Spring is here and so are the birds at the Rogue Valley Bird Day festival at Ashland’s North Mountain Park! Join Klamath Bird Observatory biologists at a bird banding demonstration—one of the many family friendly activities planned. The City of Ashland Department of Parks and Recreation with many partners will host the Rogue Valley Bird Day festival Saturday May 11 from 8 am to 12 pm. The festival is our local celebration of World Migratory Bird Day and will feature expert-guided bird walks, The Big Sit feeder watch, thrilling programs featuring birds of prey by Wildlife Images Education Rehabilitation Center, our bird banding demonstration, and the ever-very-popular bird calling contest!

KBO will also present an interactive display and demonstration of eBird tools that help link community birders with conservation science. The display will highlight Community Science tools that allow all birders to contribute to local and international monitoring efforts and existing bird data from Bear Creek and North Mountain Park, which has undergone immense restoration over the past 20 years.

CLICK HERE for more information about Rogue Valley Bird Day.

The 2019 World Migratory Bird Day theme is “Protect Birds: Be the Solution to Plastic Pollution! Come and learn about the problems birds face from our world-wide plastic problem. And experience the bird migration right here in our beautiful Rogue Valley! Several walks through the park led by area birding experts will visit KBO’s bird banding demonstration. Biologists will share the captured wild birds up close before their release.

Each year, the World Migratory Bird Day advisory committee selects an artist to illustrate the annual conservation theme. Arnaldo Toledo Sotolongo, from Santa Clara, Cuba was selected to create the World Migratory Bird Day 2019 artwork. Arnaldo is a scientific illustrator, photographer and designer, and volunteers in conservation projects in his free time. His 2019 poster illustration tells a passionate though painfully tragic tale.

CLICK HERE to view the 2019 World Migratory Bird Day poster “Protect Birds: Be the Solution to Plastics Pollution”.

Now in its 29th year, World Migratory Bird Day has grown from a one-day event into a framework underpinning hundreds of projects and programs year-round. It is coordinated by Environment for the Americas, which provides multi-lingual educational materials and information about birds and bird conservation throughout the Americas. Their programs inspire children and adults to get outdoors, learn about birds, and take part in their conservation.

CLICK HERE for more information about World Migratory Bird Day and Environment of the Americas.

CLICK HERE to learn more about plastic pollution and how it is affecting birds.

May 10th, Friday 8:00am – 2:00pm

Harry Fuller, past KBO president and expert bird guide, will take us to the areas around Howard Prairie and Hyatt Lake to find spring migrants and year-long resident species.

Cost: $25. Contact Shannon Rio at shannonrio@aol.com or at 541-840-4655 to sign up. Limited to 16 people.

Harry Fuller will be speaking at the SOU Library, Hannon room on Thursday May 9th at 4pm on Birds of the Klamath Basin. No sign up is necessary and this is a free event. Do come!

Talk: May 16th Thursday 6:30pm – 8:00pm at KBO Headquarters, 320 Beach Street

Jeanine Moy, Vesper Meadow Program Director will share encounters with charismatic birds, community-powered restoration and surveys for the imperiled Oregon Vesper Sparrow.

Walk: May 18th Saturday 8:30am – NOON at the Vesper Meadow Restoration site on Indian Memorial Road

Frank Lospolluto, expert bird ecologist, will lead us through the forest edge, wet meadows and riparian habitat known as Vesper Meadow Restorative Preserve. Located up Indian Memorial Road, we might see vesper sparrows, hawks, sandhill cranes, and possibly owls.

The Klamath Bird Observatory is partnering with the Vesper Meadow Restoration Project in this unique walk and talk. Vesper Meadow is a place-based restoration project, as well as outpost for community science and art programs. It is the site where KBO is collecting information on the endangered vesper sparrow.

To sign up for this, contact Shannon Rio at shannonrio@aol.com or call 541-840-4655. Cost is $30 with $15 going to Vesper Meadow and $15 to KBO.

NEWS RELEASE: March 23, 2019
CONTACT: John Alexander, Executive Director, Klamath Bird Observatory, 541‐890‐7067, jda@KlamathBird.org

Managers charged with stewarding public and private lands strive to protect, maintain, and restore healthy forest conditions that are resilient to drought, flood, and severe wildfire. Managers often rely on the presence of indicator species and species richness (i.e., the number of species present) to assess the value of different forest conditions to wildlife; however, relying on an indicator species or estimates of richness does not directly measure in what way focal habitats support the life history needs of individual species. For example, a bird provisioning food to nestlings is a more meaningful metric than a bird of the same species simply dispersing through a focal habitat. Unfortunately, classical measures of richness often treat these two hypothetical birds as similar when assessing the value of forests to wildlife. While past conservation planning has largely focused on wildlife presence, new research suggests assessing habitat value throughout the entire avian life cycle will provide a more holistic approach to management.

Recognizing the need for a better assessment of forest value to wildlife, a team of researchers from Klamath Bird Observatory, the Forest Service, and Michigan Technological University developed the “informed indices” concept. This new and impactful method scales diversity estimates by meaningful phases of each species lifecycle, such as breeding and feather replacement (i.e., molt). For proof-of-concept, the collaborative team used 18 years of bird capture data from across multiple forest types in California and Oregon to determine how measures of diversity change for bird communities across the breeding and molting seasons.

“We were surprised to find that forests with diverse breeding bird communities sometimes hosted relatively depauperate molting communities, demonstrating that a single location’s value is dynamic, changing from high to low depending on what part of the avian lifecycle a manager is considering” said Dr. Jared Wolfe, Klamath Bird Observatory Research Associate and lead author of the study.

“Instead of relying on simple measures of presence and absence, our informed indices concept assesses wildlife across biologically-meaningful seasons. This is an important improvement because it identifies essential variation in the value of forest to wildlife, thereby allowing managers to properly conserve wildlife throughout North America and beyond” said Dr. John Alexander, Klamath Bird Observatory Executive Director and co-author of the study.

CLICK HERE to read the team’s study in the latest issue of Ecology and Evolution, an open-access journal.

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About Klamath Bird Observatory: Klamath Bird Observatory advances bird and habitat conservation through science, education, and partnerships. We work in the Pacific Northwest and throughout the migratory ranges of the birds of our region. We developed our award-winning conservation model in the ruggedly beautiful and wildlife-rich Klamath-Siskiyou Bioregion of southern Oregon and northern California. Emphasizing high caliber science and the role of birds as indicators of the health of the land, we specialize in cost-effective bird monitoring and research projects that improve natural resource management. Also, recognizing that conservation occurs across many fronts, we nurture a conservation ethic in our communities through our outreach and educational programs. Visit Klamath Bird Observatory at www.KlamathBird.org.

Click here to download a zipped press package: News Release – An Improved Measure of Habitat Value.

Click here to download a PDF of this news release: News Release – An Improved Measure of Habitat Value.

Presenter: Shannon Rio

Learn how to easily use birding apps without it getting in the way of birding. Sibley’s, Merlin, iBird Pro, and eBird are the apps we will talk about and practice using.

• OUTING: Wednesday, March 6th Noon – 3 pm at North Mountain Park, Ashland Oregon 97520

Cost: $10 donation to KBO. Meet under the covered gazebo at North Mountain Park. Bring your lunch, binoculars and don’t forget your phone! Email shannonrio@aol.com to sign up or if you have questions or just come. Shannon’s phone: 541 840 4655.

Presenters: Frank Lospalluto and Shannon Rio

Just one hour away from Ashland is the glorious Shasta Valley. Shannon will give a presentation on the landscape and the birds of that area. Frank will then lead the all day field trip.

• TALK: Friday, March 8th 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm at 320 Beach Street, Ashland Oregon 97520 (Lincoln School)
• WALK: Saturday March 9th 8 am – 4 pm (meeting place to be announced at the talk)

Frank Lospalluto likes to go birding with his dog Violet. Shannon Rio is a wildlife educator and President of the KBO board.

COST: $25.00 donation to KBO. Class limited to 16 people. To sign up, contact Shannon at shannonrio@aol.com or call her at 541-840-4655.

Presenters: Barry McKenzie and Shannon Rio

This presentation is for the beginning birder who would like tips on using and buying binoculars, how to begin to identify common birds, and, generally, how to get started as a budding birder.

• TALK: Wednesday, February 27th 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm at KBO HQ, 320 Beach Street, Ashland Oregon 97520 (Lincoln School)
• WALK: Sunday, March 3rd 8:30 am – ll:30 am at North Mountain Park,
• Ashland Oregon 97520

Barry McKenzie has been birding over 40 years and loves to help others get started in birding. Shannon Rio is a wildlife educator, president of the KBO board and believer in having fun birding.

Cost: $25.00 donation to KBO. Class limited to 25 people. KBO can provide binoculars for outing. Email Shannon Rio at shannonrio@aol.com or call her at 541-840-4655 to sign up.

KBO TALK AND WALK: Birding 101

Presenters: Barry McKenzie and Shannon Rio

This presentation is for the beginning birder who would like tips on using and buying binoculars, how to begin to identify common birds, and, generally, how to get started as a budding birder.

• TALK: Wednesday, February 27th 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm at KBO HQ, 320 Beach Street, Ashland Oregon 97520 (Lincoln School)
• WALK: Sunday, March 3rd 8:30 am – ll:30 am at North Mountain Park,
  Ashland Oregon 97520

Barry McKenzie has been birding over 40 years and loves to help others get started in birding. Shannon Rio is a wildlife educator, president of the KBO board and believer in having fun birding.

Cost: $25.00 donation to KBO. Class limited to 25 people. KBO can provide binoculars for outing. Email Shannon Rio at shannonrio@aol.com or call her at 541-840-4655 to sign up.

KBO LUNCH AND LEARN: Learning to use birding apps on your phone

Presenter: Shannon Rio

Learn how to easily use birding apps without it getting in the way of birding. Sibley’s, Merlin, iBird Pro, and eBird are the apps we will talk about and practice using.

• OUTING: Wednesday, March 6th Noon – 3 pm at North Mountain Park, Ashland Oregon 97520

Cost: $10 donation to KBO. Meet under the covered gazebo at North Mountain Park. Bring your lunch, binoculars and don’t forget your phone! Email shannonrio@aol.com to sign up or if you have questions or just come. Shannon’s phone: 541 840 4655.

KBO TALK AND WALK: Birding the Shasta Valley

Presenters: Frank Lospalluto and Shannon Rio

Just one hour away from Ashland is the glorious Shasta Valley. Shannon will give a presentation on the landscape and the birds of that area. Frank will then lead the all day field trip.

• TALK: Friday, March 8th 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm at 320 Beach Street, Ashland Oregon 97520 (Lincoln School)
• WALK: Saturday March 9th 8 am – 4 pm (meeting place to be announced at the talk)

Frank Lospalluto likes to go birding with his dog Violet. Shannon Rio is a wildlife educator and President of the KBO board.

COST: $25.00 donation to KBO. Class limited to 16 people. To sign up, contact Shannon at shannonrio@aol.com or call her at 541-840-4655.

Jefferson Public Radio recently broadcast a lively and informative discussion about the proposed solar panel farm installation at the City of Ashland’s Imperatrice Property—and the potential for the project to negatively impact the Grasshopper Sparrow population that nests there. Local author and ornithologist Pepper Trail, Ashland City Councilor Dennis Slattery, and Jefferson Exchange host Geoffrey Riley explored differing perspectives on the topic.

KBO, in partnership with Southern Oregon Land Conservancy and Rogue Valley Audubon Society, completed Grasshopper Sparrow surveys on the property in 2016 and those results help to inform the discussion. More information about Grasshopper Sparrows and the Imperatrice Property is available at the Rogue Valley Audubon Society website, including a link to KBO’s 2016 survey report.

CLICK HERE to listen to the Jefferson Exchange episode “Ashland Solar Panel Proposal Runs into Bird Interference”.

CLICK HERE to visit the Rogue Valley Audubon Society Grasshopper Sparrows and the Imperatrice Property website article.

March 4-8, 2019—with Harry Fuller (Birding guidebook author) and Shannon Rio (KBO Board President)

This birding trip will focus on wintering birds of the Puget Sound region that spend the summer in nesting territories further north. The group will visit many birding hotspots at some the most beautiful areas of the Pacific Northwest (maybe the world!).

Monday, March 4
Our birding begins at the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually Wildlife Refuge. From there we will proceed to Lacey to our motel and dinner. Glaucous-winged Gull, Varied Thrush, Common Merganser, Hooded Merganser, Northern Pintail, Bufflehead, Pileated Woodpecker, and both Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets are likely birds on this first day.

Tuesday, March 5
Proceed north on US 101 to bird along Hood Canal. Lunch at Hama Hama Oyster Saloon. We will make stops at various parks and overlooks along the canal which is actually a natural, narrow finger of ocean reaching down from the top of Puget Sound complex. Birds we should see include Red-breasted Merganser, Brant, Common and Barrow’s Goldeneye, Red-necked and Western Grebe, Common Loon, Bald Eagle, Pelagic Cormorant, Pigeon Guillemot, Long-tailed Duck, American Black Oystercatcher, Belted Kingfisher, various gulls. Dinner and overnight in Sequim for next two nights.

Wednesday, March 6
Birding on upper Olympic Peninsula including Ediz Hook in Port Angeles Harbor and Dungeness NWR in Sequim. Target birds for the day: flocks of Harlequin, floats of Rhino Auklets, Trumpeter Swans, Red-throated Loons, more Long-tailed Ducks, all three scoter species, Brandt’s Cormorant. Dinner at Sequim restaurant.

Thursday, March 7
We will take the ferry from Port Townsend north to Whidbey Island, thence north to Skagit Flats. Possible birds today include Rough-legged Hawk, Gyrfalcon, Short-eared Owl, Trumpeter Swan, Snow Goose, Peregrine Falcon, Merlin, all three cormorant species … and try for a Yellow-billed Loon which usually shows up along the route each winter. Overnight along I-5 north of Seattle at Marysville.

Friday, March 8
Depart for home.

COST: $782.00 per person—includes accommodations for sharing a double room, travel expenses (round-trip travel in large van), and expert birding tour guide for the 5 day, 4 night expedition. Breakfasts will be provided at the hotels we stay at—participants will responsible for other meals (lunch and dinner). Folks are encouraged to bring lunch type foods as we will eat outdoors while we are birding.

$200 of the cost is a tax deductible contribution to the Klamath Bird Observatory. Contact Shannon Rio at shannonrio@aol.com or by calling 541-840-4655 if you are interested in signing up or if you have questions.