Thursday, February 15
P1 No Guarantees: Finding and Photographing the Great Gray Owl of the Cascades [New]
3:45- 4:45 pm, OIT College Union Mt. Bailey Room
Local bird photographer Mel Clements will speak on his experience of photographing the Great Gray Owls of the Howard Prairie Lake area in S. Oregon. His presentation includes an introduction to the Great Gray Owl, its habitat, and the ethics of finding and photographing this magnificent owl. His talk is accompanied by an exhibit of his framed photography and a short DVD of Great Gray Owl photos set to music.
FREE but registration required.
Friday, February 16
P2 Fostering Restoration Conservation With Birding Technology [New]
10:00 - 11:00 am, OIT Sunset Room
Technology and economic growth are not often seen as drivers of conservation, but rather as opposing forces. As a case study, Chris Duke and Ben Stone present the development of a mobile app for birders to improve their bird identification, Kea, and the work of The Phoenix Conservancy, the restoration conservation nonprofit which Kea supports. They plan to inspire and and share tips for other birders interested in starting their own grassroots projects.
FREE but registration required.
P3 Flora and Feathers: The Photos of William Finley [New]
3:00 - 4:00 pm, OIT College Union Mt. Bailey Room.
In 1905, wildlife conservationist William L. Finley spent more than a month in the Klamath Basin photographing waterfowl for the Audubon Society et al. Explore the ways that William Finley’s photographs helped shape the refuges and landscapes in the Klamath Basin with Kenneth Doutt of the Klamath County Museum.
FREE but registration required.
P4 Bringing Prey-go-neesh (California Condor) Home to the Pacific Northwest: The Role of Hunters and Hunting in Condor Conservation [New]
4:30-5:30 pm, OIT College Union Mt. Bailey Room
Kent Barnes, Wildlife biologist for the Yurok Tribe, has worked for the last five years on the tribe’s efforts to return California condor (Gymnogyps californianus) to the Pacific Northwest. This species is both culturally and ecologically important and has been the subject of reintroduction efforts by the Yurok Tribe for the last ten years. We will examine the trials and tribulations of navigating the Endangered Species Act including habitat assessment, regulatory processes, the role of big game hunting in this conservation effort, and what the future holds for condors navigating the landscape, and politics, in northern California.
FREE but registration required.
Saturday, February 17
P5 Eagles in the US: A Conservation Update [New]
Time and OIT Room TBA
Matt Stuber will present eagles management in the United States. His talk will discuss US Fish and Wildlife Service’s efforts and tools used to manage bald and golden eagles, the current population status of both species, and how the status dictates management. The talk will also cover basic life history information and known threats for both species.
FREE but registration required.
FREE but registration required.
P6 Water and Birds in the Arid West [New]
3:30 - 4:30 pm, OIT Dow Center Auditorium
Across the Intermountain West, saline lakes — landlocked salt water lakes often fringed with freshwater wetlands — act as a network of stopovers for millions of migratory shorebirds and waterfowl. Species like Eared Grebe, Wilson’s Phalarope and American Avocet are heavily dependent on places like Lake Abert in Oregon, Great Salt Lake in Utah and the Salton Sea in California, and these habitats are in decline regionally and globally. Stan Senner with National Audubon Society will discuss the status of western saline lakes and the birds that depend on them, as well as strategies that can lead to a more sustainable future for birds and people in the arid west.
FREE but registration required.