Thursday, February 14

F2 Running Y Feeder Hop 1

8:00 – 11:00 am, Meet at the Running Y Ranch Resort lobby followed by carpool field trip
Join Darrel Samuels and Tom Essex to look for the Running Y Ranch Resort’s winter bird visitors. You’ll visit several feeder locations via carpool and walking. Be on the lookout for forest woodpeckers such as the elusive White-headed Woodpecker , nuthatches, pine siskins, chickadees, and the Varied Thrush (our 2019 featured bird) that sometimes frequent the area. Bird feeding and nest boxes will also be covered.

Fee: $20

F4 Birding Basics 1

9:00 am – Noon, OIT College Union Sunset room followed by carpool field trip
If you enjoy seeing birds in your backyard and want to learn how to identify them, or if you’ve been looking for a new nature-oriented hobby, this is the class for you. Karl Wenner will begin with a presentation that introduces the major groups of birds and explains how to use field marks to identify common birds of the Klamath Basin. Then you’ll carpool to nearby hotspots to put your new skills to work. A fun and informative session for the novice birder.

Fee: $20

F5 Tule Lake Segregation Center and Tule Lake Museum

9:00 am – 2:00 pm, Meet at the OIT Dow Center entrance
During this tour participants will learn about Japanese Americans who were at Tule Lake and how the events from 1941-1946 forever changed them. Angela Sutton will meet you at the Tulelake – Butte Valley Fairgrounds Museum which features local history of the Tule Lake Basin, the Modocs, the Tule Lake Refuge, the Tule Lake Segregation Center, and Camp Tulelake. Angela will lead a tour around parts of the Tule Lake Segregation Center, including the jail, and share stories of those who were at the center. Includes lunch.

Fee: $45

F6 Laid Back Birding

9:00 am – 2:30 pm, Meet at OIT Dow Center entrance
Not ready to leave at the crack of dawn? Bird with Marshal Moser from a bus that leisurely loops through the Basin. You’ll have an opportunity to stop along the way and view the famous Bald Eagles of the Basin, winter waterfowl, and numerous raptors. Birders of all skill levels are welcome to learn about Basin birds and their habitats. Includes lunch.

Fee: $50

F7 An Owl’s Eye View

12:00- 7:00 pm, Meet at OIT Dow Center entrance
This trip will focus on daytime viewing of Great-horned and Barn owls at their nests or roosts, and possibly viewing Short-eared owls foraging at dusk. Other bird species will be seen and pointed out along the way. Your guide, Kevin Spencer, will begin the adventure with a presentation on owls of the Klamath Basin and then it’s off to the bus to see “whoo’s” hanging around the Klamath Refuge and nearby locations. Includes lunch.

Fee: $60

Friday, February 15

F8 Running Y Feeder Hop 2

8:00 – 11:00 am, Meet at the Running Y Ranch Resort lobby for carpool field trip
Join Darrel Samuels and Tom Essex to look for the Running Y Ranch Resort’s winter bird visitors. You’ll visit several feeder locations via carpool and walking. Be on the lookout for forest woodpeckers such as the elusive White-headed Woodpecker, nuthatches, pine siskins, chickadees, and the Varied Thrush (our 2019 featured bird) that sometimes frequents the area. Bird feeding and nest boxes will also be covered.

Fee: $20

F9 Waffles and Waterfowl

8:00 am – Noon, Meet at The Waffle Hut & Eatery banquet room, 2125 Main St, Klamath Falls
We can’t think of a better way to start your day than all-you-can-eat waffles with all the fixings at the locally famous Waffle Hut & Eatery. Pair that with a lesson on how to identify the Klamath Basin’s numerous waterfowl by Marty St. Louis and you’re in for a real treat. Cap it off with a 1/2 mile or so stroll (waddle?) to nearby Veterans Park and along the Link River Trail to put your ID skills to the test, perhaps distinguishing female Common and Barrow’s Goldeneyes. Consider purchasing the Cornell Lab Waterfowl ID guides when you register.

Fee: $37

F10 Eagles and More

8:15 am – 1:15 pm, OIT College Union Mt. Bailey room followed by bus field trip
Pacific Region Eagle Coordinator Matthew Stuber will begin with a brief classroom discussion about Bald Eagles and their plumage characteristics. The classroom workshop will be followed by a field trip to locate and watch wild Bald Eagles, age them, and study their behavior. Although Matthew’s focus will be on eagles, he will stop for other raptors as opportunities arise. Includes lunch.

Fee: $45

F13 Behind the Scenes at the Klamath Refuges 1

9:00 am – 2:00 pm, Meet at the OIT Dow Center entrance
Steve Rooker will take you on a USFWS Refuge-sponsored tour through Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge to learn about the ecology of the region and how the refuge manages water and habitat to benefit wildlife. Experience some of the most spectacular winter birding on the Pacific Flyway, see large concentrations of ducks, geese, swans and cranes while eagles hunt and feed on the seemingly endless supply of waterfowl. This trip includes visits to areas usually closed to the public. Lunch available to purchase.

FREE but registration required

F14 Lava Beds Cave Tour and Bat Talk [New]

9:00 am – 2:00 pm, Meet at OIT Dow Center entrance
Katrina Smith will lead you through a one-hour tour through one of the Lava Beds National Monument’s most popular lava tube caves, explaining the process of formation, pointing out the spectacular features, and introducing participants to the fascinating critters that live in caves. Next, your ranger will give a Lava Beds bat talk probably inside the Mushpot Cave. Includes lunch.

Note to Registrants: Bring sturdy, closed-toed shoes and appropriate clothing (temperatures within the cave are approximately 45-55 degrees F). Flashlights and helmets will be provided, but participants are also encouraged to bring their own. Participants will need to be prepared to sit in a cave for up to one hour for the talk.

Fee: $40

F15 West Basin Oak, Conifer, and Wetlands Habitat Tour

9:00 am – 2:00 pm, Meet at OIT Dow Center entrance
Russ Namitz will take you to some of the best birding spots closer to town including the Running Y Ranch. Birders of all skill levels are welcome to learn about Basin birds and their diverse habitats. Includes lunch.

Fee: $45

F16 Klamath Falls Walking History Tour

2:00 - 3:30 pm, Meet at the Klamath County Museum, 1451 Main Street, Klamath Falls
A meandering walk through the downtown district of Klamath Falls will transport participants to a time in the early 1900s when burgeoning lumbering and agriculture industries propelled the town from relative obscurity to prominence as the fourth-largest city in Oregon. The walk will cover about two miles and last about 90 minutes, with several stops along the way. The walk will be led by Todd Kepple, Klamath County Museum Manager, along the geothermally heated sidewalks.

Fee: $8

Saturday, February 17

F18 Big Day

7:00 am - 4:30 pm, Meet at OIT Dow Center entrance
Dave Hewitt and Russ Namitz will lead you to a variety of habitats, including one or more of the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges and a number of other hotspots in the Klamath Basin. The pace will be quick; if you want to take photos, this is not the trip for you. For advanced level birders, listers, or intense intermediates. Limited to 12 participants. Includes lunch.

Fee: $80

F19 Behind the Scenes at the Klamath Refuges 2

8:00 am - 1:00 pm, Meet at the OIT Dow Center entrance
Steve Rooker will take you on a USFWS Refuge-sponsored tour through Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge to learn about the ecology of the region and how the refuge manages water and habitat to benefit wildlife. Experience some of the most spectacular winter birding on the Pacific Flyway, see large concentrations of ducks, geese, swans and cranes while eagles hunt and feed on the seemingly endless supply of waterfowl. This trip includes visits to areas usually closed to the public. Lunch available to purchase.

FREE but registration required

F20 The Rapture of Raptors: Beginning Raptor ID Field Trip

8:15 -am - 3:15 pm, Meet at OIT Dow Center entrance
Explore some of the Klamath Basin’s raptor hotspots with Pamela Llewellyn. Using shape, size, general behavior and field marks, you’ll put to work your new skills at identifying local eagles, hawks and falcons. By the end of the day, you’ll have a new appreciation for these birds of prey. Includes lunch.

Fee included in W6

F21 A Casual Morning with Julie Zickefoose [New]

8:30 am - 1:30 pm, Meet at OIT Dow Center entrance
Our featured keynoter, Julie Zickefoose, along with local expert Kevin Spencer, will take you on a casual outing to the birdiest spots in and around Klamath Falls. You'll have time to appreciate the vibrant plumage of ducks on the lake and ponder the fine points of identification for wintering songbirds and sparrows. We’ll not only check birds off; we’ll watch them, observing behavior and asking questions all the way. And, of course, you're bound to hear some great stories and learn new things from Julie along the way, a great precursor to her keynote presentation Saturday night. This trip will sell out fast! Limited to 12 participants. Includes a special lunch.

Fee: $80

F22 Raptor ID and Trapping/Banding 1

8:30 am - 2:30 pm, Meet at the OIT Dow Center entrance
This field trip will include field instruction on raptor identification and methods used to trap and band wintering raptors. While awaiting reports of successful captures by Colin Dillingham, Scott Thomas, and Jeff Smith will look for and discuss field ID of local raptors wherever found. Once birds are captured, we will meet up with the trappers to discuss safe handling methods, identifying raptors by age and sex (when possible), and traditional methods used to gather morphometric data and conduct health assessments. The objective will be to secure and share with participants examples of several species that commonly winter in the Klamath Basin, with Rough-legged Hawks of particular interest. If we secure a suitable Rough-legged Hawk, participants will also learn about outfitting hawks with a transmitter to augment our long-term tracking study of this species. Includes lunch.

Fee: $80

F23 Field Raptor Identification with Dick Ashford 1

8:30 am - 3:15 pm, Meet at Best Western Plus Olympic Inn, 2627 South 6th Street, Klamath Falls (carpool field trip)
The Saturday companion field outing to W7 will continue the teaching/learning experience in a mobile field classroom setting. The goal is for you to be able to identify 90% of the hawks you’ll encounter during our day together and have fun doing it! Carpooling is mandatory so we can access some special spots in the Basin. Includes lunch.

Note to Registrants: Limited to 4 vehicles on this carpool trip.

Fee included in W7

F24 Birding Basics 2

9:00 am – Noon, OIT College Union Sunset Room followed by carpool field trip
If you enjoy seeing birds in your backyard and want to learn how to identify them, or if you’ve been looking for a new nature-oriented hobby, this is the class for you. Karl Wenner will begin with a presentation that introduces the major groups of birds and explains how to use field marks to identify common birds of the Klamath Basin. Then you’ll carpool to nearby hotspots to put your new skills to work. A fun and informative session for the novice birder.

Fee: $20

F25 Raptors for Youth [New]

10:00 am - 2:00 pm, Meet at OIT Dow Center entrance
Join BLM Wildlife Biologist Claude Singleton as he shares his knowledge and passion for raptors with 10-18 year olds. He will give a short introduction on the use of binoculars which will be provided and then off to several sites where bald eagles, hawks, falcons and owls may be observed in their natural habitat. Bring your own lunch, water and snacks. This field trip is for youth only, no parents allowed. Limited to 15.

Fee: $10

Sunday, February 17

F28 North Basin Winter Tour

8:00 - 3:00 pm, Meet at OIT Dow Center entrance
The Klamath Basin is a funnel through which many of the birds that migrate along the Pacific Flyway pass, and the north end is often overlooked by birders in the winter. Take a tour with Marshal Moser of the diverse habitats and many of the top birding locations along and around Upper Klamath and Agency Lakes. Expect lots of winter raptors. There will only be a small amount of walking and much will likely be large open areas, but we also plan to stop at springs and wooded areas at the base of the surrounding mountains. Where we go will depend on our famously unpredictable Klamath Basin weather. Includes lunch.

Fee: $65

F29 Raptor ID and Trapping/Banding 2

8:30 am - 2:30 pm, Meet at the OIT Dow Center entrance
This field trip will include field instruction on raptor identification and methods used to trap and band wintering raptors. While awaiting reports of successful captures by Colin Dillingham, Scott Thomas, and Jeff Smith will look for and discuss field ID of local raptors wherever found. Once birds are captured, we will meet up with the trappers to discuss safe handling methods, identifying raptors by age and sex (when possible), and traditional methods used to gather morphometric data and conduct health assessments. The objective will be to secure and share with participants examples of several species that commonly winter in the Klamath Basin, with Rough-legged Hawks of particular interest. If we secure a suitable Rough-legged Hawk, participants will also learn about outfitting hawks with a transmitter to augment our long-term tracking study of this species. Includes lunch.

Fee: $80

F30 Field Raptor Identification with Dick Ashford 2

8:30 am - 3:15 pm, Meet at Olympic Inn, 2627 South 6th Street, Klamath Falls (carpool field trip)
The Sunday companion field outing to W7 will continue the teaching/learning experience in a mobile field classroom setting. The goal is for you to be able to identify 90% of the hawks you’ll encounter during our day together and have fun doing it! Carpooling is mandatory so we can access some special spots in the Basin. Includes lunch.

Note to Registrants: Limited to 4 vehicles on this carpool trip.

Fee included in W7.

F31 Birding the ‘Burbs

9:00 am - Noon, Meet at the OIT Dow Center entrance for carpool field trip
Spend a morning with Kevin Spencer for some short walks at some of the best Klamath Basin birding locations in close proximity within Klamath Falls. The places will have a variety of habitats and a diverse number of species. There are always bird surprises lingering that will surely make your day.

Fee: $20