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Bird-watching in the Basin
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| H&N photo by Lee Juillerat Kevin Spencer looks at stuffed long-tailed and harlequin ducks. He will take people to see live birds during a tour of the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge Saturday. |
May 18, 2007
TULELAKE - Kevin Spencer doesn't have a favorite bird. He has lots of favorites.
And because bird watching is one of his favorite activities, Spencer hopes to show participants at Saturday's Tule Lake Migratory Bird Festival some of his seasonal favorites during a free tour of the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge.
“The Klamath Basin is such a great place to go bird watching. Such a diverse amount of habitat and public lands,” says Spencer, who's become an expert at identifying all types of birds since developing an interest in the 1970s.
He believes the Klamath Basin is unique because of its varied habitat zones. As an example, he notes the marshes of Tule Lake Wildlife Refuge are adjacent to the dry sagebrush lands of Lava Beds National Monument, “so you have this unique contrast. They both have real different birds.”
Spencer believes Saturday's tour, which runs from 9:30 to 11:45 a.m., should expose hard-core and beginning birders to an array of waterfowl and other birds.
“I'll go places that tend to focus on the diversity of birds we have in the area,” he says.
May and June, he says, are good months to see colorful species, including bright yellow and orange Bullock's orioles, deep sky blue Lazuli buntings and western tanagers with their yellow and black wings and orange-red heads. Among waterfowl, he expects sightings of one of his favorites, cinnamon teals.
“There are really some stunning colors. Some of these birds, you look at them and your jaw drops because the colors are so fresh and bright.”
Burgeoning interest
Spencer hopes that people taking the tour will develop an interest in birding. His own fascination began in the 1970s while working on a fire crew in Paisley. He and a friend traveled to the Summer Lake Wildlife Refuge.
“Probably that got me focused on birds as an intense hobby. Paisley's an interesting spot. It's a neat place to go bird watching in Lake County.”
Spencer estimates his life bird list is near 300 birds, with most of those seen in the greater Klamath Basin.
“Some of it's like a treasure hunt. Finding something that's unusual,” he says of birding. “It's getting out by yourself, getting outdoors. Over time you can look at changes in species numbers.”
Over the years he's seen white-faced ibis, which were rarely seen in the Klamath Basin, become a type of bird seen “everywhere.” Black-capped chickadees have also become more commonly seen.
Long-time teacher
Spencer does some of his bird watching while making the daily commute between Klamath Falls and Tulelake, where he's in his 18th year as a teacher. After eight years at Tulelake High, he moved back to Tulelake Elementary, where he spent his first nine years. Although he normally shares the drive with his wife, Carol, who teaches at Newell Elementary, he sometimes ends up catching rides with fellow teacher/bird watcher David Haupt so they can wander and explore.
He believes the festival, and Saturday's refuge tour, are ways to interest people in the region's natural beauty and diversity of birds.
“The tour is a good time. They'll get a good taste of what's out there and what to look for,” Spencer says. “We'll talk about a lot of things. People will do more than just look at birds.”
- Lee Juillerat
TULELAKE - Kevin Spencer doesn't have a favorite bird. He has lots of favorites.
And because bird watching is one of his favorite activities, Spencer hopes to show participants at Saturday's Tule Lake Migratory Bird Festival some of his seasonal favorites during a free tour of the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge.
“The Klamath Basin is such a great place to go bird watching. Such a diverse amount of habitat and public lands,” says Spencer, who's become an expert at identifying all types of birds since developing an interest in the 1970s.
He believes the Klamath Basin is unique because of its varied habitat zones. As an example, he notes the marshes of Tule Lake Wildlife Refuge are adjacent to the dry sagebrush lands of Lava Beds National Monument, “so you have this unique contrast. They both have real different birds.”
Spencer believes Saturday's tour, which runs from 9:30 to 11:45 a.m., should expose hard-core and beginning birders to an array of waterfowl and other birds.
“I'll go places that tend to focus on the diversity of birds we have in the area,” he says.
May and June, he says, are good months to see colorful species, including bright yellow and orange Bullock's orioles, deep sky blue Lazuli buntings and western tanagers with their yellow and black wings and orange-red heads. Among waterfowl, he expects sightings of one of his favorites, cinnamon teals.
“There are really some stunning colors. Some of these birds, you look at them and your jaw drops because the colors are so fresh and bright.”
Burgeoning interest
Spencer hopes that people taking the tour will develop an interest in birding. His own fascination began in the 1970s while working on a fire crew in Paisley. He and a friend traveled to the Summer Lake Wildlife Refuge.
“Probably that got me focused on birds as an intense hobby. Paisley's an interesting spot. It's a neat place to go bird watching in Lake County.”
Spencer estimates his life bird list is near 300 birds, with most of those seen in the greater Klamath Basin.
“Some of it's like a treasure hunt. Finding something that's unusual,” he says of birding. “It's getting out by yourself, getting outdoors. Over time you can look at changes in species numbers.”
Over the years he's seen white-faced ibis, which were rarely seen in the Klamath Basin, become a type of bird seen “everywhere.” Black-capped chickadees have also become more commonly seen.
Long-time teacher
Spencer does some of his bird watching while making the daily commute between Klamath Falls and Tulelake, where he's in his 18th year as a teacher. After eight years at Tulelake High, he moved back to Tulelake Elementary, where he spent his first nine years. Although he normally shares the drive with his wife, Carol, who teaches at Newell Elementary, he sometimes ends up catching rides with fellow teacher/bird watcher David Haupt so they can wander and explore.
He believes the festival, and Saturday's refuge tour, are ways to interest people in the region's natural beauty and diversity of birds.
“The tour is a good time. They'll get a good taste of what's out there and what to look for,” Spencer says. “We'll talk about a lot of things. People will do more than just look at birds.”
- Lee Juillerat
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