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Winter Wings Festival

Editor — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:14:42 +0000

Presented by the Klamath Basin Audubon Society, the Winter Wings Festival is the country’s oldest bird festival. The festival will include field trips, family events, workshops, bird banding, photography, dining and more. Keynote speakers will include Kenn Kaufman and Darrell Gulin Be sure to visit the Winter Wings Festival website for a full view of the schedule and to register for events.

Date: 17-19 February 2012
Location: Klamath Basin
City: Klamath Falls
State: Oregon
Country: United States of America

Klamath Falls Christmas Bird Count

Editor — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 14:10:54 +0000

Come and enjoy a day counting birds in the Klamath Falls area. The event will see birders counting individual birds and all species seen or heard in their assigned area. The count cirle center is at Kinsley Field and extends to a 15 mile diameter. The day is rounded off with a potluck dinner. For more information, visit the Klamath Basin Audubon Society Website.

Date: 17 December 2011
Venue: Kingsley Field
city: Klamath Falls
State: Oregon
Country: United States of America

Portland Christmas Bird Count

Editor — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 15:03:51 +0000

Join in the cheer of the season with a Christmas Bird Count. Not only is it good fun, but it also provides valuable scientific data on bird populations. Last year 267 bird watchers joined in, spotting 124 species. Why not help break the record? Along with fantastic bird watching, birders will meet like-minded people with whom to share experiences and knowledge. The data collected is sent to the Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology. So wrap up warmly and grab your binoculars for this fantastic event. For more info, check out the Audubon of Portland website.

Dates: 31 December 2011
Times: 06h00 to 18h00
City: Portland
State: Oregon
Country: United States of America

2011 Winter Wings Festival

Editor — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 13:42:05 +0000

Organized by the Klamath Basin Audubon Society, the 2011 Winter Wings Festival will feature a fascinating schedule including field trips, workshops, lectures and more. Keynote speakers will include Jeffrey Gordon and Arthur Morris. Other events taking place during the Winter Wings Festival are a photography contest, art contest, art show, pelicans on parade auction and much more.

The area in which the Winter Wings Festival takes place is ideal for exceptinal birding, particularly as it is home to a large number of wintering Bald Eagles. So be sure not to miss this amazing event.

Date: 18 to 20 February 2011
Time: 5:45 am
Venue: Oregon Institute of Technology
City: Klamath Falls
State: Oregon
Country: United States of America

Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus)

Editor — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 10:50:35 +0000

The Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) is a relatively common bird species found in habitats extending from Oregon, California and Western Mexico, right through to the highlands of Central America as well as the Colombian Andes. Described as having a clown-face, the Acorn Woodpecker is a very social creature, with groups living together in a complex social system. A fascinating bird, the Acorn Woodpecker is worth looking out for.

Acorn Woodpecker’s can be quickly identified by the following distinctive features: a white eye ringed by black; black around the classic woodpecker bill; white on the cheeks and forehead; a red crown and a soft yellow throat. Other physical characteristics to look out for are the white rump, white belly with thin dark streaks along the flanks, a black tail and a body length of 8 inches. An adult male Acorn Woodpecker’s red cap merges directly with its white forehead. The females differ in that there is a black section separating the white forehead from the red cap.

As implied by its name, the Acorn Woodpecker’s preferred diet consists of acorns. They will also dine on insects, fruit, sap and nectar. They have also been known to feed on grass seeds, bird eggs and lizards. Foraging typically takes place near the tree canopy and the woodpecker species will seldom be found on the ground. The bird will either remove single acorns from a tree or they may remove an entire twig with up to 3 acorns attached. Sap is eaten as a group with all family members gathering at the sapsucking holes. Acorn Woodpeckers are known for storing acorns for the winter months. The nuts are carefully stored in what is referred to as a granary. A granary tree may be a dead tree or a very old tree with thick bark. Holes are drilled into the tree, some trees have had as many as 50,000 holes counted on them. By living in groups, the Acorn Woodpeckers are able to gather large quantities of nuts as well as defend their stash.

Due to their diet and method of storage, Acorn Woodpeckers are usually found in pine-oak woodlands, riparian corridors, hardwood forests and suburban areas with many trees. They are permanent residents and therefore do not migrate at all. Reproduction rituals can be quite complicated amongst Acorn Woodpeckers. Whilst some are monogamous, other groups engage in cooperative polygyny. Groups may have up to 7 breeding males and 3 egg-laying females. Females will lay their eggs in a joint nest cavity. Nest cavities are located within trees and are gently lined with wood chips. Eggs are white and elliptical in shape numbering up to 6 in a clutch (that of the entire group). The incubation period of Acorn Woodpecker eggs is 11-12 days with both females and males involved in incubation. Nestlings are ready to leave the nest cavity after 30-32 days.

Dark-Eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)

Editor — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 10:50:35 +0000

The Dark-eyed Junco or the Junco hyemalis is 5.25 to 6 inches, or 14 to 16 cm, in length and has a pinkish, conical bill and white outer tail feathers. The wingspan is 7 to 10 inches, or 18 to 25 cm, in length and it weighs 18 to 30 grams. The Dark-eyed Junco varies in coloring depending on its geographical location. Before, the various forms of the Junco were considered to be separate species but now they are considered to be all the same.

The White-winged Junco has a medium gray head and upper body, with a pure white belly and wing bars. The female and the young birds are a browner looking colour to the male, as described above. The White-Winged junco breeds from Montana to Nebraska.

The Oregon Junco on the other hand has a dark gray head and breast with a brown back and wings. The females and young differ in that their colour is duller then the male. This variety of the bird breeds from Alaska to California.

The Slate-coloured Junco is similar to the Oregon Junco in that it also has a dark gray head and upper body and a white belly. The females and young are also browner than the male. The Slate-coloured junco breeds in eastern United States and Canada.

The Pink-sided Junco name comes from the bird’s pinkish flanks. The Junco has a medium gray head and breast and dark lores. The Junco’s back and wings are brown and its belly is white in colour. Like the other varieties, the female and the immature birds are browner in colour then the male. This variety of the Junco breeds from Alberta to Idaho.

The last of the varieties is the Gray-headed Junco, which breeds in the Rocky Mountains. It has a medium gray plumage, which is paler in colour on the belly. The back is a rusty colour, the lores are dark and occasionally the Gray-headed junco has a dark upper mandible.

Other species that are similar in appearance to the Dark-eyed Junco is the local southeastern Arizona, Yellow-eyed Junco, and the difference being the dark eyes. The Black-chinned Sparrow is also similar in colour. It has a streaked back with brown wings but doesn’t have white feathers in its tail. This common small sparrow is widespread and is seen often as a winter visitor at all the bird feeders.

27th John Scharff Migratory Bird Festival

Editor — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 09:43:37 +0000

Bird-lovers are invited to spend a weekend witnessing the magnificent spring migration at the 27th annual John Scharff Migratory Bird Festival in the Harney Basin of Oregon. The festival is set to take place on 4, 5 and 6 April 2008, with the base of activity being in the city of Burns, Harney County.

Visitors can expect to see thousands of migratory birds – from waterfowl to shorebirds, wading birds to songbirds and raptors to cranes – as they rest and feed in the expanse of Oregon’s high desert. The festival schedule is packed with birding activities as well as cultural and historical information, which are sure to educate and entertain the entire family – beginners and experienced birders alike.

One of the highlights of the John Scharff Migratory Bird Festival will be the art show and sale which will run the duration of the festival in the Burns High School Gymnasium. Visitors will have plenty of opportunity to view and purchase original wildlife paintings, sculptures, photographs and much more. Paintings by renowned wildlife artist Steele Roberts-Ross will be a special feature of the art show and sale.

The kickoff celebration on Friday night will include the presentation “Milestones in Raptor Conservation” by Trish Nixon, a raptor specialist from the Peregrine Fund’s World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise, Idaho. Her talk will focus on raptors that have been rescued from the brink of extinction as well as those which are still endangered and what can be done to help them. Trish will also introduce the audience to one of her favorite raptors and will be available to answer questions related to birds of prey.

Audiences at the Saturday night banquet will hear (from a Theodore Roosevelt impersonator) how Malheur National Wildlife Refuge was established 100 years ago. They will learn how migratory birds in the Harney Basin were in dire straits at the turn of the 20th century, a situation which was turned around through the dedication of a few individuals – to the benefit of following generations right through to current times.

The John Scharff Migratory Bird Festival program has a host of birding tours and activities to choose from. These include Birds of Sagebrush Communities, Birding British Style, Birding the Neighborhood, Mysteries of Juniper Woodlands, Owl Prowl, Brunch with the Birds, and Sage Grouse Early Bird Tour. Workshops include The Art and Science of Bird Photography, Building Bird Houses, Dark Sky Discovery and BLM Burns Wild Horse Corrals.

Bird watching enthusiasts will not want to miss the opportunity of spending a weekend engaged in their favorite activity. So start planning now to enjoy the John Scharff Migratory Bird Festival to the full.

Winter Wings Festival, Oregon

Editor — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 10:45:02 +0000

The 2008 Winter Wings Festival, sponsored by the Klamath Basin Audubon Society and the Klamath Wingwatchers, is set to take place from 15 to 17 February 2008 at Klamath Falls, Oregon. The purpose of the Winter Wings Festival is to increase awareness of wildlife resources in the community with the focus on birds and bird-watching.

More than 350 species of birds are found in the Klamath Basin of Northern California and South Central Oregon. This area is renowned for the diversity and number of waterfowl on the lakes and rivers, as well as in the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges. The Klamath Basin is also home to one of the largest groups of wintering Bald Eagles in the lower 48 states of the U.S.A.

The Winter Wings Festival, held on Presidents’ Day weekend, takes place at a time when waterfowl and eagles are wintering in the Klamath Basin. This gives visitors the opportunity to observe these magnificent birds on guided tours and learn more about them at the workshops that form part of the program. Other features of the Winter Wings Festival program include a keynote speaker, field trips, mini-sessions and special events. There will be many family-oriented activities and live bird displays. Expert tour leaders will take photography enthusiasts to areas where they will be best able to capture the abundant bird-life on film.

Raptor specialist, Trish Nixon, will be the keynote speaker at the Winter Wings Festival. Trish has been working at the Peregrine Fund’s World Center for Birds of Prey for the past ten years, where she has been responsible for the feeding, daily care and training of the seventeen hawks, eagles, falcons and owls that are used in the center’s education program. She has dedicated over 20 years of her life to caring for birds and has a passion for sharing her knowledge on the Peregrine Fund’s conservation projects.

The family activities include a 45-minute slideshow aimed at visitors who are new to the area, or new to the joys of bird-watching. Visitors can also have an up-close and personal encounter with the Great Horned Owl and American Kestrel that have been rescued and rehabilitated by the Badger Run Wildlife Rehabilitation facility. The vendor area will be displaying and selling artwork and crafts related to the beauty of nature. Charlie and Deana Thurston will be displaying the talents of their tame hand-raised ducks. There will also be a paper-making activity station, a migration obstacle course and many other hands-on activities.

Nature-lovers are invited to enjoy the multitude of activities organized for the Winter Wings Festival weekend. Visitors are sure to have loads of fun while being educated about the magnificent birds of the Klamath Basin.