WHAT IS THE BIRD CRAWL?
Think ‘pub crawl,’ but with a vehicle (not walking) and birds (not beer…you’re driving!). Meet up with biologists, scientists, wildlife spotters or subject matter experts in the field! We’ve strategically selected several locations throughout Harney County where you can drive to yourself and join a specialist who will help with birding in that area, share information and guidance, and support a great birding experience in the field.
What is the PASSPORT? Just a handy little commemorative booklet. Visit sites and get your passport stamped! Passports come with an annual sticker, part of the Harney County Migratory Bird Festival series. In 2024, we are featuring the Ruddy Duck!
How does it work?
- Purchase a passport online, then pick it up in person at the Harney County Chamber of Commerce on Festival Thursday before 5 p.m. or at Bird Central (Fairgrounds Memorial Building) on Friday or Saturday, starting at 6 a.m.
- Over festival weekend, take your passport with you to the various stops on the passport (also listed below) and get stamped by a docent! Some of our tours even go to Bird Crawl locations!
- Can I go to the Bird Crawl locations and talk with docents WITHOUT a passport? YES! The passport is a fun addition to the Bird Crawl, but not required.
BIRD CRAWL SOUTH LOCATIONS
Docents on site Friday, April 12, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Stamps available throughout the weekend.
PAGE SPRINGS CAMPGROUND: Wrens, robins, quail, flicker, kingfisher
From the center stoplight in Burns at Parr Lumber, take State Highway 78 southeast for approximately 2 miles. Turn right onto State Highway 205 and travel south for 60 miles to Frenchglen, Oregon. Just past Frenchglen, turn left onto the Steens Mountain Loop Road. Follow the Loop Road for approximately 3 miles before turning into Page Springs Campground to the right, just across the Donner und Blitzen River.
BENSON POND: Great horned owls, swallows, tundra and trumpeter swans
From the center stoplight in Burns at Parr Lumber, take State Highway 78 southeast for approximately 2 miles. Turn right onto State Highway 205 and travel south for 47.1 miles. Turn left on Krumbo Reservoir Rd, then take the first right onto Center Patrol Road. Follow for approximately 1 mile to Benson Pond. Turn left; pond will be on your right.
MALHEUR REFUGE HEADQUARTERS: Great horned owls, Red Tail hawks
From the center stoplight in Burns at Parr Lumber take State Highway 78 southeast for approximately 2 miles. Turn right onto State Highway 205 and travel south for 23.9 miles to The Narrows, Oregon. Turn left onto Narrows-Princeton Rd/Sodhouse Ln. Follow for approximately 6 miles before turning left at Center Patrol Rd and into Headquarters.
P RANCH: Bullock’s Oriole, Willows Flycatcher, Cedar Waxwing, Western Tanager, vultures
From the center stoplight in Burns at Parr Lumber, take State Highway 78 southeast for approximately 2 miles. Turn right onto State Highway 205 and travel south for 60 miles to Frenchglen, Oregon. Just past Frenchglen, turn left onto the Steens Mountain Loop Road. Follow the Loop Road for approximately 2.5 miles, then turn left onto Center Patrol Road. The P Ranch is just ahead, on your left.
BUENA VISTA OVERLOOK: Wrens, swallows, sparrows, Bullocks Oriole, Western Kingbird
From the center stoplight in Burns at Parr Lumber, take State Highway 78 southeast for approximately 2 miles. Turn right onto State Highway 205 and travel south for approximately 38.7 miles, then turn left onto the gravel toward Buena Vista Station. Take the first right and follow the road around the hill and to the top of the knob to park and walk a very short distance to the overlook.
BIRD CRAWL NORTH LOCATIONS
Docents on site Saturday, April 13, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Stamps available on site throughout the weekend.
RADAR HILL OHV AREA: Brewer’s Sparrows, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Townsend’s Solitaire, White-crowned sparrow, Mountain Bluebird
From the center stoplight in Burns at Parr Lumber, take West Monroe St. through the cities of Burns and Hines for approximately 3.5 miles. You’ll be driving west and southwest for this duration, and Monroe St. will turn briefly into Hines Blvd and then into Oregon Ave and finally into South Hines Blvd. You will pass through two stoplights. Around 3.5 miles traveled, turn right onto the Hines Logging Road (just past “The Truck Stop”). Travel approximately 3 miles to the Radar Hill OHV Area, which will be on your left. The parking area has a sign and vault restroom.
EASTERN OREGON AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH CENTER: Red-tailed hawk, Great horned owl, Black-billed Magpie, Common Raven, sparrows, Sandhill Cranes, geese, Northern Pintail
From the center stoplight in Burns at Parr Lumber, take State Highway 78 southeast for approximately 2 miles. Turn right onto State Highway 205 and travel south for approximately 4.8 miles. Turn right into the Research Center compound.
HARNEY COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS: Ducks, grebes, gulls, terns, swallows, white geese, Northern shoveler, Ruddy Duck, Bufflehead
From the center stoplight in Burns at Parr Lumber, take West Monroe St. for approximately 1/2 mile to the next stoplight. At the stoplight, turn left on Egan and travel for approximately 1.3 miles to the Harney County Fairgrounds. Turn right into the compound and drive straight past the red building and toward the waste water ponds to meet your docent.
BURNS GRAVEL PONDS: Double crested Cormorants, herons, shorebirds, terns, swallows, Canvasback, Ring-billed Gull
From the center stoplight in Burns at Parr Lumber, take State Highway 78 southeast for approximately 2.3 miles. Turn right into the gravel ponds parking area.
IDLEWILD SNOW PARK: Gray Jays, White headed woodpeckers, nuthatches, creeper, Northern Pygmy Owl, Red Crossbill, Red-naped Sapsucker
From the center stoplight in Burns at Parr Lumber, take North Broadway Ave north and northeast for approximately 2.8 miles. Turn left onto State Highway .95 N, towards John Day and travel north for approximately 17.5 miles. Turn right on NF Road 2820 and drive east for approximately .8 miles, then turn right into the paved parking area. You’ll walk down into the campground to the large wooden pavilion to meet the docent. .
