Written by Lena Land
Powell Butte, Oregon
On May 30, 2023, I traveled with the Prineville Bird Club to Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. It was my first experience visiting and I was filled with excitement at this incredible opportunity. Ever since my daughter visited Malheur NWR a few years ago for her ornithology class with George Fox University, it has been a goal of mine to visit the refuge as well. Being a fairly new “birder”, I could not wait to get out of the car to start identifying and photographing birds.
It was an early 5:00 am start with a group of 14 other bird lovers so there was no lack of conversation as our caravan of four cars drove east. We made a few pit stops and did some birding along the way, but what I remember most about that day was getting out of the car at the
headquarters of the Malheur NWR and being stunned at what I heard; it was a symphony of beautiful songs coming from high above in the treetops! There were so many birds everywhere it took me a minute to formulate a plan with my binoculars and camera.
My Life List grew that day, 26 birds were added to it! I was grateful to be able to photograph some of the beauty and wonder I experienced on my first visit to Malheur NWR and cannot wait to see what my second visit has in store for me too.
1. Badger being chased.
2. Horned Lark.
3. Female Western Tanager.
4. Nighthawk.
5. Bobolink.
6. Burrowing Owl.
7. Eastern Kingbird.
8. American Avocet.
9. White-faced Ibis.
