Hello Tweeters,

Bill and I have visited the Malheur region about 4 times over
the past 20 or so years. The first time we went, back in the 80s was the
same year the Great Salt Lake threatened to inundate the airport there.
Water levels at Malheur that year, mid-summer, were impressively high.
Every time we've been back since people have always said, "This is one of
the driest years we've ever had." So this year, when people reported high
water, we thought it was time to go again.

We began our Malheur tour last Friday from Burns. Immediately
outside of Burns, the land around the Silvies River becomes very marshy and
there were lots of ducks, shorebirds, gulls, and blackbirds. Very helpfully
for us, a report on Oregon Birders Online, pointed out that because of the
high water, the best birding right now is on Ruh-Red Road, a few miles north
of the causeway that separates Malheur and Harney Lakes. This road goes
from Hwy 205, the road that goes south from Burns, and heads east and then
north, crossing the outflow from Malheur Lake. Only, because of the
flooding, the road is, for a few miles, only inches above the water line on
both sides of the road-extensive shallow water.

The birds are very close on both sides of the road and since
many are still engaged in pre-breeding activity, nesting, or parenting, they
didn't seem to mind the occasional car coming along. Most notable species
were, in order of our observing them:

White-faced Ibis-1000s

Wilson's Phalaropes-pre-breeding activity

Sandhill Crane-just 3 in three days

Long-billed Curlew-many!

Willets-many just south of Burns, along Ruh-Red Road and also on
the Hwy from Frenchglen down to Fields at an elevation of about 4500 feet

Black-necked Stilts-we saw mothers tending young and couples
courting. Very engaging to observe

American Avocets-many

Black Terns

Forster's Terns-100s

Sage Thrashers-all over in the sage brush

Loggerhead Shrikes-many over the whole Malheur area

Franklin's Gulls-best looks I've had at these lovely gulls

Clark's Grebes and Western Grebes-about half the grebes we saw
were Clark's and half Western. Both were just 10-15 feet from the car, so
we got some great pictures.

Burrowing Owl-one on Ruh-Red Road and one between Frenchglen and
Fields

Short-eared Owl-one in the Alvord Desert, but people were also
seeing them near Frenchglen

Great-horned Owl-at Fields

Common Nighthawks-many. These birds can be seen roosting on
fence railings at the Malhear Field Station. Again photography at very
close range!

American White Pelicans-of course one expects to see these birds
at Malheur, but there were hundreds engaged in group feeding activity in
Malheur Lake, which you can see from the NWR headquarters.

Hummingbirds-none! Apparently all had left just a few days
before our arrival on June 17.

Collared Dove-at least one ant Malheur NWR HQ

Trumpeter Swan-four along the central canal north of P Ranch

Snowy Egret-one in a flooded field just east of Burns



Just one comment about the mosquitoes. These bugs are notorious
down in the Malheur area. June 17, the first day we drove down Ruh-Red
Road, was bright and sunny with no wind. As we approached the water, I kept
thinking our truck windshield was doing funny optical things because I kept
seeing spires of gray floating in the air next to the road. The truth was
that these columns were spires of mosquitoes, newly hatched. Up close we
could easily hear them humming away! We observed, however, that they didn't
attack us when we got out to look around along the road. A farmer that
drove by pointed out that these were mainly male mosquitoes. The females
are the ones that aim to exsanguinate, and they hadn't started to bite yet.
So, although there were bugs everywhere, I came home with only about 4
bites.

As others have noted the water is already high at Malheur and it may rise
further. At some point, you may not be able to drive through Ruh-Red Road
until the water subsides. Parts of the Central Canal road in the Refuge are
already closed. If you're interested in making this trip, sooner is
probably better. On the other hand, Steens Mountain Road is still closed,
because there is still so much snow up on Steens Mountain.



Regards, Charlotte Byers, Seattle