Towheeblog

Here is the first of the galleries of images captured by Albert Ryckman from the Corvallis area.  He was on our Malheur Field Station birding trip earlier this month. Individual vehicles, individual dorms, no sharing of scope or thermos or dinnerware.  Much sharing of bird sightings:

These are birds that like a bit of water, standing is fine.  Avocet, Common Yellowthroat, Long-billed Curlew.

Watery wonders–White Pelicans.  The flock in the water was fishing in a small slough alongside Central Patrol Road between Benson Pond and P Ranch, near Knox Pond.  The back row would flutter up and splash down in front of the previous front-floating phalanx.  Often we would note a circling group high over our heads.  The cuddling pair was in Marshall Pond at headquarters our first night at Malheur:

Here’s the last Field Station birding trip for 2020:   Sept. 12(Sat)-Sept. 18(Fri)
This trip will allow us to spend a full day in the Steens where we will go to the peak at just under 10,000 feet elevation.  In the late summer we may get access to areas closed during breeding season.  There may be migrating raptors passing through the valley and mountains.  While many insectivorous birds will be gone there will also be songbirds on migration including huge numbers of White-crowned Sparrows and their cousins from several species.

Mammals possible on trips include: Belding’s ground squirrel, pronghorn, wild horses, mink, river otter, long-tailed weasel, badger, coyote, mule deer, yellow-bellied marmot, kit fox, Nuttall’s cottontail, black-tailed jackrabbit, bats, California ground squirrel. 

Arrive for dinner on the 12^th, depart after breakfast on the 18th. To get more information or sign up for these trips, call the Malheur Field Station at (541) 493-2629.