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Every year the youth of Harney County are invited to participate in the Youth Wildlife Art Contest as part of the Harney County Migratory Bird Festival. First, Second, and Third place winners across 5 age groupings all receive Shop Harney Gift Cards sponsored by Friends of Malheur NWR. See article below for more about this program.
The osprey above was submitted by Burns High School 11th grade student L. Lu.
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Putting together this monthly newsletter is one of the great joys of my job. I place a pretty high value on the role it plays in keeping you connected to Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Sometimes this means that in order to give it the attention I feel it deserves while also being fully involved in the work of FOMR on the ground, it gets delayed.
The month of April always is BUSTLING with activity and this year it was owing to so much more than the great success of the Harney County Migratory Bird Festival. After the festival wrapped up, FOMR onboarded our very first Conservation Stewardship Technician AND then our new Crane's Nest Manager. To wrap up the month and kick-off May, we held our annual Board and Member's meetings!
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I am thrilled with the team we have from board members and staff (pictured right) to volunteers and community partners. It is because of the strength and skills of these people all working together that we, as an organization, are capable of great positive impact on and for the Refuge. I hope you find this, and every issue of this newsletter, properly informs you of that impact which your support empowers.
Thank you,
Janelle Wicks
FOMR Director
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Written by William Tweed, FOMR President
One of the pleasures of being a part of the Friends of Malheur is having the privilege of representing the organization at public events. The past few weeks I’ve been able to do this at both the Harney County Migratory Bird Festival and the Earth Day event put on by the Environmental Center in Bend. At the Bird Festival I hosted one of the five stations on this year’s Bird Crawl, while at the Earth Day event I helped staff the Friends booth.
In theory, these volunteer assignments are “work,” but in reality they are just plain fun. I don’t think there is a better way to spend time than being outdoors and talking about nature with other like-minded people. Being outdoors is always a pleasure, but it is the people I meet who make these events so special. READ MORE
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Expanding MOTUS at Malheur
Written by Janelle Wicks
Photo of Double O unit MOTUS tower installation
In the days immediately following the Harney County Migratory Bird Festival, there was another, slightly more technical celebration of migratory birds underway. A small crew arrived on Sunday April 19th and spent the next two days installing a third MOTUS tower at Malheur, this time at the Double O unit on the Refuge’s western side. This new tower, or receiver, expands a project that has been growing steadily since the first MOTUS towers were installed at Refuge Headquarters and near Boca Reservoir.
As we shared in earlier Friends blog posts, the MOTUS Wildlife Tracking System is an international collaborative network that uses automated radio telemetry to help researchers better understand migratory animal movement. READ MORE
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Spring Migration & Stewardship at Malheur
Written by Ian Snyder, 2026 Stewardship Technician | Read Ian's Bio HERE!
Greetings, my name is Ian Snyder – FOMR’s new Stewardship Technician. I am excited to share my experiences moving into the refuge and beginning stewardship work.
Before my first day of work, I arrived for the Harney County Migratory Bird Festival. I spent Friday and Saturday volunteering at the Bird Crawl stops, where I greeted visitors and participants of the festival. I learned that people had come from Bend, Boise, Seattle, Portland, Eugene, and the Bay Area to visit our slice of Oregon. I met young adventurers traveling solo, devoted friends traveling together for the love of birds, and families of grandparents, parents, and children all journeying together. Read More
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2026 Youth Art Contest Winners
Pictured above: Kindergarten & 1st Grade Winners
The annual Youth Wildlife Art Contest concluded during the Harney County Migratory Bird Festival, with public voting helping determine this year’s winners. The contest showcased the creativity of local youth and celebrated the beauty of birds and wildlife through student artwork displayed throughout the festival. Winners were recognized in five grade divisions. Click HERE to Read and See More!
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It's Feeding Time! Bluebirds
Written by Linda Hendricks Spence, BirdingBeyondtheFieldGuide.com
Photo of western bluebird By Dan Streiffert
Regardless of whether you have Western Bluebirds, Mountain Bluebirds, or Eastern Bluebirds, all will come to a feeder designed and stocked specifically for them. And they will bring their offspring to the feeder in late spring and summer, so you will see entire families. Check the range maps in your field guide to see which bluebird you might have.
Bluebirds love mealworms and here is a link to just about everything you need to know about mealworms from the North American Bluebird Society... READ MORE
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2026 Stewardship Work Parties
SIGN UP NOW! June 15-17 Bat Flyout Surveys
Camping on site available.
Volunteers will work together to survey the flyout of bats from the buildings and bat condos at Refuge Headquarters. This work begins just before sunset and concludes about an hour (max) after. These surveys are critical to understanding the relative diversity and abundance of bats in the buildings and whether or not they have begun occupying the condos. Red light headlamps are recommended for this work. EMAIL friends@malheurfriends.org
FUTURE Work Weekends with FOMR covered lodging at Malheur Field Station:
August 7-9 Sod House Ranch & Bat Flyout Surveys
September 18-20 Tasks TBD
October 16-18 Tasks TBD
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Volunteer Shout Out(s)
We are so grateful to those who showed up to volunteer for the annual post-bird festival stewardship day at Refuge Headquarters. These folks cleaned up the Worthy Pollinator Garden and learned how to identify and removed noxious weeds.
WE LOVE OUR VOLUNTEERS!!!
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Weekend Worth Reflecting On; 2026 Bird Festival
Written by Tara Thissel, DOI Public Affairs Specialist
Photo by Ian Snyder, FOMR Technician
Each spring, migratory birds pass through the Harney Basin in striking numbers, drawing visitors from across the country to Harney County. Our furthest-away in-country visitor was from Connecticut and we welcomed one other with her passport from South America!
With the 2026 Migratory Bird Festival behind us, it’s worth taking a moment to reflect on what it brought to our community and what it continues to offer. Over the course of festival weekend, visitors filled local hotels, campgrounds, and restaurants. They fueled up, shopped in local stores, and spent time exploring the area. In a rural place like Harney County, that kind of activity matters for local businesses. Read More
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First Ever Klamath Wetlands Week! | Registration OPEN NOW
May 30th - June 6th, 2026
Partners of all kinds are coming together to celebrate what makes the Klamath Basin so special with this COMPLETELY FREE week-long lineup of events. Lead by Bird Alliance of Oregon's Eastern Program Biologist, Teresa 'Bird' Wicks, this series of programs will connect you and I with private landowners, federal and state public lands, and businesses throughout Klamath Falls.
Attend a tour of a wildlife and habitat focused restoration project on private lands.
Join in the fun during Trivia at Growler Guys on Saturday evening.
Klamath County Museum and the Native Plant Society are leading a fun and educational tour of the Wood River Wetlands.
Community science partners will come together to co-host a Family Science Night for kids of all ages!
BUT DON'T MISS the Friends of Malheur NWR hosted screening of 'LISTERS' at Bravada Public House on Friday June 5th.
Bring your Wetlands Week SWAG to Canvaback Books for a 20% total order discount!
Throughout the week you will have the unique opportunity to talk directly with landowners and project partners about their day-to-day operations as well as restoration efforts. Bird-noticers of all skill-levels are welcome as we endeavor to build this knowledgeable and passionate community connected to Malheur's Sister Refuges to the west.
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PROGRAM OPPORTUNITIES
If you know of or are associated with a group that would be interested in a Malheur NWR themed presentation, please reach out to FOMR Director Janelle Wicks to coordinate.
Potential topics are as diverse as the Refuge itself.
Virtual or in-person depending on seasonal availability.
Email: friends@malheurfriends.org
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April'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.
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April 9, 2026: Reunited and it feels so gooooood.
Last year this pair experienced great loss when a windstorm blew their nest and two young chicks from atop this previously insufficient perch. Now, upon a new platform built by Burns High School woodshop students and installed with the help of Harney County Electric Co-op we get to watch them rebuild thanks to Refuge Staff and Volunteer Ian Snyder!
Watch the livestream: https://malheurfriends.org/visit/osprey-nest-cam/
Follow the Friends of Malheur on Facebook and Instagram at Malheurfriends
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Amazon Wish List!
We have added a few new items in anticipation of the 2026 field season with increased volunteer and seasonal lodging at Historic Buena Vista House!
Please consider an in-kind donation to support these programmatic needs.
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Friends Membership
Membership does more than contribute funds that sustain our work in service to Malheur NWR. FOMR's 1400+ members demonstrate a strength in community and that community's passion for Malheur NWR.
Unsure of your membership status? Email us at friends@malheurfriends.org
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Not a member or need to RENEW?
Simply visit OUR WEBSITE!
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
Photo (left) Sandhill crane by Lane Wintermute
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Crane's Nest Nature Center & Store
OPEN 7 Days/Week 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Stop in and say Hi to FOMR's new Manager Kaitlin or one of our lovely Store Volunteers Leila, Bill, Dan, and Linda!
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Malheur HQ Visitor Center
OPEN 7 Days/Week 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
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