Alfalfa
Seasons
Checklists
Location
Travel east from Bend on Hwy 20. At 1.8 miles, you will see the sign for Prineville. This is the Powell Butte Highway. Take the Powell Butte Highway north for 0.5 miles to Alfalfa Market Road. Turn east and follow Alfalfa Market Road to Alfalfa (9.8 miles). Explore the side roads to the north and east of Alfalfa. Once you leave the farmland, you will enter a juniper forest and diversity will drop off. Stick to the farmland if you are looking for raptors. Near the community of Alfalfa, there is an electrical station on the corner of Alfalfa Market Road and Johnson Ranch Road. Take Johnson Ranch Road north for 3.0 miles to an area that has ranch houses and a large pond. This pond must be viewed from the road but is productive if you have a spotting scope.
DirectionsHabitat and Birds
Agricultural lands. This is a prime area for wintering raptors such as Prairie Falcons, Red-tailed and Rough-legged Hawks. In summer search for Swainson’s and Ferruginous Hawks. In winter, this is a good place to check Horned Lark or American Pipit flocks for Lapland Longspur. Year-round, this area is good for Northern Harrier and Great Horned Owl. Mountain Bluebirds are common in most months and American Robin flocks can reach into the thousands in some winters. Johnson Ranch Pond usually hosts a good selection of ducks and grebes. American White Pelican are often present in summer months and this pond hosts one of the largest concentrations of Common Nighthawk in late August as they stage for migration.
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