Overnight Klamath Basin Birding Trip

THIS HAS BECOME A TRADITION!!

We're planning another overnight trip in February for a birdwatching/wildlife/landscape/caving photography outing. We will again be staying at Winema Lodge which provides close access to the venues.

The largest concentration of bald eagles in the Lower 48 states typically occurs on the Klamath Basin Wildlife Refuges in February. We are scheduling toward the end of February when the days will be longer and hopefully warmer.

The centerpieces of this outing are the Lower Klamath Lake National Wildlife Refuge: the nation’s first waterfowl wildlife refuge and nearby Tule Lake NWR. The area provides the potential to see and photograph hundreds or thousands of wintering snow geese and the large numbers of raptors and other birds in the area. If you have never seen a flyout when hundreds or thousands of geese take flight together, photos cannot duplicate the experience. While most flyouts occur around golden hours, bald eagles can start flyouts at any time.

You have a few options when attending this outing:
• Come with us on Friday morning and stay two nights
• Join us on Friday night and stay two nights
• Join us on Saturday morning and stay one night

ACCOMMODATIONS

We’ll be staying at the Winema Lodge, adjacent to the Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge. You will need to call LOYAL at 530-667-5158 to make motel room or lodge room reservations to reserve a spot. Tell Loyal you are with the Bend Photography Group. IF you are NOT staying both nights, let both Loyal and me know.

Here’s a link showing an overview of the wilderness lodge. https://www.winemahistoriclodge.com/

The accommodations are very basic but clean and pleasant. The advantage of staying there are 1) proximity to the NWRs, 2) hot dinners onsite, and 3) a very comfortable great room with fireplace for all to relax and visit in the evenings.

• Motel Rooms (10). Combinations of doubles, singles; 1 queen and 1 single. 5 rooms have 3 beds. 5 rooms have two beds. Each has private bathrooms, microwave, and refrigerator. They are $90 a night plus taxes. If you wish to share a motel room, it will help if you work this out with another member attending. These rooms are in high demand and early reservations are recommended.

• Lodge Rooms (3). Two sleep 5; 1 upstairs sleeps 3. Lodge rooms are an economic alternative. They cost of $125 will be divided up between the number of room occupants. Refrigerators are available for those in lodge rooms.

• In addition, there are several RV spots at the lodge with full hookups. The cost is $40 per night. However, remember, sub-freezing nights can occur at this time of the year.

COSTS

• Accommodations

After signing up for the Meet-up, you must reserve a room by calling LOYAL at 530-667-5158, You do not need to give a credit card number to hold either a room or bed. Loyal requests at least 48 hours to cancel. If cancelling less than 48 hours before arriving, Loyal will charge a $25 fee.

• Meals

We will finalize meal options, preferences, and prices in January prior to our trip. This includes an option for a hot breakfast buffet on two mornings.

In the past on Friday and Saturday Night, we had a group dinner together. Everything is served Family Style. Entrées and prices for each night to be determined.

Saturday and Sunday Continental Breakfast (cold breakfast)
These meals are complimentary and available for several hours. Most of us grabbed coffee or tea before going out in the morning to shoot and returned to breakfast later.

Sack Lunches
We still need to confirm if sack lunches will be available.

• Transportation Costs

We anticipate ride-sharing where passengers make courtesy contributions to those driving to offset their fuel costs.

TENTATIVE ITINERARY

Friday, February 21
07:15 AM Meet in Parking near fuel pumps, Bend Fred Meyer.
07:30 AM Leave Bend Fred Meyer

On Friday, we'll meet at the Bend Fred Meyer and stop in La Pine again for south county members if we have any. We'll stop in Klamath Falls to view the birds at Putnam Point and near the Favell Museum downtown where we expect to see night herons. From Klamath Falls, we’ll travel to the wildlife refuge auto-tour routes. We primarily follow the auto-tour routes with limited walking.

On Saturday, we head out to the locations we scouted for geese gathering the night before. Or, members can choose their own itineraries (catch the sunrise, take a hike, stay in one of the blinds for awhile, etc... See Points of Interest below).

On Sunday, explore in the morning before checking out of the Lodge and returning to Bend.

NEARBY POINTS OF INTERESTS

Petroglyph Point
http://www.nps.gov/labe/learn/historyculture/rockart.htm

An extensive petroglygh collection along the base of a former island in the ancient Tule Lake. Home to a number of birds of prey.

Tule Lake Segregation Center/Camp
http://www.nps.gov/tule/index.htm
Home of the largest World War II segregation/internment Camp

Lava Beds National Monument
http://www.nps.gov/labe/index.htm
The visit to the caves can be a very popular alternative to other events.

Tule Lake NWR Visitor Center. A new center opened in 2024.
http://www.fws.gov/refuge/tule_lake /

Enjoy early morning or sunrise at one of the blinds along the pleasant trails in Discovery Marsh or look for the Barn and Great Horned Owls on the ridge near the visitor center.

Early Morning Raptor Flyouts Bear Valley
http://www.klamathbirdingtrails.com/sites/34bearvalley.shtml

While the refuge which the nesting bald eagles leave each morning has restricted access, the eagles can be viewed en-route to their feeding areas.

Night Sky Photography

Star trails anyone? There is low light pollution in the area and the moon will set early during the days when we’re there.

Equipment Considerations

Telephoto zoom lenses, tripods, and binoculars are part of the recommended gear to maximize the photographic opportunities. Multiple light sources are recommended if you want to explore the caves. Red lights and an intervalometer will be helpful if pursuing night photography.