May’s Malheur Musings

April’s Malheur Musings

Harney County Migratory Bird Festival is a mere two weeks away! While we are excited about spring arrivals on the Refuge we never forget that the entirety of Harney County is coming alive all around us.

Osprey Watch

OSPREY WATCH is a global community science project that tracks osprey nesting activity over time. Think Wild is leading local efforts here in Central Oregon with participation from ECBA volunteers. Observing, monitoring nests, and submitting data on a regular basis contributes to a much larger data base that is growing all the time.

Kestrel Camera

Our kestrel nest box is located on a rural piece of property in the Redmond, OR area, owned by Ilene and Dean Smith. Earlier this spring, together with Jim Hammond, they made the nest box ready (built by ECBA member, Dick Tipton) with the camera, filled the floor of the box with wood chips, and this year, a pair of kestrels has chosen our nest box so that we can all watch the drama. 

ODLT Sunrise Bird Counts

Oregon Desert Land Trust needs help with sunrise point counts in wet meadows and creeks at Trout Creek Ranch, which lies 40 miles south of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Join in one or both 4-hour surveys to document migratory birds and guide restoration plans across this nearly 17,000-acre private property. ODLT needs 4 more volunteers for each survey.
Photo courtesy of ODLT.
Take a close look! Some familiar folks here from last year’s surveys.

March 21, 2026 Update Report from our Brothers Sage-Grouse Project

In 2025 we were experimenting with different types of crop cover to enhance native seed germination and growth. We put out a black plastic crop cover and plastic perforated trays to see which was more effective for seed germination and growth. Photo by Harry Johnson

Birding by Ear Weekly Walk Returns

It must be spring! To the delight of many local birders, Dave Tracy has once again kicked-off spring by leading the weekly bird walk, BIRDING BY EAR.   Learn to identify the birds you hear, practice your ear-birding skills, or share your talents with others during this weekly walk in the riverside park.  Photo courtesy of Chuck Gates.