Friend, August Malheur Musings! 🙌

Malheur Musings

August 2022

Bobolink are celebrities of Malheur NWR as people come from all over to see them in the western most reaches of their breeding range. Pictured here a female (left) is flying with a more recognizable male (right). The male bobolink are known to sing in flight as they flutter up and down in the grassy meadows where they establish territories.

Photo by Dan Streiffert, FOMR Volunteer

Greetings!

About this time of year people begin asking, 'Where are all the birds?' or 'When is the best time to visit Malheur NWR?' These inquires imply, of course, that there are no birds here through the summer or that there is ever a bad time to visit Malheur.

It may surprise you, or not, if you've had the opportunity to visit Malheur NWR at various times of the year that there is in fact always a good time to be had at the Refuge. I always tell folks that it depends on what you're looking for but equally depends on your outlook.

It's summertime and sure, the bugs are buzzing and the temperatures are up but there is still much to see out on the Refuge and immediately surrounding areas. This time of year we encourage visitors to focus their time at the south end of the Blitzen River Valley Auto Tour Route where you will find the most water and activity. The last of the nestlings are preparing to fledge while the already fledged of many species are hanging about, and waterfowl are tending their broods throughout the Refuge. Here at Refuge HQ you can watch the least chipmunks and few remaining Belding's ground squirrels (Photo by Sharon Vail) thicken up before tucking themselves away in estivation.

What's more is that you largely have the Refuge to yourself! And don't forget that if you find yourself in need of insect repellant or sunscreen you can pick some up at the Crane's Nest Nature Center & Store when you stop in to say Hi!

As always, Thank you for being a Friend.

Janelle L Wicks

FOMR Executive Director

PS - THIS JUST IN! Malheur Lake is currently 2,200 acres which is ~10% of its average 20,000 acres. The monthly Malheur Lake Shorebird Survey was cut short this morning due to inaccessibility. I want to thank Portland Audubon's Teresa Wicks, Volunteers Rick Vetter, and Joan Suther along with MNWR Wildlife Biologist Alexa Martinez for getting out there month after month to do this important work.

Conservation Corner

Interior Nesting Snowy Plovers at Malheur

By Teresa Wicks

Excerpt: 'To get a better understanding of water availability and Snowy Plover population status in Southeastern Oregon biologists conducted extensive Snowy Plover surveys in 2021. This was the first regional survey in approximately a decade. Snowy Plover numbers were concerningly low, potentially a signal of larger trends and potentially associated with low water levels. Because of this, in 2022 Portland Audubon worked with Malheur National Wildlife Refuge staff and Friends of Malheur to plan an extensive survey of Malheur springs and playas. In June, nine individuals, including Portland Audubon, Friends of Malheur NWR, and Refuge staff, and volunteers from Portland Audubon and Lane County Audubon hiked 40 miles, surveying all available habitat in the Double O. Read More

Refuge Water

Management Update

By Ed Moulton

At Malheur Refuge every spring and summer, water is diverted from the Donner und Blitzen River to irrigate meadows, ponds, and other crucial habitats for wildlife. Irrigation season generally lasts until August. This year, due to lack of flows in the river, maintenance staff have had to slow down or stop water in most areas of the Refuge. Read More

Wind Event at Refuge Headquarters

High wind events are common in our corner of the high desert and in the evening on Tuesday July 12th, one such whirlwind came through Refuge Headquarters. The first/left image is of branches down from a cottonwood behind the Crane's Nest Nature Center & Store. The second/right image is of a spruce from the lawn adjacent to the Visitor Center. Additional branches have been broken off and lodged in standing trees. They are expected to be dislodged during the next wind event but are not a health and safety concern. We want to thank the Fire Crew for their assistance in removing this debris.

Ibis Monitoring Project Update

This spring, Friends of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge and the Refuge each purchased 3 radio transmitter backpack units to be deployed this summer on white-faced ibis. This last week, during annual duck banding efforts, USGS Waterfowl Research Crew Leader Andrea Mott and Technician were able to capture 6 ibis and deploy the transmitters. Watch this space for a forthcoming article about the important research these birds are now a part of.

Photo of white-faced ibis with radio transmitter backpack

Species Spotlight

Savannah Sparrow

By Peter Pearsall

Photo by Dan Streiffert

One of the most widespread sparrow species in North America, the savannah sparrow favors grasslands, prairies, deserts, and other open habitats. Their high, buzzing song is reminiscent of an insect’s trill and can be heard across much of the continent during the spring and summer. Read More

Malheur & Me: Refuge in Transition

By Suzanne Simons, Friends Volunteer

Photo of willet with chick by Dan Streiffert

Flocks of birds and people disappear overnight. Tundra swans, snow geese, birders, volunteers. It’s disorienting. Squawking, raucous lines at the gift shop gone. Poof. Gone, too, are spectacular cinematic scenes, like a coyote chasing a herd of deer – until they abruptly turn around in unison to chase the coyote, all to the amazement and delight of visiting third graders.

The grandeur has shifted – north for birds, the four winds for people – from splashy spring to subtle summer at the refuge. Flocks follow their north star to tundra nesting grounds as abruptly as retirees scurry off in their RVs. My month-long volunteer stint straddles the mad frenzy pilgrimage home, and deceptively quiet aftermath when much nesting, caring for young and fledging goes on. READ MORE

We want to thank Suzanne for her month-long service to Malheur NWR while volunteering this spring. Suzanne staffed the Crane's Nest Nature Store and helped with school field trips! Furthermore, Suzanne has become our Poet in Residence! It is with great appreciation that we will share a humble Haiku from Suzanne in every newsletter in a new segment I am calling Refuge Reflections.

Refuge Reflections

cold, stormy malheur

how to tell it is summer?

amount of daylight

by Suzanne Simons

Sunset from Refuge HQ

Chunky Belding's Ground Squirrel

Sunshiny Day

Photos taken by FOMR Volunteer Sharon Vail during her and husband Ron's recent volunteer assignment over the 4th of July. Thank you for sharing Sharon!

If you want to contribute a poem, photo, or other creative rendering to be included here please email us, friends@malheurfriends.org

Events

Membership Minute

The sustaining support of our members is more important than ever.

If you are unsure of your Membership status you can email us at friends@malheurfriends.org today!

Current Membership Total: 993!

Check out the new 2022 HOLOGRAPHIC Membership sticker!

Not a Member or need to RENEW? Simply visit OUR WEBSITE!

You can even set your Membership to Auto-renew with just the check of a box!

Prefer to send a check? Easy. Just fill out THIS FORM and mail it to us with your dues:

Friends of Malheur NWR

36391 Sodhouse Lane

Princeton, OR 97721

July's Most Popular

Every month there is excellent content on the Friends Facebook, Instagram and YouTube pages. Here we will feature the most popular post of the month.

The marshes and ponds of Malheur NWR, as seen from the aptly named Buena Vista Overlook. Photo by Alan Nyiri #buenavista #highdesert #oregondesert #greatbasin #malheurnationalwildliferefuge #friendsofmalheur

This post on Facebook reached nearly 10k people! Follow both of our pages, Malheurfriends, to see more great content like this!

Volunteer with Friends

Looking for something fun and purposeful to do this month? Join us for the annual Sod House Ranch Stewardship Weekend! Click the image above to sign up!

For more information email friends@malheurfriends.org or twicks@audubonportland.org

Making plans for next year? Why not volunteer?

Needed: Crane's Nest Nature Center & Store Volunteers are needed for 2023! Individuals must be comfortable interacting with the visiting public and carrying out day-day store operations tasks such as running a point of sale system, counting and stocking inventory. Volunteers also help to maintain the ground surrounding the Nature Center including filling and cleaning bird feeders, occasional light grounds keeping, etc.

Have your own Home on Wheels? Great!

Volunteers with an RV/Camper have access to full hook-ups at the volunteer RV park. Their 40' concrete pad includes a 'wayside' with a picnic table and room to set up an outdoor kitchen or camp chairs for taking in the sunsets.

All volunteers have access to bathrooms with showers, a fully stocked kitchen, a community room with DirectTV, WiFi, and laundry facilities.

Photo of Volunteer RV pads with sun setting by Sharon Vail, FOMR Volunteer

Volunteer opportunities continue to be contingent upon and will be subject to any local, state, or federal health and safety guidelines. Volunteering may be cancelled at any point.

If you wish to be considered for a volunteer position please email Janelle, director@malheurfriends.org