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In this issue:

• A Family History of Wildlife Conservation

• News Tidbits

• 2023 Christmas Bird Counts

• Species Spotlight: American Wigeon

• Event Calendar

• Share this Newsletter

A Family History of Wildlife Conservation

 -by Mary Williams Hyde

The staffers of the Klamath National Wildlife Refuge headquarters in Tulelake have been busy moving from the old building to the new one across the road.  (In fact the old building has been torn down.)

Loree stopped by one day and looked through some large scrapbooks that had been pulled out of storage to be moved. I thank her for discovering and copying this story written about my uncle, Dayton “Hawk" Hyde by long-time Herald and News staff writer and friend of mine, Pati O'Conner, dated September 30, 1980.

My life has been heavily influenced by “Uncle Hawk”. He was all that Pati mentions in this article, plus he was a long time rodeo clown, bullfighter, and rodeo photographer - a passion I have shared for many years. By osmosis, I have in my DNA the same love of wildlife conservation that he did and the same belief that private landowners may hold many of the solutions to our modern water conflicts that so badly impact Pacific flyway birds in our area. He was very much a visionary who knew conflicts were coming down the road and this was his idea to address them. In the early 90’s, I actually did my best to manage “Operation Stronghold” for him for several years after he shifted his focus to creating the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary in the late 80’s. 

Photo of September 30, 1980 Herald and News Article

The text of this article has been reprinted below

Wildlife Stronghold
By Pati O”Connor
H&N Natural Resources Editor

Delegates to the annual Oregon Cattlemen’s Association convention in November will be asked to act on a proposal to “reverse the process” by  which private land is being eroded for wildlife preserves.

The proposal is the brainchild of Dayton O. “Hawk” Hyde, Klamath County rancher, author and conservationist who envisions a private lands “Wildlife Stronghold Network.”

Hyde says he warned the livestock industry 20 years ago to take the initiative “or the environmental movement would be taken over by people in the East.” Today he says, “a lot of ‘crazies’ get emotionally involved. They don’t know what they’re talking about” but they are effecting changes in state Legislatures and in Washington D.C.

“We can no longer hide our head in the sagebrush,” he warns. “We can’t afford one more acre of productive land to go strictly for wildlife,” he maintains, noting that 80 percent of wildlife feed is on private lands.

Hyde says fields have been “plowed to fence rows, marshes drained” so that farmers can “exist – but the result is, wildlife is on the downgrade.”

However, he maintains, the industry has an opportunity through the “Wildlife Stronghold” program to “prove that private land can do what the public lands can’t.”

He argues that the Forest Service, which owns land adjoining his Yamsi Ranch near Chiloquin, “has been derelict in its responsibility to the land.” To prove his point, he took “the worst land I had and put in a lake with three miles of shoreline.” Despite lack of snow for five years, he still counts “5,000 ducks and geese, bald eagles, osprey, sandhill cranes, trout” in the area.

“I’m trying to prove to the Forest Service that private land can do what the public land can’t,” he says, adding that the Forest Service “has destroyed the habitat of (some) owls.”

Hyde argues with those who contend that once endangered species are found on a site, the private owner no longer can manage the land. Says Hyde, “They (the Forest Service) have never told me how to manage my land – and I defy them to do so.”

But, he warns, “If we sterilize the land, the public will insist that more land be provided (for wildlife) and it’ll come from the private" sector.

Hyde says he already has been promised 1 million acres of land for the stronghold program from people “concerned with trespass and government takeover.”

He says he plan to proceed with his ideas with or without the cattlemen’s organization. “I can do it without the cattlemen, but I think they need to get involved and show we do care,” he explains. The stronghold program “can make the public appreciate what we (cattlemen) are doing.”

Hyde contends that when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service takes land out of production for wildlife, “it hurts the whole economy.”

Leaving the land in the private sector for production helps everyone, according to Hyde.

He notes that on a ranch he owns near John Day, he spent $243 for fencing. Today the ranch boasts “thousands of quail, chuckers, pheasants.”

On Yamsi Ranch on the Williamson River, 25 percent of the land has been returned to wildlife marshes. The result: The climate has been altered, there’s no longer a frost problem, there’s been a 53 percent increase in beef tonnage and native grasses.

Hyde is convinced “no federal wildlife refuge in the U.S. is as well-run as private enterprise;” the federal program is “a system of mediocrity.”

The stronghold program “will undermine the federal wildlife program – and they’re already neurotic about it,” according to Hyde. “It will add up to more than the vast refuges” now operated by the government.

The program also would forestall laws such as the “Idaho plan,” which hold that if a stream flows through private property, public access must be allowed across the property to the stream. “There’s no way we could stay in business on the Williamson (River) if we had the Idaho plan,” said Hyde.

Historically, according to the rancher-conservationist, “a climate of cooperation between the government and the private landowner in the 1930s resulted in productive wildlife conservation measures on private land.

“Problems arose, however. Harsh economics forced intensive cultivation of the land. Small farms were gobbled up by large ones run by corporate businessmen whose concern was production. Many a rancher who harbored wildlife on his land, or built ponds or wetlands, discovered to his dismay that he had created a managerial nuisance. The public flocked to his land, left gates open, vandalized livestock and machinery, scattered garbage, started fires, ruined crops and even sued him for injury.

“The trespass law was ineffectual and created ill will. Farmers and ranchers were forced into the role of being people managers, a complex profession for which they had neither time nor inclination. It became easier to sterilize the ground.”

Today, he says, “thousands of miles of shelter-belts are being bulldozed out. Marshes and wetlands are being drained. Despite the fact that many private landowners have willingly paid the bills for the bulk of wildlife feed, the public has never gotten around to thanking them or trying to understand their problems. Every year the relationship becomes more strained."

Hyde contends most national forest, state and Bureau of Land Management lands “lack food or water for wildlife. Vast, unbroken forest lands, or rocky, arid wastes, however spectacular, do not generally sustain large, varied wildlife populations, except on a limited, seasonal basis. Private lands are far more productive…yet there is no way we can move these precious areas from production for strictly wildlife  purposes…

“If private ownership as we know it today is to continue to exist, the public must come to understand the private holdings indeed perform a unique and critical function not served by public lands.”

And so the stronghold proposal – a unified program by the private sector to “aid the cause of wildlife and conservation” while also strengthening ownership, according to Hyde.

He envisions the Private Lands Wildlife Stronghold Network eventually would be set up as a national trust, directed by the landowners themselves. Its purpose would be to form a network of private wildlife strongholds across the United States and its territories whose owners, in order to qualify, would commit themselves to undertake significant measures to aid wildlife on their land.

Hyde says it’s possible federal cost-sharing funds, tax incentives or technical assistance might be committed to specific projects because of the “public benefits” resulting.

And, it’s probable, he feels, that when the landowner regains effective control over his property, “he might find he could relax and allow access on a written permit basis.”

For Hyde, it’s worth a try – and the involvement of the cattle industry.

He will present the idea to livestockmen from throughout Oregon during joint conventions of the OCA and Oregon Sheep Growers Association Nov. 20 to 22 in Portland.

News Tidbits

-by Loree Johnson

This month has been full of news related to water, wildlife and birds here in the Klamath Basin. Some of the developments we are following:

After twenty years of starts and stops, dam removal is moving forward in full force. While the smallest of four dams slated for removal was deconstructed last summer, the remaining three have now been breached and the reservoirs behind them are rapidly draining. As expected, lowering of water levels has left a hundred years of mud in the lake beds, which will be reclaimed and re-planted as soon as conditions allow. Meanwhile, the Siskiyou County Office of Emergency Services has issued a press release concerning the conditions at Copco and Iron Gate. You can read the message about safety and protocols for wildlife rescue here: Urgent Safety Message

Our temperatures this January have been much above normal, resulting in more rain than snow, and apparently confusing some bird species. Sightings of Great Egrets and Yellow-headed Blackbirds (normally birds seen in Spring) have been reported at both Tule Lake and Lower Klamath Wildlife Refuges.

Speaking of Tule Lake Refuge, there is more water on the refuge than there has been in the last two years. This is great news for migrating waterfowl, such as Tundra Swans, Snow Geese, and a variety of ducks. The migrating bald eagles who follow the waterfowl have begun to arrive as well. Although there is no Winter Wings Festival scheduled for this year, we have heard from some birders and photographers who plan to visit anyway. The water and birds at the refuge are a welcome sight for locals and visitors alike.

While we don't know exactly where the water at Tule Lake Refuge came from, some rumors have spread that it was groundwater that had been previously stored by Tulelake Irrigation District. In a recent visit, I observed hundreds of tiny fish jumping and swimming in one of the irrigation canals on the refuge. This should put to rest the idea that the refuge is being filled with well-water. We welcome comments or clarification from TID regarding the origin of water on the refuge.

Meanwhile, at refuge headquarters, staff has moved into the new building and the old building has been demolished. We eagerly await the opening of the new visitor's center, now scheduled for February 15th.

Finally, you may remember our Common Waterbirds of the Klamath Basin book, which was published digitally last spring. Our project has been awarded a grant through the Klamath Cultural Coalition, which will provide funding for printed copies to be distributed for education and tourism. One of the beneficiaries of this award will be the Klamath Outdoor Science School. The school will use our book in their curriculum to provide local youth with outdoor and environmental education, helping to build a relationship between our local communities and our unique natural resources. Of course, the digital book is still available for anyone to download here: Friends of Klamath Basin Birds Projects

There are many exciting and positive things happening, and a great number of moving parts to the Klamath Basin Ecosystem puzzle. We will continue to follow developments which affect our refuges, the birds that depend on them, and overall restoration efforts to bring back the diversity of wildlife for which our region is renowned. Stay tuned as 2024 promises to be a banner year!

Yellow-headed Blackbirds at Tule Lake Refuge 1/28/24

2023 Christmas Bird Counts

-by Kevin Spencer

Klamath Falls Christmas Bird Count, December 16, 2024

It turned out to be one of the most pleasant count days ever. The lack of wind, warm temperatures, and virtually no snow depth especially preceding the count day made it not only nice for humans, but also for birds to linger further into the late fall season.

The final tally was 111 species were seen and heard. This is remarkably close to the all-time high of 113 species. The trend has been that this count consistently is in that range. That can be attributed to both the warmer fall weather patterns and to the overall skill of the participants. This count had only eight observers in the field, but their concentration during the day is incredible.

Weather related finds included five Varied Thrush, and FOUR Anna’s Hummingbirds! Three of the hummingbirds were coming to feeders of participants. Another was seen near a feeder in a neighborhood. I am left to wonder how many hummingbirds are actually wintering in Klamath Falls! I recall seeing the first record of an Anna’s Hummingbird on the Klamath Falls CBC, that one being seen on New Year’s Day in the early 1980’s with a near-zero F temperature. It was coming to a feeder too. They are an incredibly tough bird!

Open water helped to have all the waterfowl species represented. The lack of snow pack might be the reason that Golden Eagle was not reported. They were probably roaming higher hillsides and out of sight. Chestnut-backed Chickadees were seen in two areas. They don’t come into Klamath Falls very often. However, Black-capped Chickadee was not seen along Link River or Wingwatcher Trails, locations where they are often seen. All species of finches seemed well below average. It was no wonder that Cassin’s Finch and Evening Grosbeak were not seen. Lesser Goldfinch amounted to only 86, American Goldfinch just 29, Pine Siskin – 2, while Red Crossbill and Purple Finch had one each. Even House Finch numbers were low. I wonder what is going on with the finches. Western and Clark’s Grebes, Eared Grebe, and Double-crested Cormorant were all represented on the count, and it appears now with mild temperatures in January that they may all make it through the winter as the open water without ice continues. The open water made finding wintering shorebirds difficult as their habitat was not concentrated by icy conditions, but Greater Yellowlegs, Killdeer, and Wilson’s Snipe were still seen. Unusual finds included: Williamson’s Sapsucker, Rock Wren, Horned Lark, Peregrine Falcon, and American Pipit. Black Phoebe and Red-shouldered Hawk continue to be hardy and are now found on the count every year. A special thank you to the observers! They include Wes Stone, Dave Haupt, Julie Van Moorhem, Elijah Hayes, Lin Stern, Rick Hardy, Kevin Spencer, BJ Matzen, and Kathy Larson.

Tule Lake Christmas Bird Count, January 1, 2024

There is nothing like getting out on the first of the year and taking part in a Christmas Bird Count. However, on this day, it was FOGGY! Seeing much past the hood of a vehicle was a chore. And bird colors and shapes were distorted. American Coots looked like gray blobs. I know, poor coots. They seem like they are always the brunt of humor. But it was true. The group out at Sump 1B on the Tule Lake NWR which had water, had thousands of Snow and Ross’s Geese. They were loud! But counting them was impossible. So, their numbers had to be estimated using previous days they were seen, about 5,000. Overall, the Tule Lake CBC had 79 species. That is an admirable number considering that the previous year there was not any water in either Sump 1A or Sump 1B!! With water in Sump 1B this year the waterfowl were loving it. And without any frozen water they were scattered. Only 20 Bald Eagles were seen, so either waterfowl numbers were not impressive enough, or the eagles were still elsewhere and hadn’t come to the Klamath Basin yet. Despite the fog, a Eurasian Wigeon was seen. The lack of fish in Sump 1B was evident with the absence of Common Merganser on the count. Two Cinnamon Teal were unusual, and a Eurasian Green-winged Teal was spotted with its horizontal white slash marking seen. Large flocks of blackbirds still were seen in the League of Nations lease lands north of Sump 1B. Mixed in were Tricolored and Yellow-headed Blackbirds. A lone Barn Swallow was seen patrolling an open water ditch. Insects hatch even when it is cold. Unusual finds included: Varied Thrush-1, Red-breasted Nuthatch-1, Black Phoebe-1, Eared Grebe- 2, Northern Shrike-1, American Pipit- 3, and Short-eared Owl- 1. Observers covering the western part of the circle came upon a neglected pony that needed immediate attention. Fortunately, that situation was reported and handled. The pony is now recovering and getting what it needs. That group is applauded for helping that pony out! Thanks to all of the participants who came out for that foggy count and making it home safe on the way home through that fog. They included: Dave Haupt, Kevin McKereghan, Steve Sheehy, Frank Lospalluto, Stacy Taeuber, Shannon Rio, Jeremy Webster, and Erica Harris. The group is small, but enduring the day is a special and bonding memory. Thank you all!

Species Spotlight: American Wigeon

American Wigeon photo by Loree Johnson

Wigeons are a dabbling duck with a short pale bill. Breeding males have a stunning green stripe through the eye and a white cap. Thus they have the nickname of “baldplate.”

American Wigeon pair photo by Loree Johnson

Note that the female will generally have a less colorful and quieter appearance. She is responsible for incubating the 3-13 eggs and assisting the fledglings. Wigeons nest on dry ground in fields and grasslands. They are born precocial meaning they have eyes open and will independently find food as soon as they emerge from the egg and become fledglings.

Wigeons can also be seen in shallow ponds tilting vertically so they can nibble on aquatic plants. Robbing coots and other ducks comes easily to the wigeon as it will wait for them to emerge with vegetation and grab it. Yum!

–Shannon Rio, Klamath Bird Observatory

Event Calendar

(Please send us your birding-related events here so we can get the word out!)

February 2024

10th

Swans and Longspurs field trip

Klamath Basin Audubon Society

To participate, or for questions, contact:

Kevin Spencer

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