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Dean Hale Woodpecker Festival 2024
May 30 - June 2
ECBA’s signature annual event, the Dean Hale Woodpecker Festival, will be held from May 30th to June 2nd. Please save the date. More details to follow in 2024.
The festival was started in 2011 to provide an opportunity for birders to visit a beautiful area and enjoy our local birds. There are 11 nesting species of woodpeckers that exist in the area and there is a good chance to see them all, as well as lots of other cool birds.
Centered in Sisters, the festival is focused on field trips and meeting other birders. The environment is fun, low-key, and casual. Local birders lead the tours and group size is restricted by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) on USFS lands. We follow ethical birding practices, minimize play-backs, and have strict protocols about approaching nests.
The festival is entirely organized and run by its volunteers. Named after Dean Hale who was tragically killed in a car accident in 2012, the festival is part of Dean’s legacy as a birder par excellence and consummate conservationist and teacher. In his spirit, we want to share our enthusiasm, help you to see great birds, and have a fun time.