East Cascades Bird Alliance

Oregon Natural Desert Association Wild & Scenic Film Festival
2024-10-04 17:00 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Tower Theatre, 835 NW Wall St., Bend, Oregon, 97703
Oregon Natural Desert Association presents the Wild & Scenic Film Festival on Friday, October 4, 2024 — an unforgettable evening of captivating short films that address pressing environmental issues, highlight incredible work being done by activists around the world, and celebrate the beauty of our planet.

Their carefully curated lineup will take you on a breathtaking journey through the natural world, showcasing awe-inspiring landscapes and emphasizing the urgency of protecting our wild places.There will be an in-person show at the Tower Theatre in Bend, Oregon as well as a virtual version streamed online. Join us for a night of inspiration and discovery!

Buy Tickets – Tower Theatre Show
Friday, Oct. 4, 2024 | Doors at 5 p.m., show at 6 p.m.Join us before the show to chat with ONDA staff, learn about current advocacy and volunteer opportunities, buy raffle tickets, and catch up with fellow ONDA community members!

Register – Online Streaming Show
Available from Friday, Oct. 4, 2024 – Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024Make a donation when registering to begin or renew your ONDA membership, and buy raffle tickets to be entered to win one of our prize packages, full of gear and gift certificates to fuel your next adventure. 100% of proceeds support high desert conservation!Only one person per household needs to register. Includes closed captioning.

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Pollinator Pathway's Fall Social and Seed Swap
2024-10-02 17:30 - 19:30 | Worthy Brewing, 495 NE Bellevue Dr, Bend, OR, 97701
Pollinator Pathway’s Fall Social and Seed Swap
Join Pollinator Pathway’s for the Pollinator Pathway Bend Fall Social and Seed Swap. Connect with fellow native plant gardeners and share your love for native habitat.
Date: Wednesday October 2, 2024
Time: 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Location: Worthy Brewing, 495 NE Bellevue Dr, Bend, OR 97701
Register for this free event here
We’ll provide some light refreshments. Beverages available for purchase.
Bring your extra native plant seeds to swap with others. It’s a great opportunity to diversify your garden and discover new varieties!
No seeds? No problem! Come on out to learn more about the Pathway and share garden stories.

We are using the registration system to plan refreshments. If you register and then find you won’t be able to attend, please cancel.

ODLT Volunteer Opportunity--Burrowing Owl Dig
2024-10-02 10:30 - 15:00
Volunteer Opportunity – Burrowing Owl Dig

Where: Brothers area
What: Oregon Desert Land Trust (ODLT) needs six or more volunteers to dig holes for artificial burrows for burrowing owls at their Brothers-Shaw property. The project is based on models that have proven successful in similar efforts. A wildlife camera will also be installed to monitor any increased activity.
When: Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024 10:30 AM – 3:00 PM
Why: Burrowing owl activity has stopped in the area and creating artificial burrows could assist with their return. Burrowing owls are considered birds of conservation concern both federally and in Oregon. For nesting, they depend heavily upon burrows created by other species, especially badgers, and sites with a lot of bare ground. Both preferences would be met at this project site.
ODLT formed in 2017 to conserve private lands in Oregon‘s high desert for the benefit of wildlife and people. The conservation of this 320-acre property has enabled researchers from Oregon State University and East Cascades Audubon Society to experiment with habitat improvements to boost the long-term survival of greater sage-grouse in the region.
How: Volunteers will dig holes 1-2 ft wide x 7-8 long x 3 ft deep to accomodate a channel of piping and a larger bucketed den space based on successful models.

Volunteers will first meet coordinators at Brother’s Oasis Rest Area, drive 5 min to ODLT’s Brothers-Shaw property, then walk a quarter mile through sagebrush terrain with sand and large rocks, and pass over/through a barbed-wire fence. Tools and supplies will be provided, but personal items are welcomed.

Please find more information and register online:
https://www.oregondesertlandtrust.org/owl-dig/

Contact Brandon Palmer for additional details:
Oregon Desert Land Trust, 315 N Broadway Ave, Burns OR 977720
Cell phone: (541)-589-5646 or email: bpalmer@oregondesertlandtrust.org

ECBA Board Meeting
2024-10-01 18:00 - 20:00, 2024-09-03 18:00 - 20:00, 2024-08-06 18:00 - 20:00, 2024-07-02 18:00 - 20:00, 2024-06-11 18:00 - 20:00
East Cascades Bird Alliance Board of Directors meets monthly, on the first Tuesday, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Board meetings are held virtually, via Zoom, and are open to the public. If you are interested in attending, contact ecba@ecbirds.org for a Zoom invitation.

Children's Forest Central Oregon Discover Nature Festival in Bend
2024-09-28 11:00 - 15:00 | Alpenglow Park, 61049 SE 15th St,, Bend, OR, 97702, United States
Children’s Forest Central Oregon Discover Nature Festival in Bend The Children’s Forest is excited to host Discover Nature Festival again this year!
The event will be held on Saturday, September 28 from 11am-3pm at Alpenglow Park.
The event is free!

Crooked River Wetlands Saturday Bird Walk
2024-09-21 07:45 - 10:00, 2024-08-17 07:45 - 10:00, 2024-08-03 07:45 - 10:00, 2024-07-20 07:45 - 10:00, 2024-07-06 07:45 - 10:00, 2024-06-15 07:45 - 10:00 | Crooked River Wetlands Complex, 4035 NW Rimrock Acres Loop in Prineville, OR, 4035 NW Rimrock Acres Loop, Prineville, OR, 97754, United States
We lead walks every 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month from April through
October.
Due to frigid conditions, we only meet on the 1st Saturday in
November and March.
There are no walks offered in December through February.

In Apr-Oct, we meet at 7:45am and start the 2-hour walk at 8:00am
In Nov. and March, we meet at 9:45 and start at 10:00AM
Some Important Information:
1. No experience is necessary. We usually have at least 2 experienced
leaders who will tell you what birds you are seeing and lots of fun
facts about them. We have loaner binoculars for you to use.
2. If mobility is a problem, we have a 4-person golf cart that trails
the group and can offer rides to anyone who gets tired or sore. The cart
was purchased to carry people who could not otherwise access the
complex. If a participant would like to ride the whole trip, please
contact Chuck Gates at 541-280-4957 or CRWCTOURS@cityofprineville.com to
reserve a seat.
3. Participants are welcome to peel away from the group at any time and
go on their own. They do not have to go the entire two hours.
4. There is no charge for this event. No registration is required.
5. We will meet at the Wetlands Pavilion, located at 4035 Rimrock Acres Loop, Prineville, OR

September Birders' Night -- Golden Eagles Nesting in Oregon (2011-2020) with Frank Isaacs
2024-09-19 19:00 - 21:00 | Environmental Center, 16 N.W. Kansas Ave., Bend, OR
September Birders’ Night–Golden Eagles Nesting in Oregon (2011-2020) with Frank Isaacs
September 19, 2024 7:00-9:00 pm

Frank will present the results of the first statewide Golden Eagle nest monitoring project in Oregon, and compare and contrast the status of Golden Eagles and Bald Eagles nesting in the state. This will be a fun and informative presentation. We’re looking forward to seeing you there!

CANCELLED THIS WEEK: Crooked River Wetlands Saturday Bird Walk
2024-09-07 07:45 - 10:00 | Crooked River Wetlands Complex, 4035 NW Rimrock Acres Loop in Prineville, OR, 4035 NW Rimrock Acres Loop, Prineville, OR, 97754, United States
We lead walks every 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month from April through
October.
Due to frigid conditions, we only meet on the 1st Saturday in
November and March.

There are no walks offered in December through February.

In Apr-Oct, we meet at 7:45am and start the 2-hour walk at 8:00am
In Nov. and March, we meet at 9:45 and start at 10:00AMSome Important Information:
1. No experience is necessary. We usually have at least 2 experienced
leaders who will tell you what birds you are seeing and lots of fun
facts about them. We have loaner binoculars for you to use.
2. If mobility is a problem, we have a 4-person golf cart that trails
the group and can offer rides to anyone who gets tired or sore. The cart
was purchased to carry people who could not otherwise access the
complex. If a participant would like to ride the whole trip, please
contact Chuck Gates at 541-280-4957 or CRWCTOURS@cityofprineville.com to
reserve a seat.
3. Participants are welcome to peel away from the group at any time and
go on their own. They do not have to go the entire two hours.
4. There is no charge for this event. No registration is required.

5. We will meet at the Wetlands Pavilion, located at 4035 Rimrock Acres Loop, Prineville, OR

Malheur After Dark with the Bird Alliance of Oregon
2024-08-31 19:00 - 22:00
Come celebrate dark skies and all things nocturnal at Malheur NWR’s Sod House Ranch. ADA compliant bathrooms and parking will be available. There we’ll take an evening bird walk, look for bats and badgers, and enjoy a star viewing experience with Amy Bielbisi and Oregon Star Safari. For more information, see here: https://audubonportland.org/events/

Malheur Fall Shorebird Survey with the Bird Alliance of Oregon
2024-08-21 - 2024-08-24
Join the Bird Alliance of Oregon and USFWS staff in supporting the effort to survey shorebirds in the intermountain west. We’ll survey the playas of the Double O for fall migrating and staging shorebirds. This survey is part of a project organized by Point Blue Bird Observatory and National Audubon, with support from the USFWS. Camping will be available. Camping gear will be available for participants to use during this event. There are some driving routes during this survey. All other routes require a minimum of 5 miles of hiking, with the possibility of 10 miles roundtrip. There will be no bathroom access during walking routes and driving routes will only have bathroom access at the beginning and end of the route. For more information, see here: https://audubonportland.org/events/

Bird Alliance of Oregon's Birders Connect at Burns/Hines Nature Trail
2024-08-08 17:00 - 18:30
We’ll park at the Egan Rd. Trailhead and walk along the Nature Trail, past the golf course and sewage ponds. The sewage ponds are great for waterfowl and the surrounding meadows, shrubs, and trees are good for a diversity of raptors and passerines. We’ll head to drinks, meals, and socializing after.
Distance: 2 miles
Elevation Change: Flat, level trail
Trail tread and width: Trail is graveled with large gravel, uneven in some places; >36” wide
Pacing: We will move at a slow pace, stopping frequently to look at birds
Amenities: There are no bathrooms or water available
Rest Stops: There are several benches along the trail
For more information, please see here: https://audubonportland.org/events/

P-Ranch River Walk with Bird Alliance of Oregon
2024-07-26 08:00 - 11:00
The stretch of the Blitzen River that extends north from P-Ranch is a popular stop for many visitors to Malheur NWR. The mix of habitats along the river create abundant opportunities for observing birds and the occasional beaver or other mammal. We will walk from the trailhead for the River Trail, up the river approximately 1 mile, on the return trip, we’ll detour to the Long Barn and look for nesting Great Horned Owls. If time allows, we’ll also bird in the P-Ranch orchard.
Distance: 2 miles
Elevation change: less than 10% grade from parking lot
Trail tread and width: Graveled maintenance road, 36” wide
Pacing: We will move at a slow pace with frequent stops to look for birds, plants, insects, and other bits of nature.
Amenities: ADA parking, picnic tables, and bathroom available
Rest Stops: Participants can take breaks as needed, there are no benches along the river, but there are a few benches near the Long Barn.
For more information, please see: https://audubonportland.org/events/

Malheur's Benson Pond with Bird Alliance of Oregon
2024-07-19 08:00 - 10:00
This bird walk will start at the Benson Pond Trailhead and will travel along the northern edge of Benson Pond, through the stand of homestead era trees and back to the parking area. The diversity of aquatic habitat, emergent marsh, sagebrush/shrubland, and deciduous trees provides for a diverse assortment of bird species. This walk provides a great opportunity for observing ducks in non-breeding plumage and practicing duck ID.

Distance: up to 3 miles
Elevation change: <10% grade from parking lot
Trail tread and width: Access road with some gravel, 36” wide; option to walk on footpath under trees with some unsecure footing.
Pacing: We will move at a slow, making frequent stops to enjoy birds and other nature that we discover.
Amenities: Parking is limited, there are no bathrooms or water at Benson Pond
Rest Stops: There are a few benches under the trees, about .75 miles up the trail.
For more information, please see here:https://audubonportland.org/events/

Malheur HQ with Bird Alliance of Oregon
2024-07-12 08:00 - 11:30
This family-friendly bird walk will start at Malheur National Wildlife Headquarters at 8 and 10 a.m. in the parking lot. Children of all ages, and families of all kinds, are invited to come for a casual walk around Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters. There should be baby hawks and owls for viewing. There will be bird-related activities for youth to do at home or at the Refuge.
Distance: up to 1.5 miles
Elevation change: <10% grade from parking lot
Trail tread and width: Paved trail, 36” wide
Pacing: We will move at a toddlers pace, making frequent stops to enjoy birds and other nature that we discover.
Amenities: ADA parking and bathroom available, water available at Visitor Center
Rest Stops: There are many benches for resting.
For more information, please see here: https://audubonportland.org/events/

Wednesday Birders 2024
2024-06-26 00:00, 2024-06-19 00:00, 2024-06-12 00:00
Wednesday Birders is a group of birders, birding, but not a traditional field trip with a named leader who always provides a guided field experience. Everyone helps everyone else, shares, learns and enjoys birding together. Usually some advanced birders are there and are so helpful. All are welcomed. We carpool when possible.
As times vary from week to week, please watch COBOL for details and times which are usually announced a few days prior to Wednesday.
All the locations are listed on our website. From the home page, select Birding Resources, and from the drop-down menu, you can choose Birding by County where you will get a list of favorite birding places including directions to the spots and what birds you might hope to find.
One of the goals of Wednesday Birders is to encourage everyone to use the ECBA birding site guides and get used to using those directions and the “how to bird it” tips for the locations. Simply select the county and the hotspots are listed alphabetically.
Important Notes:

Please remember to read COBOL by Tuesday mornings for last minute details and changes to plans in case of adverse weather, road conditions or detours, bird news or better birding opportunities. Watch COBOL for meeting and carpooling times and places or for changes in the plan.
COBOL is Central Oregon Birders Online. It’s free to join.
Remember to dress for the weather. Be prepared with food, sunscreen, etc. and bring a pair of binoculars. Spotting scopes are helpful on many trips.

For questions and for more information contact Brian MacDonald: brian.macdonald9@gmail.com or ecaudubon@gmail.com

Malheur Interior West Snowy Plover Survey with Bird Alliance of Oregon
2024-06-19 - 2024-06-22
Join Bird Alliance of Oregon and USFWS staff in surveying for Snowy Plovers and other shorebirds on the playas of the Double O unit of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. These areas are typically closed to the public so this is a great opportunity to see parts of the Refuge that not many people get to see while also giving back to Malheur and the birds who breed and stopover here. Camping will be provided. Camping gear is available for participants to use during this event. All routes for this survey require hiking more than 5 miles roundtrip, many require hiking up to 10 miles roundtrip. There will be no bathrooms during this survey. For more information, please see here: https://audubonportland.org/events/.

Glenn Cantor Mindful Birding Series
2024-06-15 09:00 - 11:00 | The Deschutes Land Trust’s Camp Polk Meadow Preserve, Cemetery Rd., Sisters, OR, 97759, United States
The Deschutes Land Trust in collaboration with East Cascades Bird Alliance invites everyone to this accessible and inclusive program which returns this year as requested by participants. Glenn Cantor, a much loved member of our birding community who recently passed, was one of the participants who expressed great enthusiasm about this new program and had looked forward to attending again. This program has been named in memory of Glenn’s irrepressible smile as he described his feelings of delight and connection after the last mindful birding event.
The first of this year’s series is a two hour event from 9-11 AM on Saturday June 15th at the Land Trust’s Camp Polk Meadow Preserve. There will be a brief introduction followed by at least an hour of silent sitting outside and then some sharing and discussion.
Note that participants will need to complete liability waivers for Deschutes Land Trust and the East Cascades Bird Alliance. Registration is limited to 20 attendees and an RSVP is required to attend this event.
Registration for ECBA members is through MemberPlanet.

P-Ranch River Walk with Bird Alliance of Oregon
2024-06-14 08:00 - 11:00
The stretch of the Blitzen River that extends north from P-Ranch is a popular stop for many visitors to Malheur NWR. The mix of habitats along the river create abundant opportunities for observing birds and the occasional beaver or other mammal. We will walk from the trailhead for the River Trail, up the river approximately 1 mile, on the return trip, we’ll detour to the Long Barn and look for nesting Great Horned Owls. If time allows, we’ll also bird in the P-Ranch orchard.

Distance: 2 miles
Elevation change: less than 10% grade from parking lot
Trail tread and width: Graveled maintenance road, 36” wide
Pacing: We will move at a slow pace with frequent stops to look for birds, plants, insects, and other bits of nature.
Amenities: ADA parking, picnic tables, and bathroom available
Rest Stops: Participants can take breaks as needed, there are no benches along the river, but there are a few benches near the Long Barn.
See here for more information: https://audubonportland.org/events/

Bird Alliance of Oregon's Birders Connect at Idlewild Campground
2024-06-13 20:00 - 22:00
For this outing, we’re flipping the script and socializing first. Want some time to socialize with other birders? Meet at The Central Hotel at 6:30 and grab dinner or a drink. Want to just go look for Flammulated Owls? Meet at The Central Hotel at 7:30. From there, we’ll head to the Idlewild Picnic Shelter. From there, we’ll bird through the forest and along shrubby areas where Green-tailed Towhee are often spotted. The Idlewild campground is also a great opportunity to view White-headed Woodpecker, Cassin’s Finch, and other forest-nesting bird species.
Distance: 1-2 miles
Elevation change: 500ft total (up and down), average grade 5%
Trail tread and width: Tread is paved and >36” wide
Pacing: We will move at a slow pace, stopping frequently to look at birds and other forest finds.
Amenities: There are ADA outhouses and water available at the picnic shelter
Rest Stops: Unoccupied campsites have picnic tables that can be used for seating as needed
For more information, please see here: https://audubonportland.org/events/
