Crooked River Wetlands Saturday Bird Walk
2025-08-02 07:45 - 10:00, 2025-09-06 07:45 - 10:00, 2025-09-20 07:45 - 10:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Crooked River Wetlands Complex, 4035 NW Rimrock Acres Loop in Prineville, OR, 4035 NW Rimrock Acres Loop, Prineville, OR, 97754, United States
In 2025, Wetlands Walks will be held on the first and third Saturdays of the month
starting in April and running through September. The first walk will be April 5, 2025 and
the last walk of the year will be September 20, 2025.
Walks will begin at 8:00AM and conclude at 10:00AM. The walks are approximately 2
miles long and last about 2 hours. We gather at 7:45AM at the Crooked River Wetlands
Parking Lot at 4035 NW Rimrock Acres Loop in Prineville.
There is no drinkable water at this facility so bring water and dress for Central Oregon
weather. A 4-person golf cart is available to carry those who can’t walk the distance.
Email Chuck Gates if you would like a seat(s) on the cart. cgates326@gmail.com

ECBA Board Meeting
2025-08-05 16:00 - 17:30, 2025-09-02 16:00 - 17:30, 2025-10-07 16:00 - 17:30 | OR
East Cascades Bird Alliance Board of Directors meets monthly, on the first Tuesday.

Friends of Malheur NWR -- Sod Ranch Spruce-up & Evening Bat Surveys
2025-08-08 - 2025-08-10 | OR
Friends of Malheur NWR —
Sod Ranch Spruce-up and Evening Bat Surveys!
Aug 8-10 at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge

Birders' Night: Malheur, A High Desert Oasis in Need of Friends
2025-08-14 18:30 - 20:30 | Worthy Brewing, 495 NE Bellevue Dr, Bend, OR, 97701
Malheur, A High Desert Oasis in Need of Friends

Malheur National Wildlife Refuge is 187,000 acres of wet meadows, alkaline playas, rocky ridges, and more – all situated in the northern reach of the Great Basin. From bobolink to badgers, the wildlife that depends on the protection of this wild landscape is as diverse as the habitat. Friends of Malheur NWR Director, Janelle Wicks, will share more than the importance of this space but what their organization is doing to support it through advocacy and stewardship.

The program will start at 7pm.

Feel free to come early for dinner and a beverage. There is typically a nice group there by 6:00pm or so.

Hummingbird Garden Maintenance - Pollinator Pathways
2025-08-15 08:00 | Orchard Park, 2001 NE 6th St, Bend, Oregon, 97701, United States
Pollinator Pathways — volunteer to do Hummingbird Garden Maintenance!

Crooked River Wetlands Saturday Bird Walk
2025-08-16 07:45 - 10:00 | OR

Sandhill Crane Fall Count -- Malheur NWR (Volunteer!)
2025-08-17 - 2025-08-20 | OR
Join Bird Alliance of Oregon and USFWS staff in surveying for Sandhill Crane pairs. This survey is part of an effort to reimagine crane monitoring at Malheur NWR and to better understand the impacts of invasive monocultures, such as reed canarygrass, on crane territories and reproduction at the refuge. In other words, you can help refuge staff understand if Sandhill Cranes at Malheur are being negatively impacted by reed canarygrass, particularly their ability to successfully hatch and rear colts. Most, if not all, routes on this survey will be driving routes. Camping gear will be available for participants to use during this event. There will potentially be bathrooms available on some, but not all routes.
Camping is provided for all of these community science weekends. There is camping gear available through our gear library. BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and disabled birders, bird-enthusiasts, and Malheur aficionados are welcome. Accessibility is noted in program description.
For more information, contact Dr. Teresa “Bird” Wicks at twicks@birdallianceoregon.org

Malheur After Dark at Sod House Ranch
2025-08-22 18:00 - 22:00 | OR
Friends of Malheur NWR event —
Malheur After Dark at Sod House Ranch
https://malheurfriends.org/events/malheur-after-dark-2/
Come celebrate dark skies and all things nocturnal at Malheur NWR Headquarters. ADA compliant bathrooms and parking will be available. There we’ll start the evening with a FREE Picnic including burgers from Alvord Beef and rootbeer floats! Then join in an evening bird walk, looking for bats and badgers, and enjoy a star viewing experience with the Ami Bilbisi of Oregon Star Safari.
Attendance is FREE
For more information, contact:
Dr. Teresa “Bird” Wicks at twicks@audubonportland.org or Janelle Wicks at friends@malheurfriends.org

Sunriver Bird Walk
2025-08-30 07:30 - 10:30, 2025-09-13 07:30 - 10:30 | Sunriver Nature Center, 57245 River Rd, Sunriver, OR, 97707, United States
Join ECBA for a free guided bird walk at Sunriver. Meet at the Sunriver Nature Center at 7:30 am. Walk lasts about 3 hours. Distance 3-4 miles. Some walking on uneven terrain. Restrooms available midway and at the end. Bring binoculars. Dress for the weather. Walk led by Tom Lawler and Diane Burgess.

Global Shorebird Counts (volunteering)
2025-09-01 - 2025-09-07 | OR
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY — GLOBAL SHOREBIRD COUNTS
A week, around World Shorebirds Day (6 September) is dedicated for a worldwide shorebird counting. Make great use of your eBird account to participate in this wonderful citizen science opportunity. Please see the following website for details.
https://www.worldshorebirdsday.org/global-shorebird-counts

INTERMOUNTAIN WEST SHOREBIRD SURVEYS
2025-09-09 - 2025-09-22 | OR
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY — INTERMOUNTAIN WEST SHOREBIRD SURVEYS
Fall Peak Migration Survey Windows: August 9-22nd
https://www.imwss.org/
Shorebirds represent important species diversity and are indicators of environmental health.
Wetland sites across the Intermountain West are oases for migratory shorebirds. A comprehensive shorebird survey was last completed across the region in 1989-1995, but much has changed in the past 30 years. This Shorebird Survey is replicating the census of the past so we can better manage shorebirds into the future.
The shorebird survey objectives are:

Document the distribution and abundance of shorebirds at over 200 survey areas during the spring and fall migrations from 2022-2026.

Use survey data to compare distribution and abundance with the historical shorebird survey from 1989-1995.

Identify factors that influence abundance of shorebirds.

We are recruiting volunteers to survey at wetland sites across the West. Join us and be a part of the collective impact!

Birders' Night: Birding Northern Spain with Chuck and Dorothy Gates
2025-09-11 19:00 - 21:00 | Worthy Brewing, 495 NE Bellevue Dr, Bend, OR, 97701
Birding Northern Spain

Presented by Chuck and Dorothy Gates

Come join us as we vicariously bird the northern half of Spain through a fast-paced slide show and talk. Chuck and Dorothy Gates spent nearly a month in that country this year and they are excited to share what they found. They will talk briefly about the logistics of getting there and back and give you their impressions of birding and vacationing in Spain. Chuck has chosen 100 of the best bird photos to share with you. This show is probably going to last a full hour so come early and order food.

Hummingbird Garden Maintenance - Pollinator Pathways
2025-09-19 09:00 | Orchard Park, 2001 NE 6th St, Bend, Oregon, 97701, United States
Pollinator Pathways — volunteer to do regular maintenance of Orchard Park Hummingbird Garden!

Friends of Malheur NWR -- Fall Tasks
2025-09-19 - 2025-09-21 | OR
Friends of Malheur NWR event — Fall Tasks
TBD, but likely to include trail stewardship and weeding of invasives

Wednesday Birders
2025-09-24 08:00, 2025-10-08 08:00, 2025-10-15 08:00, 2025-10-22 08:00 | OR
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.macdonald9@gmail.com or brianmacdonald0458 in Discord

Friends of Malheur NWR -- Find Your Wild walk/run
2025-09-27 | OR
Friends of Malheur NWR event —
Find Your Wild walk/run event at Refuge Headquarters. Enjoy special access along Blitzen River from Sod House bridge fishing access point to Boat Launch Rd all the way to the Boat Launch! Encourage your friends and family to join you or sponsor your Find Your Wild with donations through Public Lands Alliance portal for the events.

Sunriver Bird Walk
2025-09-27 08:30 - 11:30 | Sunriver Nature Center, 57245 River Rd, Sunriver, OR, 97707, United States
Join ECBA for a free guided bird walk at Sunriver. Meet at the Sunriver Nature Center at 8:30 am. Walk lasts about 3 hours. Distance 3-4 miles. Some walking on uneven terrain. Restrooms available midway and at the end. Bring binoculars. Dress for the weather. Walk led by Tom Lawler and Diane Burgess.

Hawk Watch at Green Ridge (Wed. Birders)
2025-10-01 12:00 | OR
Join on Oct. 1st with Wednesday Birders and/or Sat. Oct. 4th for an afternoon of hawk watching up on Green Ridge. David Vick will host. Although we no longer conduct formal counts, this week has produced some big days in the past but it all depends on favorable conditions. We will start at 12:00pm when afternoon winds and thermals have had a chance to develop. Bring a lawn chair and keep an eye out for Varied Thrush and Sooty Grouse on the way up.

Directions: Turn off on the 11 Road at Indian Ford Campground and continue north until the pavement ends at about 8 miles. Stay left on the dirt roads for about 8 miles following the USFS signs for Green Ridge Fire Lookout. I will have additional signs posted at the intersections. There are several pot holes and a couple of high spots near the end but any passenger will be fine if driven judicially. Car pooling is encouraged as parking is limited. Hope to see you up there!

Hawk Watch at Green Ridge
2025-10-04 12:00 | OR

Birders' Night: Waddle We Do Without Penguins?
2025-10-15 19:00 - 21:00 | Worthy Brewing, 495 NE Bellevue Dr, Bend, OR, 97701
Patty McGill will talk about the conservation status of penguins that live at lower latitudes and challenges they face. Of these species, she will emphasize African penguins, found in South Africa and Namibia. Last fall, African penguins were declared Critically Endangered and they could be extinct in the wild in by 2035. Patty serves as the Program Leader for a group of zoos and aquariums focused on saving African penguins, and Patty will tell us about the array of projects the team leads and/or supports; these projects are focused on the most urgent and important conservation priorities.
Background:
Dr. Patty McGill received her PhD from Cornell University, where she studied competition among species of gulls and also other species of seabirds. She spent most of her career working in AZA accredited zoos, in animal (bird) care and conservation. She led the program to manage Humboldt penguins in zoos–and from there began to work with colleagues in South America on conservation & research projects on these penguins. In one way or another Patty has worked with Humboldt penguins for 40 years, and has been working with African penguins for about 10 years.

Malheur Inspired; An Evening w/ Friends
2025-10-18 17:00 - 20:00 | Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Oregon, 61980 Skyline Ranch Rd, Bend, OR, 97703, United States
The Friends of Malheur NWR are celebrating National Wildlife Refuge Week with an evening of fun in honor of Malheur NWR and the Friends who promote its conservation.
The program for the evening will feature Friends Volunteer, Julie Burchstead.
Julie is truly inspired by Malheur NWR. As an artist she finds beauty in the natural world around her and seeks opportunities to share that with others. Julie was FOMR’s 2023 Artist in Residence which had her traveling across Harney County to visit every elementary school classroom from Riley to Fields and everywhere between. She provided an art instructional alongside Refuge Wildlife Specialist Carey Goss who offered background on the birds of the area and the importance of the Refuge for both migratory and breeding birds. Julie also produces handmade nature journals which can be found in FOMR’s Crane’s Nest Nature Store.
You will also hear about other critical FOMR programs from our Executive Director, Janelle Wicks. She will share how deeply critical it is for us to be engaged in advocacy for and stewardship of our public lands like Malheur Refuge. Together, let’s get inspired by Malheur and all that we can do to give back to a place which has given us so much.
COST: $25.00 including dinner, drinks, and spirited fellowship with Friends. We encourage you to come out, socialize, and celebrate all that it means to be inspired by Malheur! But bring your checkbook or credit card because the auction will be enticing, and all proceeds support the Friends ongoing work at Malheur NWR.
EVENT REGISTRATION

We are thrilled to feature a photo wall at our event, thanks to Showtime Photo Booth, the go-to photo booth rental in Indianapolis. Their memorable photo setups will bring an enjoyable experience to our celebration.

What's Next for Oregon's Sagebrush Steppe?
2025-10-22 18:00 - 19:00 | Worthy Brewing, 495 NE Bellevue Dr, Bend, OR, 97701
Worthy Garden Club presents:
Dr. Stu Garrett’s presentation on:
What’s Next for Oregon’s Sagebrush Steppe?
Register @ bit.ly/sagesteppe
https://www.worthygardenclub.org/
