and students of all ages.

WHAT’S IN THE NAME? Presented by Harry Fuller

WHAT’S IN THE NAME? A presentation by Harry Fuller, Author and Bird Guide
May 25th Thursday night 6:30-8 pm

Klamath Bird Observatory 320 Beach Street, Ashland, Oregon 

It’s great to see a Cassin’s Finch or Steller’s Jay but it can be a bit more exciting when you know some stories about Steller or Cassin…or Anna or Forster. Come enjoy the stories and long-ago adventures of the men and women who discovered our birds, named or got named, back when North America’s birds were new to science. Our list of names to explore will include Allen, Baird, Bewick, Brandt, Brewer, the two Clarks, Gambel, Lewis, Lincoln, MacGillivray, Nuttall, Townsend, and the mysterious Mr. Hutton.

To sign up contact Shannon Rio at shannonrio@aol.com or call her at 541-840-4655. The presentationis $15. Make out a check to KBO and mail it to Shannon Rio, 610 Iowa Street, Ashland, Oregon 97520. This will reserve your spot!

KBO Banding Demonstration at Rogue Valley Bird Day this Saturday

Spring is here and so are the birds! Join Klamath Bird Observatory biologists at their bird banding demonstration this Saturday—just one of the many family friendly activities of the Rogue Valley Bird Day at Ashland’s North Mountain Park. The City of Ashland Department of Parks and Recreation with many partners will again host the Rogue Valley Bird Day festival May 13. The festival is our local celebration of International Migratory Bird Day. The event will feature expert-guided bird walks, thrilling programs featuring birds of prey by Wildlife Images Education Rehabilitation Center, our bird banding demonstration, and the ever very-popular bird calling contest! Click here for details of activities at the Rogue Valley Bird Day website.

In 2017, International Migratory Bird Day theme is “Helping Them on Their Way”—focusing on the importance of migration stopover as a critical facet of migratory birds’ life cycle. Migration stopover refers to the “rest stops” birds make in their long and uncertain journeys each year. The stopover rest stops are essential for refueling after one leg of the journey and before the next. Participants at more than 700 local celebrations from Argentina to Canada and the Caribbean will learn their home is shared, sometimes briefly, by feathered world travelers.

The 2017 International Migratory Bird Day Stopover Sites poster artwork illustrates 11 long-distance migratory bird species in a various stopover spots of their amazing annual round trips. It serves as a reminder that we all can help them on their way no matter where we are.

Now in its 27th year, International Migratory Bird Day has grown from a one-day event into a framework underpinning hundreds of projects and programs year-round. It is coordinated by Environment for the Americas, which provides bilingual educational materials and information about birds and bird conservation throughout the Americas. Their programs inspire children and adults to get outdoors, learn about birds, and take part in their conservation.

Click here for more information about the Rogue Valley Bird Day.

Click here for more information about International Migratory Bird Day and Environment of the Americas.

KBO in Audubon Magazine

Klamath Bird Observatory was highlighted in the latest Audubon magazine. The Spring 2017 issue’s Travel section suggests our Community Education Programs as an Alternative Adventure.

Pictured is 2015 student volunteer intern Daniel Gómez banding a bird at our Willow Wind Community Learning Center ecological monitoring station located in Ashland, Oregon. Photo by (2015 intern) Erica Gaeta.

The article’s text:

If attending a festival doesn’t fit your schedule, consider checking out a bird observatory. These groups monitor birds, conserve critical habitat, and have a host of activities for the public. Starting in late spring, the Klamath Bird Observatory, for instance, invites visitors to watch bird banding in action at multiple sites in Oregon, including Crater Lake National Park. “It’s a great opportunity to see warblers, thrushes, and sparrows up close, and to learn about their life histories,” says Jaime Stephens, the observatory’s science director. She also points to the Talk and Walk program, which consists of an hour-long talk on a specific topic, such as Great Gray Owls, followed by a field trip to see the species in its habitat. Dozens of other observatories across the nation and beyond provide a plethora of similar programs; find a full list of observatories in the Western Hemisphere at bit.ly/2lBLvWm.

© National Audubon Society

Click here to visit Audubon.org and to view the Spring 2017 online issue.

Upcoming Talk and Walk Classes

Sorry!  All the Spring 2016 Talk and Walk Classes are Sold Out!  Please Stay Tuned for Upcoming Summer and Fall Classes.

Klamath Bird Observatory’s popular Talk and Walk classes continue through the winter and into Spring. The Talks are held on Thursday evenings (except for the Jacksonville Woodlands class) at the KBO headquarters in Ashland and the Walk is held on the following Saturdays. To register contact Shannon Rio by eMail (shannonrio[AT]aol.com) — the registration fee is $25 for each class. Don’t miss these fun and informative adventures in birding!

 

WINTER BIRDS OF THE ROGUE VALLEY

Great Gray Owl (c) 2016 Jim Lividais

Talk
Thursday MAY 5, 2016 6:30PM-8PM
Presented by Shannon Rio (KBO Board President)
KBO headquarters, Lincoln School, 320 Beach Street, Ashland, Oregon
Walk
Saturday MAY 7, 2016 2PM-6PM
Led by Lee French (Rogue Valley birding expert)
Outing is an afternoon in search of the Great Gray Owl upon the Cascades Plateau east of Ashland.

 

 

The TALK AND WALK classes offer a great chance to learn about birds, go on an outing with a bird guide expert, and visit Klamath Bird Observatory’s current headquarters. This workplace is offered to KBO through a partnership with the Ashland School district and provides our scientists and educators a space to work, collating our findings, applying for grants, and dreaming about how to study and protect birds and their habitats. Part of our dream is to someday have a new home — a place to continue our work and hopefully a site for banding, for educating, and for furthering conservation.