Klamath Basin Audubon Society
The Grebe
October/November 2006
KBAS General Meetings
Thursday, October 12
Program: "Klamath Bird Observatory: Science, Education, and Partnerships in the Klamath-Siskiyou Bioregion" Klamath Bird Observatory (KBO) is a non-profit research organization promoting bird and habitat conservation through excellence in science, education, and partnerships in the Klamath-Siskiyou Bioregion of southern Oregon and northern California - an area renowned for its incredible biological diversity.
Through an entertaining display of photos of researchers in action, images of area birds, and illuminating graphs showing research results, learn how bird monitoring is teaching us about bird populations and habitat quality in the Klamath-Siskiyou Bioregion. Also learn about upcoming opportunities for you to participate with KBO in bird research and conservation in the area through Klamath Basin Birding Trail education events and classes and also the local ebird node - a citizen science program.
Speaker Ashley Dayer joined Klamath Bird Observatory as their Education and Outreach Director in January 2006. Ashley's role at KBO is to coordinate the multi-faceted public relations efforts of the organization. She received her Bachelor's degree with Honors in Environmental Science and Public Policy from Harvard University, and her Masters of Science degree in Human Dimensions of Natural Resources from Colorado State University.
Thursday, November 9
Program: "Images of China" Expect a really terrific program on this date as Bill and Elaine Deutschman share their spectacular five week trip to China with wonderful pictures that include birds, the people and culture. A portion of the trip was with the Sierra Club and for the remainder, they continued on their own. You will not want to miss this one!
All meetings are held at 7:00 in the Klamath County Courthouse, Lower Level Meeting Room, 316 Main Street, Klamath Falls. See you there!
Field Trip Reports . . .
Lucky 13! (AKA Moore Park Trip)
By Julie Van Moorhem
There's something special about Moore Park-- especially on an early morning birdwalk. Few people other than our group, a cool breeze and wonderful light contributed to our physical comfort and aided our identification of colors and field marks on the birds. Thirteen birders (the Lucky 13 who shared birds, good weather and camaraderie for a short time) met at Moore Park on Saturday, August 19, 2006, for a leisurely walk. Joining us were visitors from California who found out about the trip in the H&N--thanks to Darrel Samuels, KBAS publicity chairperson, for getting the word out about the trip!
We walked all around the upper loop and saw 35 species, including a few spotted on the lake as we got up higher on the ridge.
Yellow, Yellow-rumped, Hermit and Nashville Warblers made us crane out necks to see high into the canopy, while a flock of Bushtits busily worked their way through the lower bushes. Mountain Chickadees and Western Wood Pewees were quite persistent in their calls for us to notice them.
Five Turkey Vultures (those with a face only a mother could love!) perched in a dead snag, and one pretended to be an Anhinga as it warmed its outstretched wings. Red-breasted Sapsuckers and other woodpeckers seem to love to play hide-and-seek around the trunk of a tree and the one we saw here was no exception. However, most of us got to see him anyway. Other woodpeckers included Northern Flicker and Hairy Woodpecker. At least two Great Horned Owls flew around, perhaps there were more--it's difficult to tell sometimes if you are seeing four birds or two birds, two times. California Quail clucked in the bushes--probably gathering their youngsters. We looked for Mountain Quail but couldn't find them; they are such elusive birds and that makes each sighting very special--it's never a "gimmee." Pygmy and White-breasted Nuthatches cavorted and called as they worked their way through the upper branches, and a Rufous Hummingbird flew almost in my face and then buzzed off--I was only slightly startled and the hummer probably was, too.
Thanks, Cy, for leading such a good trip. In the traditional way of birders, everyone helped spot birds and then get each other onto them. It was a fun outing with lots of new faces--some live in the Basin and we hope to see them at future meetings or on trips. For those who came from long distances, we hope they will find their way to another KBAS field trip!
Participants: Cy Phillips (Leader), Dave Menke, Rick Hardy, Jean Van Hulzen, Charlotte Kisling, Michele Nuss, Janet Paxson, Julia Haselden, Lea Landry, Jim Waddell, Walt Lucas, Jerry Sloss, Julie Van Moorhem.
Rocky Point Canoe Trail Field Trip September 9, 2006
By Rick Hardy
We had 13 people attend the canoe trip led by Rick Hardy on the Rocky Point Canoe Trail. Although the forecast was for cool cloudy weather, the day turned out PERFECT, with a high of 75 degrees and NO WIND! It was the nicest day most of us have seen on the canoe trail.
The water was low enough that the Crystal Creek loop was too shallow for canoes so we were forced to stay on the Recreation Creek portion of the trail. We paddled to Malone Springs and stopped for lunch. The birds were not as plentiful as some years, but we did see some good wildlife. A bald eagle sat near the trail in a tree and called at us, and a Coopers hawk landed in a tree right beside the trail and sat patiently while we all took a good close look at it. We also got close to some white-faced ibis and saw a beaver surface fifteen feet from the canoe. Other birds observed were a green heron, ospreys, great blue herons, egrets, grebes, white pelicans, ducks, sandpipers, gulls, turkey vultures, hawks, blackbirds, jays, woodpeckers, warblers and sparrows.
Crater Lake
By Cy Phillips
A total of eight people participated in the field trip. Six were from the greater Klamath Falls area, and two were visitors from Davis CA. When we reached Crater Lake, we found a winter wonderland because about 4 inches of snow had fallen at the rim with smaller amounts further down the mountainside.
The birding was fairly good at the rim with 10 or 11 species found. The stars of the show, because of their abundance and activities, were the Red Crossbills. They were very active hanging onto rock walls and flying between snow covered trees where they would perch on a small pile of snow which made them stand out in the sunshine and clear air. We could sometimes get very close.
We moved down to the Castle Crest Wildflower area, which had been swarming with birds on Aug. 31, but which had nothing on this trip. We did not stay too long because snow was melting and falling out of the trees onto the trail. We decided to move lower down the mountain to the Godfrey Glenn Trail where the conditions were slightly better and we found a few birds, including a Townsend's Solitaire. We decided to stick with our plan to go to the Mazama campground next. The conditions were better there and although the birding was still slow, we did manage to find a Swainson Thrush and a flock of Gray Jays. We did not venture into Annie Creek Canyon due to the muddy trail.
Charlotte Kisling suggested we try the Annie Creek Snow Park because it had been good for birding in the past. When we arrived, we finally found some dry ground, and as we pulled up beside Charlotte at the parking area she was very excited and was saying something about an owl. It turned out that we had pulled into the active hunting area of a Northern Pygmy Owl sitting in a tree right beside the vehicles. This little owl put a real exclamation point on the Crater Lake part of the trip because we found it twice and because it was not afraid of people and let us get reasonably close to it. It seemed to be hunting for grasshoppers which were abundant on the ground. We found a total of 19 species in the Crater Lake area.
Since we did not hike into Annie Creek Canyon, we still had some time available so the six people from the Klamath Falls area stopped at the Wood River Wetlands on the way home. In about 1.5 hours we saw 48 species at the wetland and several more along the highway going to Klamath Falls afterwards. Included in the grand totals were one Golden Eagle, two Bald Eagles, and several Sapsuckers which caused lots of confusion because of color variations which a suggested possible hybrid species. At least one of the Sapsuckers was a Red-breasted and at least one was a Red-napped, but a third bird seemed to be a hybrid of the two.
Overall, it was a great day starting with the winter wonderland landscape and ending with more than 70 species being seen at the two locations or along the way.
Field Trips Schedule
Saturday, October 14
Tule Lake Refuge
Dave Menke will help lead this tour which will start from the Refuge Office on Hill Road at 9:30 a.m.
To carpool, meet at 8:15 a.m. at the new Fish & Wildlife Office, 1936 California, off the on-ramp to Hwy 97 South from Nevada/Oregon Ave. (This is the old Klamath Ranger District Office). Or you may wish to come directly to the Refuge Office. A lunch is recommended along with sun screen & insect repellant. The main part of the field trip should be completed by 1:30 p.m., but an optional extension could take us to the Petrogylphs which are a short distance from the end of the Tule Lake tour, and would take about a half hour longer.
Questions: Call Cy Phillips at 541-723-2161 or e-mail .
Saturday, November 18
Butte Valley Raptor Round Up
Dick Ashford, Board President of Klamath Bird Observatory, will lead our hawk watching trip to Butte Valley on November 18th. His hawk watching outings as part of the San Francisco Bay Flyway Festival have been extremely popular for several years. We expect great sightings of raptors that are arriving for the winter (and maybe some late-departing summer residents). Meet at the tall flagpole in Dorris shortly before 9:00 a.m. to organize carpooling and leave no later than 9:05
Passengers should be prepared to chip in for gas. For lunch we will make a brief stop at the Texaco Station and cafe in Macdoel. Pack a lunch or you can purchase food and drinks at the cafe (good PR for birders!). Consider "eating as the birds do" by snacking as you go. We'll bird again until mid-afternoon. Dress warmly - layers are always best - and bring gloves. Waterproof boots are probably not necessary; there will be very little walking. Scopes are especially helpful since many of our raptor views will be distant ones; please bring.
PLEASE NOTE: Carpools will be set up primarily for safety, but for other reasons as well. With one leader, the group will be limited to 24 and a maximum of six cars. Carpooling is required. We are actively looking for a second leader in which case as many as 48 could participate. With two leaders, there would be separate routes, with a switch of both in the afternoon. If you wish to start the carpooling in Klamath, meet at the Fish & Wildlife Office, 1936 California Ave at 8:15 a.m.
Saturday, December 9
Rare Bird Chase
Exact route of this trip will depend on what rare birds are being reported and location. Meet at the Fish & Wildlife Office, 1936 California Ave. at 8:30 a.m. The first viewing spot may be near Putnam Point, Moore Park, or Veterans Park. A lunch is optional but recommended because we will not know until that day how many locations we will try to cover or how long it will last.
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Bird Feeder Hop
The details of this trip will come later after a line-up of feeder locations is developed. The tour will start at 9:00 a.m. from the Fish & Wildlife Office, 1936 California Ave. Some refreshments may be served along the way by hosts.
Questions regarding any trips: Call Cy Phillips at 541-723-2161 or e-mail
2006 KBAS Annual Picnic . . .
By Ralph Opp, KBAS President 2006/07
KIDS: Perhaps the only thing missing from our annual Klamath Basin Audubon Picnic was the all the hotdog eating kids we used to have running abut. KBAS held the longtime running event again at the home of Charlotte and Ralph Opp August 27th. The picnic has been a fun, ongoing event since shortly after the beginning of our chapter back about 1983. At times back then we had well over 40 people enjoying the August weather, abundance of food and often times birding.
Just over 30 Auduboners, Wingwatchers and friends of both groups attended this year's picnic. The weather was perfect, and a good variety of food abundant. Of special note this year was the joint presentation of a Stephan Savides miniature bronze pelican statue to BJ Matzen. BJ past president of both organizations was rewarded for his many years assisting both groups and dedication to helping protect our abundant Klamath Basin natural resources. President Ralph Opp along with the help of artist Stephan Savides surprised BJ with the prized pelican statue award.Conservation Column . . .
By Joan Spencer
Even the most selfish of birders (not you, of course) recognizes that a decrease in bird habitat equals a decrease in birds to watch. So listen up! You need to write a letter to Secretary of Interior Dirk Kempthorne. Now!
Why? The Lake Teshekpuk Special Area in Northern Alaska is one of the crown jewels of bird habitat. It is of vital importance as a breeding area to millions of water and shorebirds from around the world. Many of the birds we see as migratory or winter residents in the Klamath Basin breed in the Teshekpuk. Tundra Swans, Greater White-fronted Geese, Canada and Snow Geese, and the Northern Pintail Duck are examples.
These rich wetlands border the Artic Ocean in Northwestern Alaska. Huge numbers of geese molt there because when flying is impossible, the waters afford them protection from predators such as foxes.
Lake Teshekpuk is under the gun and close to being lost to oil companies, but a short reprieve may afford a chance to save it. What, exactly, is the Lake Teshekpuk Special Area?
It is a part of the 23.5 million acre National Petroleum Reserve, created in the 1920's by the Harding administration. It is the largest single block of public land in the U.S. In 1977 the Carter administration recognized the unique array of world class habitat and wilderness values within the Reserve. It created three Special Areas, including Teshekpuk, which would be off limits to oil exploring and drilling.
Until now, all previous administrations have upheld those restrictions. Even the Reagan administration's James Watt declared that there were 200,000 acres around the Lake which should not be disturbed. But this past January the Bush administration, frustrated by difficulties with Congress in getting additional drilling in ANWAR, opened the entire area, including the three Special ones, for a lease sale to oil companies.
Objections poured in from many sources. Opposition heated up this spring when BP at Prudhoe Bay spilled about a quarter of million gallons of oil onto the Tundra. It grew even louder as inspections revealed the incredible shoddiness of BP maintenance. Tens of thousands of objections to disturbing Lake Teshekpuk were directed to the Secretary of Interior.
By August, the number had grown to hundreds of thousands. Nevertheless, the Bush administration proceeded with its lease sale project and, in August, called for bids from oil companies by September 27 on land including the Teshekpuk Special Area. Since Teshekpuk does not have federal wildlife refuge status, no Congressional action is necessary to revoke its protective status.
It appeared that the administration was going to ignore the protests and award a generous contract at the end of September, most likely to ConocoPhillips, when opponents gained a temporary reprieve. On September 8 the U.S. District Court for Alaska made a "preliminary federal court decision" to "temporarily halt the Bush administration's plan to sell an oil lease sale to open the Teshekpuk Lake Special Area to Drilling".
This is a small, tenuous victory. It has bought a little time---hopefully enough time for every one of you (and hopefully a friend or two) to write to Secretary Kempthorne.
Yes, hundreds of thousands of letters and e-mails have already reached him. But most of these were "form" pieces from the web sites of a number of conservation organizations. The Department tends to dismiss these.
Write a snail mail letter to Secretary Kempthorne, but do it now! Time is very short. We all know the Interior Department is aware of the Klamath Basin. Tell Interior that Lake Teshekpuk is important to our Basin economy. The migratory and winter resident birds bring tourist dollars and jobs, etc., etc. Incorporate recreation if you can. Kempthorne promotes himself as being very pro-recreation. Write respectfully but firmly. And if you're still not convinced, think about this: Conservation Column...Continued
The Lake Teshekpuk Special Area is estimated to contain about 1.5 million barrels of oil. The United States consumes about 20 million barrels of oil every day.
For a fraction of a day's supply of oil, the Bush Administration is trying to disrupt a critically important bird and wildlife habitat! Mail your letter to:
Hon. Dirk Kempthorne, Secretary of the Interior
Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, N.W.
Washington D.C. 20240
Can't bring yourself to do snail mail? Okay, last resort, Interior's e-mail address is:
Scott Grants Benefit Local Teachers . . .
By Darrel Samuels
As newcomers to Klamath Falls, my wife and I are still going through a series of adjustments. One of the adjustments was certainly to the weather. Good old Davis, California, never had winters like the one we just lived through in Klamath Falls! Another big adjustment for me was trying to find volunteer opportunities that I would find fulfilling. I had been an elementary teacher for 32 years and, after retirement, had continued to work with youngsters at the local Yolo Basin wildlife area and at the Sacramento Zoo. Last winter Leslie Lowe asked me to accompany Jerry ("Ralph the Eagle") Ingram as he visited many local classrooms, teaching the students about bald eagles and advertising the upcoming Winter Wings Festival.
Students in Carol LeQuieu's classroom examining owl pellets
On several occasions I had the pleasure of handing checks to deserving teachers who had applied for grants from the Klamath Basin Audubon Society. Jim Rooks, education chair, had asked me to present these Scott Grant checks to teachers who had submitted an application for funds to supplement their science programs. At the time I knew very little about the grant that was supplying these checks, but it was sure fun to hand the money out! One deserving teacher was Carol LeQuieu, a fifth grade teacher at Peterson Elementary. On our visit to Carol's classroom we noticed quite a few posters and other materials related to owls; Carol even had a mounted barn owl in the classroom. I asked her what she planned to do with the money, and she said in the spring her class would be dissecting owl pellets purchased with some of the grant money. Since I had done this activity with youngsters in my "previous life", I volunteered to help with it later in the year. In early June Carol emailed me, inviting me to join her class as they explored the owl pellets, looking for the bones of prey species. The students were wonderful to work with and it was rewarding for me to be back in the classroom.
I still didn't know much about the process that brought the funds to deserving teachers' classrooms, and I knew next to nothing about the Scotts themselves. After talking with several KBAS members, I would like to share some information I gleaned.
Wayne and Lois Ann Scott were longtime educators in Oregon. Wayne retired as a principal in Pendleton, Oregon and served as the basketball coach at Klamath Union High School after the couple moved to Klamath Falls. An active member of KBAS since the early 90's, Wayne developed a wonderful slide show of the birds of the Klamath Basin and presented it to many local classrooms. Those who knew him remember his kind and caring delivery and the humor he used when working with children and adults. Wayne freely shared his world travels through his excellent photography skills. He was instrumental in establishing a grant program using funds from the Bald Eagle Conference in the early 90's, awarding $1000 scholarships to two deserving high school students a year. After several years Wayne felt the focus of KBAS education efforts should be more on elementary students and the grant program evolved to provide $250 classroom grants to elementary teachers to provide materials to enrich their science programs. Lois passed away in 2001, but she provided funds in her will to help KBAS continue the educational grants. When Wayne passed away in 2004, he bequeathed an additional $20,000 to provide at least $2000 in yearly grants to Klamath Basin teachers. He wanted KBAS to administer the grants under certain guidelines:
- Public and private school elementary teachers in Klamath, Lake, Modoc, and Siskiyou counties could apply for grants of $250 that enrich their conservation and science education programs.
- The funded project must involve the entire class and demonstrate achievable and relevant wildlife conservation and education goals.
- A team of KBAS members including the Education Chair, a Board member and at least one other member would be responsible for evaluating applications and awarding the grants each year.
To date, the Scott Grants and previous KBAS grants have benefited approximately 75 classroom teachers, providing funds for a wide variety of classroom projects. Those include bird and bat house construction, binoculars and microscopes, field trips to museums like the High Desert museum, overnight outdoor schools to Fossil, Oregon and the Klamath Outdoor Science School (KOSS) , trips to wildlife refuges, conservation education books, and, of course, owl pellets!
Applications for the Wayne and Lois Ann Scott Conservation Education Grants will be available in the fall to elementary classroom teachers. By the first of the year teachers will know if their applications have been funded. As a former elementary teacher myself, I know any additional classroom funds can make a huge impact on the learning opportunities for students. I also know that all teachers want to make an impact on students that will last beyond any one academic year.
Wayne and Lois Ann Scott are continuing to make such an impact through their generosity!
Field Notes . . .
By Julie Van Moorhem
This is a new column, and we hope that many of you who are frequently out in the field or watching your feeder birds will share your sightings. We are interested in some of the less common birds found in the Klamath Basin, those that might be of particular interest to others, those that arrive early or stay late for the year, or those that are seen in large concentrations. Because this column will only appear in each issue of The Grebe, we encourage you to post your sightings on the KBAS website's Birder's Message Board so people have a chance to get out and see the birds immediately. Access the Birder's Message Board through the website (a link to complete instructions is available); if you have problems, contact Charlotte Kisling at kiss@cot.net. Report your sightings to me directly if you do not put them on the website: jvanmoo@sisna.com or 882-44488. Please include your name, phone # (in case we need to contact you), location and date of sighting, bird/s and numbers if notable. The column may change format or editor (any volunteers?) over the course of the next few Grebe issues. If you have suggestions, please let me know. This is a work in progress!
Virginia Rail, Miller Island, Aug. 9, (JVM)
Mountain Bluebird, ~30, FS 3455 off Westside Rd., Aug.11, (JVH, JVM)
Mixed flock of warblers-- Nashville, Hermit, Orange-crowned, Yellow and Yellow-rumped, FS 3300 off Westside Rd., Aug. 12, (JVH, JVM)
Eurasian-collared Dove, east of Beatty on Hwy 140, August 13, (CK)
Swainson's Hawk, 18, Township Rd. Aug. 17, (CK)
Redhead, Klamath Marsh, Aug. 18, (JVH)
White-faced Ibis, 1000, Township Rd., Aug. 22, (CK)
Pileated Woodpecker, 3, Aug. 23, Eagle Ridge (JVH and JVM)
American Avocet, 100, Eagle Ridge, Aug. 23, (JVH, JVM)
Eurasian-collared Dove, 3, Shasta Way and Homedale Aug. 27, (KS)
Black-throated Gray Warbler, Malone Springs, Aug. 27, (DM)
Rose-breasted Grosbeak, female, Hot Springs area, Sept. 2, (DH)
Rose-breasted Grosbeak, male, Rocky Point, late Aug-early Sept., (PZ)
Hooded Merganser, 2 females, upstream Link River Dam, Sept. 5, (DM)
Green Heron, 2, Link River, Sept. 5, (DM)
Osprey, Tule Lake, Aug. 23-Sept. 7, (CP)
Red-shouldered Hawk, Running Y, Sept. 13, (MC, DS, JVM)
Peregrine Falcon, 2--an im. and an Ad, Running Y, Sept. 14, (DS, DSa)
North American Migration Count, 9-17-06: (KS, BJM, WS, JVH, MC, JVM)
American Bittern, Wood River Wetlands, (BJM)
Green Heron, 3, Rocky Pt, Upper Klamath Lake, Link River (WS, MC, JVH, KS)
Townsend's Warbler, FS 3300 off Westside Rd., (KS)
Eurasian-collared Dove, 3, Merrill, (JVM)
Franklin's Gull, Wood River Wetlands, (WS)
Long-billed Dowitcher, several hundred, Wood River Wetland, (KS)
Peregrine Falcon, Township Rd., (KS)
Lewis' Woodpecker, Odessa Campground, (WS)
Black Phoebe, Lake Ewauna and Wood River Wetland, (KS)
Contributors: Marilyn Christian (MC), David Haupt (DH), Charlotte Kisling (CK), ), BJ Matzen (BJM), Dave Menke (DM), Cy Phillips (CP), Diana Samuels (DS), Darrel Samuels (DSa), Kevin Spencer (KS), Wes Stone (WS), Jean Van Hulzen (JVH), Julie Van Moorhem (JVM), Phil Zalesky (PZ).
President's Message
By Ralph Opp, KBAS President 2006/07
Well, here we are about to begin the 2006-07 series of membership meetings on Sept. 14th. A lot of background work has already been done by your board of directors during the summer meeting hiatus. The board has been busy and has an interesting year planned. We are continuing many of the same activities that support the mission of your Audubon chapter and provide enjoyment to the membership. We have a new budget to work from; are working up an interesting slate of speakers for our monthly meetings; are lining up interesting field trips; are again committed to co-sponsoring the Winter Wings Festival (the 28th annual edition of the former bald eagle conference) are continuing our annual school educational programs which includes the Scott primary school grant program; are planning continued involvement in several bird counts; and are plotting a fund raising program to refill our coffers. We are also trying to stay abreast of key conservation issues with proactive support for programs which need our help.
Of special note are federal hearings going on around the country concerning the Endangered Species Act, (ESA). As is well known, each administration is asked to take a look at the act to make it more 'friendly' to landowners and users of public lands. It is indisputable that the ESA has done a lot of good while admittedly slowing down some activities that may/would harm the species that the act was developed to protect and assist. It is my strong conviction and professional observation that without ESA protection and dictates the bald eagle, our national symbol, would not have been recovered from about 600 pairs nationwide to a much safer population level now of over ten times that many. The peregrine falcon and southern alligator are two other such 'recovered' species benefiting from the protection of the provisions of the act. Habitat loss, over-harvest and environmental contaminants were the main man-made enemies of these species as well as many other species needing the act's protection. If the current administration has their way of a possible 'cut and run' attitude on the ESA, many more species are likely to be in trouble.
If that is not enough to worry over, we now see that the avian bird flu has definitely made its way into Oregon.
We would like to ask more of our membership and friends to join us at our monthly meetings and to help us continue our mission of education about wise use of resources. We continue to be one of the fully conservation oriented Audubon chapters in the country.
Board Member Profiles
We continue to profile all KBAS Board members in the next several issues as a way of introducing you to those who have chosen to contribute in a large way to the work and mission of KBAS.
Julie Van Moorhem, Secretary
Julie and Bill Van Moorhem moved to Klamath Falls almost two years ago from Salt Lake City when they retired in 2004. Julie taught junior and senior high school for many years in Virginia. After moving to Utah, she taught reading and GED classes to educationally and economically disadvantaged students at a community college in Salt Lake. Bill taught mechanical engineering at the University of Utah.
Julie began birding in 1981 and loves being out in the field. She was very active in a local bird club in Salt Lake and was the club's newsletter editor for many years. She thought she'd spend much more time birding after retirement, but it remains about the same--one or two days a week. Retirement is a busy time in one's life so it's still difficult to find time to be out looking at birds! Before she even moved to Klamath Falls she made contact with the Klamath Basin Audubon Society (KBAS) and attended a couple of meetings and a field trip. She now serves as secretary for KBAS.
She had wanted to attend the Bald Eagle Conference for about twenty years, but never did attend. After moving to Klamath Falls, she volunteered at the Winter Wings Festival in 2005 and 2006. She also volunteered to help with the East Cascades Bird Conservancy statewide winter raptor survey project beginning in 2005. She worked three routes in the Basin in 2005 and then did two routes in 2006--it is a birding highlight of the year for her. She also participates in the Christmas Bird Count and the North American Migration Count.
Julie and Bill are active British sports car enthusiasts--MGs. Bill organized a British sports car club called the Klamath British Touring Society (KBriTS), and they participate in a driving event once a month.
Exploring more of the Oregon countryside is high on the free time list--especially the "birdier" areas! She and her husband are also remodeling their house and working at developing a bird-friendly landscape--which is part of why she doesn't get out in the field any more often than she does!
Darrel Samuels, Publicity Chair
My wife and I are "newbies" to Klamath Falls having moved here in early October, 2005 from Davis, California where we had lived for 38 years. In my "previous life" I taught elementary school for 32 years in Fairfield, California, mostly working with 5th grade gifted and talented youngsters.
My wife, Diana, and I are passionate about wildlife and conservation. We have organized two ecological tours of Costa Rica for students and adults and our travels have included East Africa, the Galapagos Islands and New Zealand, always with the primary focus of birding and wildlife watching. In Davis I was a docent at the Yolo Basin Wildlife Area, teaching visiting school groups about the importance of wetlands. I also enjoyed being a docent at the Sacramento Zoo before moving to Klamath Falls. My most recent volunteering experience was working with Jerry Ingram (Ralph the Eagle), visiting local classrooms during the winter and teaching youngsters about bald eagles, as part of the Winter Wings celebration.
I am most happy to be living in an area of great natural beauty and friendly people!
KBAS Budget 2006 -2007
| Expenses | $5,733 |
| Audubon Grant | $2,000 |
| General Exp | $813 |
| Newsletter | $700 |
| Postal | $560 |
| Program | $200 |
| Storage Unit | $360 |
| Web Site | $600 |
| Winter Wings | $500 |
| Income | $5,733 |
| Fundraisers | $4,658 |
| Membership | $575 |
| Memorial | $500 |
| Total Budget Expense | $5,733 |
Current Operating Expense account: $7,400 as of the September 6 Board meeting.
Tom Essex, KBAS Treasurer
Welcome New Members . . .
Welcome to the following new members. Please join us at the next meeting!
Klamath Falls
Paul W. Alley
Patty Coen
Kelly Gonyaw
Cindy M King
Thomas Marley Osgood
Ida Spires
Mary Sweeney
Iva J Will
Bonanza
Carolyn Harris
Chiloquin
M Bruder
Marshal Moser
Tulelake
Barbara Rissman
Somes Bar, CA
Edna Watson
KBAS Board Schedule
October 4
November 1
December 6
Please contact Ralph Opp for location if you are interested in attending.
December 14 Meeting
A silent auction to help defray expenses of printing the revised edition of the "Birders Guide to the Klamath Basin" is planned. You are invited to put on your thinking caps NOW to determine items you will donate to this auction, either new or used, as long as the item would still be useful to someone else. Suggestions are items that have nature or outdoor theme, such as birding, gardening, environment, etc. Perhaps you have an extra book, birdhouse, feeder, artwork, seeds, or?? Be creative. Unsold items will be returned to owner. Questions? Call Jean Van Hulzen at 545-6813
