Fall Birding with Harry Fuller – September 8-13, 2023

Jen HernandezJanuary 24, 2023February 3, 2023Leave a comment

BIRDING WITH HARRY FULLER - SEPTEMBER 2023

Join Harry Fuller for a week of birding the Malheur basin and entire Steens Mountain loop. Participants will see Ferruginous and Swainson's Hawks, Prairie Falcon, Golden Eagles, White Pelicans, Short-eared and Great Horned and Burrowing Owls, Sandhill Cranes, Black Terns, Franklin's Gulls, Loggerheasd Shrike, Sage Thrasher White-faced Ibis, Rock & Canyon Wren, Horned Lark, Cinnamon Teal, snipe, Wilson's Phalarope, possible bittern.

There are likely to be usual (Lewis's Woodpecker, Evening Grosbeak) and unusual (any bird that migrates to northern Canada) migrants at the hotspots.

DATES: September 8 - September 13
MEALS: Breakfast served at 7 am, sack lunch provided, dinner at 6 pm

Registration: $900 per person
To register, call the office at 541-493-2629

Led by Harry Fuller

Fall migration is always interesting in Harney County. Harry has lived in Oregon since 2011. He has been leading birding trips and teaching bird classes since the 1980's He annually leads birding trips for Klamath Bird Observatory, Road Scholar and Golden Gate Audubon.

Harry Fuller author of:
San Francisco’s Natural History: Sand Dunes to Streetcars
Great Gray Owls of CA-OR-WA
Freeway Birding
Birding website: http://www.towhee.net
Harry's birding blog: atowhee.wordpress.com

Program Schedule

*Note: Itinerary is subject to change due to weather.

SEPTEMBER 8, FRIDAY

Arrive at MFS, gather for a meet and greet.
Introduction and dinner.
After dinner enjoy a sunset walk around the MFS looking for owls, nighthawks, et al.

SEPTEMBER 9, SATURDAY

Walk around MFS before breakfast to hear the dawn chorus.
After breakfast, visit the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters to look for migrants and any vagrants. Then, bird along Sodhouse Lane, the Narrows and along Hwy 205 north of the refuge.
Return to MFS for a sack lunch and presentation in the classroom.
After lunch, group will go east on Sodhouse Lane to Princeton, north to Crane and stop at Crystal Crane Hot Springs to observe birds on the pond.
Return to MFS for a home cooked dinner.
After dinner, group will look for Short-eared Owls along Center Patrol Road.

SEPTEMBER 10, SUNDAY

Before breakfast there will be an optional visit to the refuge headquarters (3 mi).
After breakfast we will head south on Hwy 205, visiting Buena Vista, Krumbo Lake and Benson Pond.
Enjoy a sack lunch at Krumbo Lake picnic grounds.
After lunch, bird along the road to Diamond, visit Diamond Craters for Rock Wrens and Canyon Wrens, the French Barn and Dry Lake.
Return to the MFS for dinner, perhaps an evening visit to the refuge headquarters.

SEPTEMBER 11, MONDAY

After breakfast, leave MFS and head south on Hwy 205
We will bird the basalt cliffs along the road, stop at P Ranch and then Page Springs for lunch.
After lunch, head up into the lower reaches of the Steen Loop. If we can gain access we will also bird Boca Lake.
Return to MFS for dinner.

SEPTEMBER 12, TUESDAY

After breakfast, bird our way north on Hwy 205 to Hwy 78. Then to Hwy 20 south to Chickahominy Reservoir.
Lunch at Sage Hen Rest Area for lunch.
Back to MFS for dinner.

SEPTEMBER 13, WEDNESDAY

Breakfast, pack and depart. End of 5 night program!

To register, call the office at 541-493-2629

Spring Birding with Harry Fuller – May 15-20, 2023

Jen HernandezJanuary 24, 2023February 21, 2023Leave a comment

BIRDING WITH HARRY FULLER - MAY 2023

Join Harry Fuller for a week of birding the Malheur basin and entire Steens Mountain loop. Participants will see Ferruginous and Swainson's Hawks, Prairie Falcon, Golden Eagles, White Pelicans, Short-eared and Great Horned and Burrowing Owls, Loggerheasd Shrike, Sage Thrasher, Sandhill Cranes, Black Terns, Franklin's Gulls, White-faced Ibis, Rock & Canyon Wren, Sagebrush and Brewer’s Sparrow, Cinnamon Teal, snipe, Wilson's Phalarope, possible bittern.

There are likely to be usual (Lewis's Woodpecker, Evening Grosbeak) and unusual (any bird that migrates to northern Canada) migrants at the hotspots. Participants will bird the basin and foothills of Steens Mountain.

DATES: May 15 - May 20
MEALS: Breakfast served at 7 am, sack lunch provided, dinner at 6 pm

Registration: $900 per person
To register, call the office at 541-493-2629

Led by Harry Fuller

Harry has lived in Oregon since 2011. He has been leading birding trips and teaching bird classes since the 1980's He annually leads birding trips for Klamath Bird Observatory, Road Scholar and Golden Gate Audubon.

Program Schedule

*Note: Itinerary is subject to change due to weather.

May 15, MONDAY

Arrive at MFS, gather for a meet and greet.
Introduction and dinner.
After dinner enjoy a sunset walk around the MFS looking for owls, nighthawks, et al.

MAY 16, TUESDAY

Walk around MFS before breakfast to hear the dawn chorus.
After breakfast, visit the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters to look for migrants and any vagrants. Then, bird along Sodhouse Lane, the Narrows and along Hwy 205 north of the refuge.
Return to MFS for a sack lunch and presentation in the classroom.
After lunch, group will go east on Sodhouse Lane to Princeton, north to Crane and stop at Crystal Crane Hot Springs to observe birds on the pond.
Return to MFS for a home cooked dinner.
After dinner, group will look for Short-eared Owls along Center Patrol Road.

MAY 17, WEDNESDAY

Before breakfast there will be an optional visit to the refuge headquarters (3 mi).
After breakfast we will head south on Hwy 205, visiting Buena Vista, Krumbo Lake and Benson Pond.
Enjoy a sack lunch at Krumbo Lake picnic grounds.
After lunch, bird along the road to Diamond, visit Diamond Craters for Rock Wrens and Canyon Wrens, the French Barn and Dry Lake.
Return to the MFS for dinner, perhaps an evening visit to the refuge headquarters.

MAY 18, THURSDAY

After breakfast, leave MFS and head south on Hwy 205
We will bird the basalt cliffs along the road, stop at P Ranch and then Page Springs for lunch.
After lunch, continue search for Bobolink or head up into the lower reaches of the Steen Loop. If we can gain access we will also bird Boca Lake.
Return to MFS for dinner.

MAY 19, FRIDAY

After breakfast, bird our way north on Hwy 205 to Hwy 78. Then to Hwy 20 south to Chickahominy Reservoir.
Lunch at Sage Hen Rest Area for lunch.
Back to MFS for dinner.

MAY 20, SATURDAY

Breakfast, pack and depart. End of 5 night program!

To register, call the office at 541-493-2629

Casual Birding and Gentle Yoga – June 11-15, 2023

Jen HernandezJanuary 23, 2023February 2, 2023Leave a comment

CASUAL BIRDING AND GENTLE YOGA – JUNE 11-15 2023

Join us for a 4-night program exploring the mindfulness and connection of bird watching and yoga at the field station, led by Shannon Rio.

Program, meals and lodging included in price of $750 per person.
To register, call the office: 541-493-2629

- DATES: June 11 – June 15

- MEALS: Breakfast served at 8 am, lunch pack and go, dinner served at 6 pm.

LED BY SHANNON RIO

This workshop is for the person who wants to learn birdwatching and to deepen birdwatching skills.

Both yoga and birding share the practice of mindfulness. They invite the process of becoming still and using the senses to notice what is around us. It is from this place, that curiosity and awareness brings us to watching and listening to the birds (and other sounds in nature). I like to ask myself: what is that bird saying? Or what is that bird doing? Before long I find myself connected to the landscape, the birds and mammals and all that nature offers to me. THAT is birding.

Doing gentle yoga is connecting with the breath to do simple movements. In this practice there is a moving meditation portion of the class that uses music to enhance flowing easy-to-do postures.

The schedule will allow for a morning yoga class (optional), outings to explore the Malheur Refuge and evening presentations to both learn about birds and generally have fun.

Shannon Rio is Board President of the Klamath Bird Observatory because of its work to preserve birds and wild places in nature. She is a wildlife educator with a goal to connect people (and herself) with nature so that they will want to protect what they love. She teaches classes in various settings and also teaches yoga, works as a nurse practitioner, is devoted to family and friends and community and loves learning anything about the natural world through hiking and birding and sitting quietly observing the wonder of it all.

JUNE 11 SUNDAY

- 12-4 pm: Arrival

- 4-5 pm: Introductions and gentle yoga

- 6 pm: Dinner

- 7-8:30 pm: Evening presentation, gathering

JUNE 12 MONDAY

- 7-7:30 am: Gentle yoga

- 8 am: Breakfast

- 9 am – 5:30 pm: Daily outing: Visit Buena Vista overlook, to Diamond, to the Round Barn (where there is a store) and Diamond Craters. Picnic mid-afternoon.

- 6 pm: Dinner

- 7-8:15 pm: Evening presentation: BEAUTIFUL BIRDS, BEAUTIFUL WORDS, celebrating poetry and birding. Reviewing the bird list for the day, gathering

JUNE 13 TUESDAY

- 7-7:30 am: Gentle yoga

- 8 am: Breakfast

- 9 am – 5 pm: Daily outing: Visit to Malheur Refuge Headquarters, visit Princeton Rim, drive to Crane Hot Springs for optional soak and to visit the birding ponds and have lunch. Back on Ruh Red Road and to visit the Narrows.

- 6 pm: Dinner, reviewing bird list for the day, gathering

JUNE 14 WEDNESDAY

- 7-7:30 am: Gentle yoga

- 8 am: Breakfast

- 9 am – 5 pm: Daily outing: Central Patrol Road from Krumbo road to P Ranch. Picnic at Page Springs. Visit burg of Frenchglen including the store.

- 6 pm: Dinner, reviewing bird list for the day, gathering

JUNE 15 THURSDAY

- 7-7:30 am: Gentle yoga

- 8 am: Breakfast, depart

** Daily plans subject to change depending upon weather, mosquitos, whims of the group and location of where the birds are.

Geology Field Study

Explore the geology of Harney County. In this three-night program, participants will learn about the Steens Mt. and geothermal activity in South Eastern Oregon desert. September 23 - 25, 2022

RoseMay 13, 2022January 24, 2023Leave a comment

GEOLOGY FIELD STUDY - SEPTEMBER 2022

Explore the geology of Harney County. In this three-night program, participants will learn about the Steens Mt. and geothermal activity in South Eastern Oregon desert.

Program, meals and lodging included in price of $550 per person.

DATES: September 22 - September 25
(check in before 5 pm on Sept. 22; check out Sept. 25 after breakfast)
MEALS: Breakfast served at 7:00 am, pack-away lunch for the field, dinner served at 6pm.
AMENITIES: There are various bathroom stops along the way.

Led by Michael Cummings

Michael is a retired Professor of Geology from Portland State University and has a long history with Malheur Field Station. He has been leading university and general-interest geology trips in the Northern Great Basin for decades.

PROGRAM SCHEDULE

SEPT 22 THURSDAY

Arrive anytime, unpack into E-Dorm. Meet at Malcolm Hall in the AV room at 5pm
Evening session at the station
Dinner at 6pm in Dining Hall
Introduction to the geology of SE Oregon

SEPT 23 FRIDAY
NORTH OF BURNS ON HWY 395

Breakfast at 7:00 am in Dining Hall at MFS – depart for field trip to:
- Accreted terrains and evolution of western margin of North American during the Mesozoic
- Dinner Creek Welded Tuff (16million) and its local relation to older rocks (Silvies River valley)
- Divine Canyon Welded Tuff (9.7 million) and the younger westward trend of rhyolites
- Prater Creek Welded Tuff (8.0 million) and the newly discover caldera source west of Hines
- Rattlesnake Welded Tuff (7.0 million) and characteristics of zones in welded tuffs
Dinner at 6pm in Dining Hall at MFSEvening session:
- Columbia River Basalt Group (CRGB) and its relation to rhyolite centers in Eastern Oregon. Newly defined extent of the Picture Gorge Basalt, a member of the CRBG.

SEPT 24 SATURDAY
CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF STEENS MOUNTAIN

Breakfast served at 7:00am in Dining Hall at MFS – depart for field trip to:
- Explosion structures in Steens Mountain Basalt flows near the crest of Steens Mountain
- Steen Mountain front and active faults
- Mickey Springs – silica sinter deposits formed between about 30,000 and 18,000 years ago
- Hot spring ecosystems
- Pluvial Lake Alvord and shoreline features
- Borax Lake – construction of a biomorphic mound and silica sinter from hot spring activity
Dinner served at 6pm in Dining Hall at MFSEvening session:
- Brief wrap up of what we’ve seen

SEPT 25 SUNDAY
Check out after breakfast, end of program

Entomology in the High Desert 2021 4

RoseJanuary 11, 2021January 11, 20214 Comments

Entomology in the High Desert

Sept - TBA - Learn more about the insects of sagebrush country and their importance to the ecosystem. This course will consist of a field trip to observe insects in the field, insect collecting demonstrations, and learning about insect anatomy and ecology in the classroom.

Matt Medeiros (http://www.mattjmedeiros.com/) has been coming to MFS as a student, employee, and biologist since 1995, and has taught Entomology at the high school and college level. He is also an active researcher at UNLV who studies the biodiversity, evolution, and conservation of insects in the Hawaiian Islands.

You will arrive on Tuesday afternoon, September ? and settle into E Dorm, meet and greet Matt and fellow learners. E Dorm is set up for cooking, the cafeteria will not be open.

September ?, first full day will be out in the field, September ?, second full day will be on station. You will depart on morning of the ?.

The Field Station will be buzzing this time of year with our Members Meeting!

Astronomy / Astro Photography 2021

August 17-21, 2020 Join us under the darkest sky in the US! Learn about Astronomy and Astro-Photography in this 4 day course.

RoseSeptember 5, 2019June 20, 2021

Astronomy / Astro Photography 2021

Dates TBA
Instructor: Robert Browning is an Engineering Group Leader at Intel in Hillsboro. He has been at Intel for 24 years. He has a PhD in Applied Physics from Portland State University and is an avid amateur astrophotographer.

Day 1: Introduction and Overview / Software for Imaging
Day 2: Minimalist Imaging with a DSLR / Survey of Telescopes for Imaging
Day 3: Telescope Mounts and Guiding / Cameras and Imaging Calibration
Day 4: Operating in the Filed / Basic Image Processing

Instructor: Doug McCarty was the Planetarium Director at Mt Hood Community College for twenty seven years and has taught astronomy at Lewis and Clark College and Portland State University. He lives in Portland.

Astronomy Schedule TBA

Day 1:
Day 2:
Day 3:
Day 4:

Entomology in the High Desert 2021

Sept 2-5, 2020 "Learn more about the insects of the sagebrush country and their importance to the ecosystem"

RoseSeptember 4, 2019June 20, 2021

Entomology in the High Desert 2021

September 2021 Dates TBA $300 per person $100 deposit/balance due by Aug 1 – Meals and Lodging included

“Learn more about the insects of the sagebrush country and their importance to the ecosystem. This course will consist of a field trip to observe insects in the field, insect collecting demonstrations, and learning about the insect anatomy and ecology in the classroom”

Matt Medeiros (http://www.mattjmedeiros.com) the instructor, has been coming to MFS as a student, employee, and biologist since 1995, and has taught Entomology at the high school level. He is also an active researcher at UNLV who studies the biodiversity, evolution, and conservation of insects in the Hawaiian Islands.

Sept 2 : Arrive, check in by 4pm, settle into lodging. Dinner in dining hall at 6pm. Socialize getting to know each other.

Sept 3 : Classroom sessions & observing insects within walking distance of the classroom. Breakfast in the dining hall at 7:30am, packed lunch in the field, dinner in dining hall at 6pm.

Sept 4: All day field strip. Breakfast in dining hall, with pack lunch in the field. Dinner upon return in Dining Hall at 6pm

Sept 5: Breakfast and departure.

Birding – Fall 2021

Sept. 11 - Sept. 16 - Join Harry Fuller for a full day in the Steens where we will go to the peak at just under 10,000 feet elevation.

RoseSeptember 3, 2019August 19, 2021

Birding - Fall September 11 - 16, 2021 CANCELLED due to covid variant

DATES TBA – Join Harry Fuller for a full day in the Steens where we will go to the peak at just under 10,000 feet elevation. In the late summer we may get access to areas closed during breeding season. There may be migrating raptors passing through the valley and mountains. While many insectivorous birds will be gone there will also be songbirds on migration including huge numbers of White-crowned Sparrows and their cousins from several species.

FIVE NIGHTS. Arrive for dinner on the 11th, depart after breakfast on the 116th. All meals and dorm accommodations provided by Field Station.

Full cost: $900 for 5 nights
$100 reservation deposit with full payment due by Aug 15, 2021

Harry Fuller has lived in Oregon since 2007. He has been leading birding trips and teaching bird classes since the 1980’s He annually leads birding trips for Klamath Bird Observatory, Road Scholar and Golden Gate Autubon.

author of: San Francisco’s Natural History: Sand Dunes to Streetcars:
https://ecowise.wordpress.com/2017/04/20/sfnh/
author of Great Gray Owls of CA-OR-WA:
https://ecowise.wordpress.com/2015/05/08/the-great-gray-owl-book/
author of Freeway Birding: freewaybirding.com
birding website: http://www.towhee.net
my birding blog: atowhee.wordpress.com

Geology 2021

September 23-29, 2020 Ever wonder how the landscape of Harney County came to be?

RoseSeptember 1, 2019June 20, 2021

Geology of the Northern Great Basin 2021

FALL DATES TBA
Ever wonder how the landscape of Harney County came to be? Check out the schedule for Geology of the Northern Great Basin hosted by Michael Cummings.

The order of the daily program may change due to weather. All days begin with breakfast in the Dining Hall, after which you pack a lunch for the day trip. Lunch and bathroom stops are incorporated each day along the way.

DATE TBA
The six-night class begins after settling into your E-Dorm lodging and having dinner in the Dining Hall with Michael Cummings, PhD. After dinner, there’s an introductory session on geology of the northern Great Basin.

DATE TBA
Interpreting across scale: Hike to top of South Coyote Butte for Interpreting across time: How does the landscape change through time?

Evening session: How do we integrate time, scale, and process when we interpret the evolution of a landscape.

DATE TBA
Visit the Northern fringe of the Harney basin. Welded tuffs: welding zones, structure, sources, interpreting accreted terrains – the old rocks. Dinner in Dining Hall

Evening session: Hydrogeology of the Harney basin – an ongoing study.

DATE TBA
South of the Field Station: Interpreting volcanic contributions to sedimentary environments and Hydrogeology of the Blitzen River.

Evening session: Integrating time, scale, and process in modern landscapes

DATE TBA
Long day! Explore the areas surrounding Steens Mountain; Fault block mountains, Crustal extension and geothermal systems including the Alvord Desert and Catlow Valley.

No evening session

DATE TBA
Exploring Steen Mountain – Steens Basalt and the Columbia River Basalt Group.

Evening session: Miocene evolution of the Columbia River Basalt Group and associated rhyolites.

DATE TBA
Breakfast and departure.

Full cost: $1000 or $950 if you have RV.
$100 reservation deposit with full payment due by August 24. 2020.

Geology of the Northern Great Basin

September 25-30, 2019-Ever wonder how the landscape of Harney County came to be?

RoseJuly 25, 2019November 6, 2019Leave a comment

Geology of the Northern Great Basin

September 25-30, 2019-Ever wonder how the landscape of Harney County came to be? Check out the schedule for Geology of the Northern Great Basin hosted by Michael Cummings.

September 25
The six-night class begins after settling into your lodging and having dinner with Michael Cummings, PhD. After dinner, there’s an introductory session on geology of the northern Great Basin.

September 26
Interpreting across scale: Hike to top of South Coyote Butte for Interpreting across time: How does the landscape change through time?
Evening session: How do we integrate time, scale, and process when we interpret the evolution of a landscape?

September 27
Visit the Northern fringe of the Harney basin. Welded tuffs: welding zones, structure, sources, interpreting accreted terrains – the old rocks.
Evening session: Hydrogeology of the Harney basin – an ongoing study.

September 28
South of the Field Station: Interpreting volcanic contributions to sedimentary environments and Hydrogeology of the Blitzen River.
Evening session: Integrating time, scale, and process in modern landscapes

September 29
Long day! Explore the areas surrounding Steens Mountain; Fault block mountains, Crustal extension and geothermal systems including the Alvord Desert and Catlow Valley.
No evening session

September 30
Exploring Steen Mountain – Steens Basalt and the Columbia River Basalt Group.
Evening session: Miocene evolution of the Columbia River Basalt Group and associated rhyolites.

October 1
Breakfast and departure.