This year’s Tule Lake 4^th Annual Bird Festival will provide the whole family with rare opportunities to explore the local, world-famous birding areas. Experts will guide you deep into marshland and refuge habitat to see some of Klamath Basin’s 489 species of wildlife. Art show, exhibits, film ‘Fields of Splendor’, Hispanic Dancers, fireman’s barbeque, and tour check-in all take place at the Tulelake Honker from 9-4.

Join raptor expert Charlotte Kisling on this 2-½ hour tour to view and learn about some of the various species of birds of prey that inhabit the area. Participants can expect to see hawks, eagles, falcons and owls. The area visited will generally be south of the town of Tulelake and will include Petroglyph Point.

A refuge biologist from the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges will lead this trip to view refuge habitats and bird life. This is your chance to experience this world-famous birding area and view 25-35 bird species.

The Neotropical Bird ID tour will be geared for beginner and intermediate bird watchers. Both migratory and resident birds, large and small, will be identified from the van and on short walks. Stops will include the Petroglyphs, the Tule Lake NWR Headquarters and the adjacent Discovery Marsh Dress weather appropriate. Bring binoculars and a field guide. Hats, sunscreen and water recommended.

This tour focuses on identification of migratory birds, specifically songbirds, returning from their wintering grounds south at the US-Mexico border. These birds are often the more colorful and vocal at our local bird community. We will visit the diversity of habitats that attract migrating birds. We will begin at the Petroglyphs and work through the auto tour route to the USFWS Headquarters. From there we will survey the adjacent Discovery Marsh for up close views of these Neotropical birds. This tour requires some short distance walking on flat ground and time spent standing watching birds. Be sure to bring comfortable shoes, layered clothing, sun hat and sunscreen.

A Lava Beds National Monument guide will lead you through Captain Jack Stronghold, site of the Modoc Indian war. Bring your water and hiking boots.

Come join David Larson, Lava Beds National Monument Biologist, at the Tule Lake NWR Headquarters on Hill Road to view and learn about the study of migratory and resident birds. Mist nets will be placed in a number of habitats surrounding the headquarters office to document bird species found in the area. Birds captured during last years activity included Wilson’s Warbler, Bewick’s Wren, Dusky Flycatcher, Bullock’s Oriole, Song Sparrow, and California Towhee. Participants who are interested in this activity only need to stop in at the Tulelake NWR headquarters parking lot for 10 minutes or stay as long as they like. This workshop will provide the rare opportunity to see birds up close while learning key identification features of each bird captured.

In addition to the tours, there will be special activities for youth for all ages: bird house building, marsh discovery activities, live wild bird demonstrations through out the day, children’s wildlife art instruction, and little tykes playground.