BIRDS ACROSS OREGON

• Itinerary

The scenic beauty of Oregon is well known, yet the image of towering coniferous forests, rocky coastline and placid mountain lakes provides an incomplete picture of the state's diversity. Less than half of the state is forested. Most of the eastern part is covered by sagebrush, grasslands and scattered junipers. This birdwatching trip bisects Oregon from west to east and explores coast, mountains and desert.

On the Oregon coast, extensive estuaries provide habitat for tens of thousands of migrating shorebirds and waterfowl each spring and fall. We should see some late-migrating shorebirds, and from rocky headlands colonies of murres, guillemots, cormorants, marbled murrelet, rhinoceros auklet, and possibly tufted puffin. Crossing the Coast Range and Cascade Mountains, we stop in coniferous forests at various altitudes to search for western warblers, flycatchers, vireos and woodpeckers.

Next we visit the Great Basin, a vast desert covering much of the West's interior and extending well into southeastern Oregon. Within the Great Basin are many small mountain ranges with associated shallow lakes. The Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, encompassing marshy Malheur Lake, is one of the finest waterbird refuges in the United States. Many western birds reach the northwest limit of their range at Malheur. Our field trip spends three days at the refuge and around the neighboring Steens Mountain, a majestic tilted fault block.

Approximately 200 bird species may be seen in a wide variety of habitats. See the accompanying bird list for possibilities. Avian behavior and natural history will be discussed as well as identification by sight and songs. In addition to ornithology, Mark Smith is knowledgeable about the regional botany, wildlife and geology. Join us for exciting western birdwatching and an excellent introduction to Oregon. The accompanying bird list from a previous year gives a good idea of the species likely to be seen.

Accommodations

Lodgings have been chosen for their proximity to good birding habitats and for their comfort. On the coast, we stay two nights in a beachside hotel. In central Oregon we stay in forest cabins with private bathrooms. At Malheur National Wildlife Refuge we will stay at the new Drover's Inn and Frenchglen Hotel; most rooms have a private bathroom.

Transportation

An air-conditioned fifteen-passenger van will transport a maximum of eight participants. This vehicle will depart from and return to Portland. Participants lodging in the recommended hotels in the inner Portland area will be picked up the morning of departure and returned to their lodging after the trip. In the pre-trip packet participants will be sent a list of inner-Portland lodgings.

Daily Activities

The trip consists primarily of full-day field outings by van with leisurely bird walks at several places each day. Morning departure will usually be around 8:00 am (there may be optional early morning walks) and in the evenings we will be at our lodgings by 6:00 pm. The longest optional walk will be three miles, and no walks will be rigorous. Most days participants will have the option to relax all or part of the day at our various beautifully situated lodgings.

Preparation

Participants will receive a packet of information including bird lists, an Oregon map, recommended lodging list, a reading list and an equipment list. Enthusiastic birders of all levels are welcome. Bird lists from past years are available on request.

Leadership

For 25 years, Mark Smith has led trips for The Nature Conservancy, Audubon, museums and others. After OSU he worked as a researcher and educator for the National Science Foundation, the public schools, and the National Marine Fisheries Service. For 20 years he has been leading tours worldwide for Mark Smith Nature Tours (www.marksmithnaturetours.com). His extensive knowledge, contagious enthusiasm, and well-organized tours have kept travelers returning year after year. He is co-author of Birds of Oregon. For over 20 years Mark led this tour for The Nature Conservancy. He especially enjoys sharing the natural history of his home state with visitors.

Cost and Reservations

The tour is $1685 in double occupancy, limited to 9 persons. The single supplement is $275.
If the group size is less than eight, a minimal small-group supplement will be added--the amount dependent on the group size.

Questions, Deposit and final payment can be addressed to:

Mark Smith
PO Box 3831
Portland, OR 97208-3831

phone: 360-566-0458
email, in care of: pamd@wittravel.com

Flight Arrangements

Pam Davis of Willamette International Travel is the tour air-ticket agent; Mark has worked with Pam for over 15 years. Participants are encouraged to make bookings through Pam, which helps to coordinate our flights and keep leaders informed.

Pam Davis of Willamette International Travel
1314 NW Irving St. #101
Portland, OR 97209-2721
Email: pamd@wittravel.com
Phone: 503-224-0180 or 1-800-821-0401

Pam will know of local lodgings and extensions in the area. Mark can also suggest Portland hotels.

Cancellations and Refunds

Any cancellation for which a suitable replacement is found receives a full refund. Other cancellations are subject tothe following: forfeit of $600 of ground costs if cancellation is received between 90 and 30 days prior to departure and forfeit of 60% of ground costs for cancellation received within 29 days of departure. Participants are encouraged to consider trip cancellation insurance available through Pam.

ITINERARY

(Meals paid for individually are in bold.)

Day 1	Sunday, May 31	Portland to Coast
We depart Portland by 9:00 am. Our first stop will be at the Audubon Society sanctuary, where we stop to look at birds visiting the feeders. We continue to the coast where we visit various sites for waterbirds around Tillamook and Netarts Bays, and search for seabirds from Cape Meares and Barview Jetty. The diversity of birdlife today will include cormorants, oystercatchers, guillemots and many shorebirds. In mid-afternoon we drive south to our lodging near Lincoln City. Dinner tonight and tomorrow night are at an excellent nearby cafe.
Day 2	Monday, June 1	Coast
After a continental breakfast, we depart early for coniferous forest birdwatching. Chestnut-backed chickadees, hermit warbler and varied thrush are fairly common here. After lunch we drive south to Yaquina Bay, birding the coastline and estuaries en route. In the evening we visit The Nature Conservancy's spectacular Cascade Head Preserve. The unique grassy headland supports native prairie, two endangered plants and an endangered butterfly.
Day 3	Tuesday, June 2	Coast to Cascade Mountains
We leave this morning for the Cascade Mountains, stopping en route at Basket Slough National Wildlife Refuge in the Willamette Valley, and in the Cascade Mountains to look for the American dipper. From the Cascade Crest eastward habitats are drier. This afternoon we will search out the avian specialties of aspen groves and the ponderosa pine zone. Red crossbill, white-headed woodpecker, pinyon jay, mountain and western bluebirds, Townsend's solitaire, black-headed grosbeak and three nuthatch species are regulars. We spend the night in beautiful cabins beside the Metolius River in the Cascade foothills.
Day 4	Wednesday, June 3	Cascades to Malheur Refuge
After early birdwatching we leave the forested mountains and head east into sagebrush and juniper steppe. Sage thrasher, Brewer's sparrow, rock and canyon wrens, prairie falcon, golden eagle and Swainson's and ferruginous hawks are typical of this country. By dinnertime we arrive in the heart of the extensive Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Birding is excellent throughout the refuge.
Day 5	Thursday, June 4	Malheur Refuge
The Malheur National Wildlife Refuge is one of the largest refuges in the western United States and one of the best birding locations in the country. A variety of wetland and meadow habitats support curlew, Wilson's phalarope, avocet, stilt, ibis, egret, bittern, crane, waterfowl, white pelican, trumpeter swan, black and Forster's terns and many raptors. This morning we visit the wooded oasis around the Malheur Refuge Headquarters. This migrant stopover is the best landbird site in Oregon. Hordes of Western migrants and occasional Eastern species drop in to this lush patch of cover. Afterward we head south along the Blitzen River, searching marshes and ponds for rails, bittern and waterfowl.
Day 6	Friday, June 5	Malheur Refuge
This morning we will be up early for birdwatching at nearby P Ranch. After breakfast we drive to the Alvord Desert on the east side of Steens Mountain. In addition to passing through varied desert habitats, we will stop at lush oases where migrant and vagrant birds congregate. We will stop for lunch in Fields, population 23, then visit Borax Lake, a Nature Conservancy preserve providing refuge to the endangered Borax Lake chub and the threatened snowy plover. Sage sparrow, loggerhead shrike, and burrowing owl may also be found. At Alvord Hot Springs we have time for an optional quick dip before returning to Frenchglen Individual lunch.
Day 7	Saturday, June 6	Malheur, Mt. Hood, Portland
This final day we work our way back to Portland, investigating en route white-throated swift habitat at spectacular Crooked and Deschutes River Canyons and the historic Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood, where gray jays, Clark's nutcrackers, and sometimes gray-crowned rosy-finches may be found. The trip ends in Portland around 7:30 pm.