Shasta Valley Wildlife Area

In celebration of International Migratory Bird Day, the Klamath National Forest will be sponsoring a bird watching field trip on Saturday, May 7th at the Shasta Valley Wildlife Area, located approximately 3 miles East of Montague, at 1724 Ball Mountain Road. This event is open to everyone and will be a day of bird watching led by local biologists and bird experts. For more information contact Sam Cuenca at 530-468-5351.

The Klamath-Siskiyou bioregion is noted for having a diversity of geology and vegetation. It is an area of overlap of the Cascade, Sierra Nevada, and coast ranges and has plant communities representing each of these zones. This contributes to the wide range of bird species that occur here. Any season of the year is good for bird watching in our valleys and mountains. We are now approaching spring and early summer when many long distant migrant species are showing up from points south to breed in Siskiyou County. This is the time of year when warblers, osprey and turkey vultures make their long journeys to spend the summer months in the various habitats of the Klamath Mountains.

There are many bird watching opportunities on the National Forest, wildlife areas, local parks and even backyards. This is a very enjoyable and inexpensive activity for curious people of all ages. Birdwatching skills could be developed with a simple walk along a creek or trail. All that is needed is a pair of binoculars and a bird identification book (which are available locally), and a sense of wonder. For more information please contact your local Forest Service office.

(From a Klamath National Forest press release)

Here’s the schedule and list of activities for the Bird Festival:

Free guided bus tours to local wildlife refuges, canoeing in Discovery Marsh, live bird demonstrations, children’s activities and the offerings of wildlife vendors will highlight  the May 21^st Tule Lake Bird Festival.  This year’s festival will be held at the Tule Lake Refuge visitor center located 5 miles west of Tulelake at 4009 Hill Road.  The Festival will feature events for the entire family throughout the day including bus tours to Lower Klamath and Tule Lake Wildlife Refuges, breakfast and lunch options, free posters and other wildlife related items, children’s activities, music and live bird demonstrations. Events will run throughout the day from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm. People interested in the bus tours listed below should contact refuge visitor center at (530) 667-2231 for reservations.  Space is limited so call soon.

Events at the May 21st Festival will include:

Guided bus tour to Lower Klamath Refuge including a rare opportunity to view an active Bald Eagle nest (see photo above) (9:00 – 11:45).  Bus transportation will be provided and advanced reservations are required. Call: (530) 667-2231.

Guided bus tour to Tule Lake Refuge and the Petroglyphs section of Lava Beds National Monument(1:15 – 3:00).  Bus transportation will be provided and advanced reservations are required.

Guided tours to the Historic Tulelake CCC Camp (1:30 and 2:30).  Advanced reservations are required.

Canoes will be available for free use on the nearby Discovery Marsh Canoe Trail

Live Birds demonstrations at the Tule Lake Refuge visitor center (10:00 – 2:00).

Morning breakfast bagels, hot drinks and lunch options sold by Tulelake seniors (8:00 – 1:00).

Children’s activities for all ages will be provided throughout the day including wildlife art instruction and bird mask making.
Wildlife information stations, wildlife art…..and more.  All activities except food services are free and open to the public.

Snow Geese at the Klamath Basin Wildlife Refuges

Siskiyou County is home to a bird watchers paradise at the Tule Lake and Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuges in the eastern portion of the county. Tule Lake and Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuges truly boast some amazing numbers, the size alone of these Refuges is impressive. Then there are the eagles – close to 1000 winter here. The Lower Klamath, established in 1908 as the nation’s first waterfowl refuge, encompasses 46,900 acres, and is the best place to see American bald
Eagles January, February and sometimes into March. Just after daybreak is your best bet on the near 10-mile auto tour, where lucky visitors will see between 10 to 30 bald eagles feeding together. Next on the tour should be Tule Lake NWR, home to 39,116 acres, a host of raptor species, waterfowl and wildlife. As the eagles leave the area with the approach of spring, thousands and thousands of migrating waterfowl return to the refuges in a spectacular show.

Whether you’re looking for eagles or waterfowl, get started early – first light is around 7am – and take the Lower Klamath auto tour, keeping an eye out in the Refuge’s fields and marshes. Then it’s over to Tule Lake, about 16 miles away, for another 10-mile auto tour, where agricultural fields can attract raptors, like American bald and golden eagles, Northern harrier, and red-tailed and rough-legged hawks circling above fields or marshes and lakes thick with flocks of waterfowl. If you’ve got more time, take Hill Road from the Refuge Visitors Center over to the Lava Beds National Monument where you’ll see birds feeding on juniper berries and a variety of birds at that Visitors Center.

To learn more about what’s happening at the Lower Klamath and Tule Lake Refuges, as well as the other refuges in the Klamath Basin Wildlife Refuge Complex, visit the website and Klamath Basin Birding Trail and read the blog to find out about recent sitings.

When you head out for wildlife viewing in the Tulelake and Dorris areas, be prepared to enter a very sparsely populated area (you’ll see more waterfowl than houses, by far). Come with a full tank of gas. While there are a few stores and restaurants, packing a picnic lunch to take with you on the auto tours makes it convenient to eat whenever you’re ready, rather than having to make your way back to a town. This is an area where you do quite a bit of driving and you’ll have lots to look at as you make your way down these quite back roads.

Sandhill and albino Sandhill cranes - photo by Larry Turner

Southern Oregon photographer Larry Turner was at the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge at the end of February and he captured wonderful images of the sandhill cranes that are returning to the refuge, including a rare albino sandhill crane. Read Larry’s notes and see more photos on his blog. Be sure to check out his work to see the beauty he captures in Northern California, Southern Oregon and so many other locations. Thanks for sharing Larry!

To learn more about the Refuges and birding in Siskiyou County, see our birding page. You can check the Refuge’s notable sightings list to see recent sightings at the Refuges and get a sense for how the spring migration is progressing.

To learn more about the Klamath Basin Refuges, check out this video:

There are many ways to search for birds and wildlife at the Refuge. This time of year the canoe trails on Tule Lake (you can rent canoes near the Upper Klamath refuge or bring your own) are open, as are the waterfowl photo blinds. The Tule Lake and Lower Klamath refuges in California have self-guided driving routes that will take you along lake shores and wet lands. Even driving down the highway you’ll see a plethora of bird life. The staff at Refuge headquarters can tell you where to go if you’re looking for a particular bird and tell you whats been happening with the many species of birds that use the Refuge lands. Across the street from headquarters you can walk a short interpretive trail through a wetlands area.

If you’re planning a visit, be sure to check in with Refuge staff for tips on what to see. If you can’t visit just yet, scan the seasonal wildlife calendar to determine if there is a species you want to plan a trip to see. The Refuges are home to a huge bald eagle population in the winter months that draws many visitors to the area.

The canoe area has been developed as a cooperative effort of the refuge staff and many friends of David Champine.  Mr. Champine died in 2009 after battling a lifelong heart condition which hampered his health but not his enthusiasm for life. The Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Association has been instrumental in making this opportunity available.  The Association is a membership group dedicated to supporting refuge interpretive and educational programs.  For membership information contact the refuge at (530) 667-2231. A group of David’s friends donated the canoe which visitors will be using on the trail.  The canoe area is located in a remote portion of Discovery Marsh which is within walking distance of the refuge headquarters and visitor center.  The marsh is expected to dry up during the late spring and summer months most years so visitors should call in advance if they are planning a trip which includes use of the canoe area.

Wildlife viewing opportunities will vary seasonably with recent reports of interesting sightings along the trail including bird species such as Cinnamon Teal, Great Egret, Black-crowned Night Heron, Long-billed Dowitcher, Violet-green Swallow, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Marsh Wren and Common Yellowthroat.

The Refuge visitor center is located at 4009 Hill Road about 5 miles west of the town of Tulelake, California. Center hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 pm on weekdays and 9:00 to 4:00 pm on weekends and holidays. Contact the refuge at (530) 667-2231 for additional information.

Here’s what the producer had to say:

This video gives a glimpse at a few of the multitude of bird species that can be found in the Upper Klamath Basin of Oregon and California in early April. Virtually all the birds migrating on the Pacific Flyway come through this area in the spring and fall. The largest group of bald eagles in the lower 48 states assembles here during the winter. Many species are residents year-around. The Klamath Basin Birding Trail was created to help visitors find the widest array of bird species possible. This area is truly a bird-watchers paradise. For all the details see: http://www.klamathbirdingtrails.com