Malheur National Wildlife Refuge Tour

Malheur Lake Overlook

This trip to the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge on May 23-26 was put together by DRV residents Vern and Ann Beeson, with transportation provided by the Dallas Retirement Village. Overnight accommodations for three nights were at the Malheur Field Station. Day one of our tour of the refuge stared with a stop at Malheur Lake Overlook, which gave us a bird's eye view of the Malheur NWR Headquarters as well as a sweeping view of the Blitzen Valley and Steens Mountain. Next stop was for birding at the Headquarters' grounds.

Western Tanager

Blue-winged Teals

Our next stop was at the Buena Vista Ponds Overlook. Despite great views of the pond, which were practically empty, the bird that caught our attention was the close-at-hand energetic vocalization of the Rock Wren.

Rock Wren

On our second day of touring, we traveled on to the historic P-Ranch.  Major battle with mosquitos made for a short hike here.  The most obvious birds here were the raucous calling Red-winged Blackbirds.

Red-winged Blackbird

Malheur Field Station was our base of operations and allowed us more birding time either early in the morning and late afternoon and evening.

California Quail

The family of owls drew the most attention. Below is the mother with two of her fuzzy chicks.

Great Horned Owls

A tip on the location of Burrowing Owls took us to the Ruh-Red Road where we caught site of this one.

Burrowing Owl

Several checks on the Ferruginous Hawk's nest site along Highway 205, gave us this shot of her on our way home, after she was chased off the nest by Western Kingbirds.

Ferruginous Hawk