Beulah Reservoir and Chukar Park
Seasons
Checklists
Location
From the eastern border of Juntura, take Beulah Road for 15 miles to the reservoir. On the way,stop in Chukar Park Campground (6 miles north of Juntura (43.747429,-118.084085) and bird the riparian areas. This can be a great place to camp and start your birding day. At the NE end of Beulah Reservoir, Beulah Road crosses Warm Springs Creek. Check this area for migrants and marsh birds. After crossing Warms Springs Creek, the road will “T”. Stay left and you will access the NW part of the lake where the north fork of the Malheur River feeds into the lake. This is another good, marshy spot to bird.
DirectionsHabitat and Birds
The lake offers good waterfowl birding in spring and fall. Marsh birds can be found around the north end of the lake and migrants will frequent this area as well. Around the lake, check the juniper and sagebrush for dry land species like Vesper Sparrow and Gray Flycatcher. This may be the best place in the county to find Ash-throated Flycatcher Ash-throated Flycatcher are often found near the entrance and across the road from Chukar Park. Nesting species in the park include Bushtit, Say’s Phoebe and Lesser Goldfinch. A recent trip to this lake in June produced the following species: Birds ob- served: Horned Grebe, Eared Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, Western Grebe, Clark’s Grebe, American White Pelican (8), Double Crested Cormorant, American Bittern, Great Egret, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Redhead, Chukar, American Avocet, Caspian Tern, Forster’s Tern, Common Nighthawk, Vaux’s Swift, Eastern Kingbird, Violet-green Swallow, Bullock’s Oriole, Blackheaded Grosbeak, Western Meadowlark, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Redwinged Blackbird, Common Poorwill (heard at dusk). Thanks to Wayne and Patty Bowers for this list.
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