Malheur Musings
July 2023
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This year the great horned owls at Refuge Headquarters raised 4 chicks from their new nesting location within the old lookout tower on the hill behind the visitor center. When the family finally emerged from their haven it was a sight to behold, particularly since many of us believed they had not nested this year. Of course, Dan Streiffert, was able to capture some incredible images of half the brood playing in the yard. Click on the image to view a video of their antics on our YouTube cha
Image taken by Friends Member, Dan Streiffert
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Temperatures are rising as summer is now in full swing. Birds that come to the Harney Basin to nest are almost all rearing broods at this point and the mosquitoes are out in force.
If you have been in the Crane's Nest Nature Center and Store recently you will likely have been welcomed by our Manager, Miguel, with the question, 'How are your blood donations going?' The ease and humor of this greeting is Miguel's demeanor and the Friends of Malheur have been so fortunate to have him with us for the last 6 months. Alas, Miguel has will be moving on from this position. You are likely to still see him around in coming months as part-time program support and possibly into the future as a Friends' Volunteer.
Miguel's departure means two things that we need to share with all of you!
- The Crane's Nest Nature Center and Store may experience temporary closures over the months of July and August. When this happens we will keep closures to Tuesdays - Thursday, with a commitment to remaining open on the weekends.
- The Crane's Nest Manager position will be opening up for applications SOON! If you or someone you know may be interested in working at Malheur National wildlife Refuge in this capacity, please watch for our job announcement posting in the next few weeks. Interested folks should learn more about FOMR on our website.
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In my recent reflections I find myself thinking, 'Where there is change, there is possibility.' Change of the seasons. Change of colleagues. Climate change. Change is one of those unique experiences that can be scary and exciting all at the same time. And in times of change, it sure is nice to have Friends.
Thank you, as always, for being a Friend.
Janelle L Wicks
FOMR Executive Director
NOTE: The Narrows Jackelope Cafe will be closed Sunday and Monday until further notice. The store and RV park will remain open.
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Written by Wm. Tweed
Some of you may be aware that during my working days I spent many years on the staff of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, and I still follow affairs in that region with interest. The big story there this spring – aside from the massive snowpack – is the reemergence of Tulare Lake in the southern part of California’s Great Central Valley. Read More
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By Peter Pearsall, USFWS
In the realm of fleeting natural beauty, few phenomena rival the captivating emergence of mayflies. These delicate insects, belonging to the order Ephemeroptera, hold a unique place in the annals of natural history. With their short adult lifespan and mesmerizing mass emergences, mayflies have fascinated both scientists and onlookers alike. Let us embark on a brief exploration into the world of mayfly emergence, where nature’s clockwork unfolds in a breathtaking display. Read More
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By Carl Woodward, FOMR Advocacy Chair

Not so long ago (1960s and 70s), enlightened, elected representatives, reacting to overwhelming public demands, enacted numerous far-reaching statutes to roll back generations of abuse of our land’s natural resources. The Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the Endangered Species Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Superfund Act, and FIFRA, to name a few, were all designed to eliminate pollution, clean our air and waters, protect and preserve wildlife, and require consideration of environmental impacts when undertaking federally sponsored projects. These laws have had extraordinary beneficial and positive impacts on our lives and welfare. Until recently, the administration of these laws and implementing regulations have been generally accepted by our federal courts when challenged by those seeking to bypass their requirements. Read More
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A July update by Gary Ivey, PhD.
In May, only 2 of the GPS collars of the 12 trumpeter swans marked in the study transmitted data, while in June, a third swan checked. The other nine are still apparently in locations without cell tower coverage and we should receive their location data when they return to cell coverage (likely next fall). Read More
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The second month of my internship here at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge has been very rewarding. Along with taking measurements with the Flow Tracker as I primarily did last month, I have been helping Randy Brannan, the USGS seasonal hire, with collecting data at each of the 10 mesocosms in Malheur Lake.
I hadn’t the faintest idea what a mesocosm was until I started this internship – essentially, it’s an outdoor experiment that occurs under isolated or controlled conditions. The goal of this experiment is to determine which variables decrease the turbidity, or the opaqueness, of the lake. Read More
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How Big is the Lake? Starring Malheur Lake! |
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Hello everyone!!! Aaaaand welcome back to your thrilling monthly episode oooooof "HOW BIG IS THE LAKE?!!" brought to you by Crane's Nest Nature Center and Store, where you can buy all your refuge needs from book marks, magnets, last minute gifts and lovely lip balm with SP15 proof!! That's right SP15!! So please stop buy and help support FOMR!
As we are a few days from July, we have continued to remain in cooler weather, which most of you are pretty happy about! With that said, there has been a consistent flow of water into the lake. As of June 25, 2023, Malheur Lake has around 26,944 acres of surface water! This is ~3,810 acres larger than last month. Slowly but surely the lake is creeping in on the Narrows!!!
Will Malheur Lake reach the Narrows?? Or will the Lake have a change of flow and say, "NOT THIS YEAR NARROWS!" Tune in and find out on next month's exciting episode of "HOW BIG IS THE LAKE?!!"
Till then have a wonderful day and safe holiday weekend!
By Alexa Martinez
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The Friends of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge have committed to supporting the 2023 Tribal Stewards Program with a MINIMUM of $5,000 and we are asking our Members to MATCH US!
Click HERE to read about the 2019 Program.
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MAKE A DIFFERENCE...
for Tribal Youth
for Malheur NWR
for the future of Conservation!
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Currently sending $7,263.91! |
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By Peter Pearsall
Photos by Dan Streiffert
Wilson's Snipe is a migratory shorebird that is widely distributed across North America, inhabiting a variety of wetland habitats such as marshes, bogs, swamps, and meadows. Named after the American ornithologist Alexander Wilson, these birds are known for their distinctive behavior, remarkable camouflage, and unique vocalizations. Read More
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YOU can join this work and help to prepared Sod House Ranch for its annual Open Season!
VOLUNTEERS WILL:
- Cleaning entrance signs and interpretive panels
- Clearing, graveling, and maintaining the trail
- Cleaning the site of brush and debris
- Weed the perimeter of the structures, picnic tables, and bench
- Setup buildings for interpretive opportunities
- Prep brochure box and stock with brochures
This project includes both light and heavy lifting tasks, so there is something for everyone.
Housing is a Once in a lifetime opportunity to CAMP AT SOD HOUSE RANCH
((Possible Dorm assignment at the Malheur Field Station, provided by the Friends of Malheur.))
For more information please contact Alice Elshoff at calice58@gmail, with a cc to friends@malheurfriends.org
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Come celebrate dark skies and all things nocturnal at Malheur NWR Headquarters. This program takes visitors behind the gates to the Blitzen River Boat Launch. There, we’ll take a sunset bird walk (6:30pm-8:00pm), then look for owls, bats, and badgers (8:00pm-9:00pm), and enjoy a star viewing experience with the Oregon Observatory (9:15pm until we end!).
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Reflections & Connections |
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By Lena Land of Powell Butte, OR
On May 30, 2023, I traveled with the Prineville Bird Club to Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. It was my first experience visiting and I was filled with excitement at this incredible opportunity. Ever since my daughter visited Malheur NWR a few years ago for her ornithology class with George Fox University, it has been a goal of mine to visit the refuge as well. Being a fairly new “birder”, I could not wait to get out of the car to start identifying and photographing birds. READ MORE
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By Amanda Aman
The Wilson’s Snipe was probably one of the top birds of our trip. My boyfriend and I spotted and listened to several winnowing on fence posts and snags. This particular snipe was calling out to a mate in the rain. They are typically very shy birds, but each snipe we encountered was standing proud, posing for the camera.
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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.
June 5, 2023: A red-winged blackbird photobombs the family portrait session of sandhill crane and colt. Photo by Beth Aften
Follow the Friends of Malheur on Facebook and Instagram at Malheurfriends!
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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!
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Current Membership Total: 918 |
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Not a Member or need to RENEW?
Prefer to send a check? Easy.
Fill out THIS FORM and mail it with your dues to:
Friends of Malheur NWR
36391 Sodhouse Lane
Princeton, OR 97721
Coot adult with chick by Peter Pearsall
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Introducing the Sandhill Crane Society
Beginning this year, Friends of Malheur are welcoming the 17 inaugural members of the Sandhill Crane Society. Any supporter who contributes $1,000 or more through Membership dues and/or donations throughout the year will become a Member of this new program. Our depth of our gratitude for those individuals who support our mission at this level of ongoing support cannot be expressed, but we sure will try!
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Crane's Nest Nature Center & Store
7 Days/Week | 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
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Malheur HQ Visitor Center
7 Days/Week | 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
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Friends of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge
36391 Sodhouse Lane
Princeton, OR 97721
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