Hello Oregon Birders,
I want to personally invite you to come join us at this year's Oregon
Birding Association meeting and field trips in central Douglas County this
year. Douglas County is little known to most Oregon birders. The central
Umpqua Valleys really are a transition between the wide, flat, and moist
Willamette Valley and the more mountainous and dry Rogue River "valley."
Central Douglas County is referred to as "The Hundred Valleys of the
Umpqua," because of the mosaic of small hills, grasslands, and woodlands.
Characteristic birds of our area are Acorn Woodpecker, White-breasted
Nuthatch, Western Kingbird, Western Meadowlark, Northern Oriole, Lazuli
Bunting, Yellow-breasted Chat, Nashville Warbler, Western Bluebird, and
Chipping Sparrow. Some of our rarer specialties include Ash-throated
Flycatcher, Grasshopper Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, Tricolored Blackbird, and
Golden Eagle.
Our field trips this year will include opportunities for both minimal
walking, as well as multi-mile hikes through mosaics of habitats, all
within about a half-hour from our meeting place in Sutherlin. While most
trips will focus on the habitats and species mentioned above, I am also
working with local biologists on possibilities for seeing Spotted Owls in
their nesting grove and Peregrine Falcons at their nesting cliff, and/or
Bald or Golden Eagles at their nest; though we won't know until nearer the
meeting time if these opportunities will come through.
Our speakers this year you won't want to miss. Sue Haig with USGS will
present us with a short history of California Condors in Oregon and the
possibility of their reintroduction to our state in the near future. Bob
Altman with ABC will tell us about the birds and habitats of oaks and
prairies of the Umpqua Valleys, which you will witness personally.
Last but not least, the food, beer, and wine will be provided by Umpqua
Valley businesses, and many world-class wineries are concentrated here.
I hope you can join us, and I look forward to seeing new and old faces.
Come Bird Douglas County!
Matt Hunter
Melrose, OR
541-670-1984
P.S. Put in on your calendar now, June 5-7. Details and registration
information will be on the OBA website soon, and I'm sure Pam will let us
know when that is available.
