Hi Tweeters!

Wow, what a trip! Gene and I returned Sunday from birding Malheur, Tule Lake, Lower Klamath NWR's and points along the way. The weather mostly cooperated with a couple of thunder and lightning storms - which also gave way to some nice rainbows.

Our list is composed of the birds we really thrilled to see but did not keep track of the usual suspects and all too "common" (not sure where to draw the line on this). It was very exciting to see many new birds and even be able to identify them. I am crossing my fingers that my sdcard for my camera will be able to be saved since it "went corrupt" on me toward the end of the trip. (Any one out there know how to retrieve them? I got a few keepers.)

Here are the highlights:

Malheur (5/17-19)
Covers main road from Burns to Frenchglen, P Ranch - Lower Center Patrol Rd to Diamond, back to Burns

The fields were quite green and marshy grasses shorter, making it fairly easy to spot shorebirds dining along the way.


Snipe (on the CP Rd. could hear the haunting winnowing but did not see any arial displays)
Sandhill Cranes - first one at Crane! (including one nesting at HQ across the pond) (only a few here and there, nice to see after Othell0)
Whimbrel
Long Billed Curlew
White Faced Ibis (many)
Wilson's Phalarope (delightful birds)
Black Necked Stilt
Great Horned Owls nesting (in tower)
Yellow Warbler
Great Egret (saw many on entire trip)
No. Harrier
Kestrel
Sage Thrasher on Double O Road
Meadowlark
Western Kingbird
Northern Shrike
Willet
Marsh Wren
Pied Billed Grebe
Ring-necked Pheasant
Magpie
Tern (Common?)
Redtail Hawk
Yellow Headed Blackbird (many+)
Mourning Dove
Coot (many)
Shovelers
Trumpeter Swan (including 4 babies (Signet?) at Benson Pond
Burrowing Owls at Ruh-Red Rd. (saw one catch and chow on a rodent thru scope)
Black Tern
Killdeer

Western Tanager, Eurasian Collared Dove, Turkey Vulture, Mallard w/ chicks, California Quail, Yellow Breasted Chat (at Page Springs), Sora, Bobolink, Northern Pintail (single), Common Yellowthroat, Tree and Cliff Swallow, Ruddy Duck, Redheads (which we were first thinking Canvasbacks), Avocet...

Pronghorn antelope here and there, 13 mule deer, Jack Rabbit, Cottontails, and one big highlight driving to the Roundbarn - one curmudgeonly Badger, crossed the road right in front of us and then turned around and scowled at us!

Headed to Tule Lake:
Rest stop on 395
Western Tanager, Killdeer, Goldfinch, Mourning Doves,
Lake Abert (amazing Spot - almost like the Great Salt Lake)
Bonaparte Gull, Avocet, Stilt, Sand. Cranes (at Bly), Jack Rabbits

Tule Lake (5/21) (Winema Lodge - great place for access, great food, and Annie the sweetest Border Collie)
Western/Clarke's Grebes, Eared Grebes (saw amazing display of the "water dance" of the Western)
Terns/ Common and Forster
Mallard/Gadwall/Coot (mentioning even though "common" and seen earlier as well)
White Pelicans
Cliff Swallow Colony on Cliffs (where else!)
Snow Geese
Snowy Egret
Redhead
Bonaparte Gull
Blackcrowned Night Heron - both flying and scoped while perched
saw many of these on the far side of Tule - flying everywhere,
Double Crested Comorants
RN Pheasants
California Quail (first in CA!)
Redtail Hawk

Lower Klamath/
White Lake Unit:
Avocet, Willet/amazing aerial display - like the Vomit Comet or a roller coaster - incredible!
Bonaparte Gull
Pelican
WF Ibis
Redhead
BC Night Heron (great view sitting in grass - camera disc not working!!!)
LB Dowitcher (poking heads in the mud)
Common Tern
Hawk sp?
Marsh Wren (love these birds antics)

Crater Lake: (totally socked in with fog - luckily had seen it years ago. Felt sorry for people from out of the country not being able to see this amazing place)
Turkey Vulture, Clarks Nutcracker, Marmott

Bend / at Shilo Inn (room right on the river - beautiful!)
Clarks Nutcracker, Eurasian Collared Dove, Mourning Dove, Yellow and Wilson's Warblers, White Breasted Nuthatch, (have only seen in the east), Redtail Hawk, Turkey Vulture,
Olive Sided Flycatcher (first!)

...and last but not least
Ridgefield
Blue Heron, Rednecked Phalarope (3), Pacific Wren (great views), Yellow warbler, Bald Eagle (nice for Memorial Day), Yellowthoat (love these guys!), Great Egrets (also saw a big group at marina crossing river (Willamette/Deschutes) into Washougal area (vague on location now), single Yellowlegs, Snipe up in tree (could also hear a lot of winnowing, Tree Swallows nesting

Thanks to Bob Flores for my last minute direction on what to do at Ridgefield. The Kiwa trail was great but seemed way longer than 1.5 miles! - and to all who gave hints on where to stay along the route. Hope I can help if anyone needs any further recommendations, etc.

Well, now back in Wedgwood (after driving 1800 miles - some retraced after taking wrong turns or going back for phone). Truly enjoyed our first visit to Malheur. We did rendezvous with Virginia Morrison in Hines as we were leaving and she and her friend Sherri were arriving to share stories - about birds, "etc". (Heavy on the etc.) Sorry for the format, I hope I didn't wear you guys out.

We had a marvelous trip to these places, but glad to be home once again. Had a Rufous visiting us this morning in our garden. I wonder who visited while we were gone.

Now I need to get something done, like hopefully retrieve my photos!!

Caryn / Wedgwood

I'm sure I forgot to mention something. Oh, of course - my bird dream!! While at Winema, one night I was dreaming of owls - 3 Barn and a white Great Horned someone was sketching and when I awoke, I could hear owls outside. I tried to find them, but too dark. Verna, the innkeeper says she hears and sees them there. Wild!!!





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