Just looking for programs and activities? Find them here! Programs and activities are great ways to immerse yourself in our community, learn new things, enjoy family-friendly experiences, and have fun. Come and join us!
HOW, WHEN, AND WHERE TO BIRD HARNEY COUNTY PROGRAM
Birding the vast expanse of Harney County’s 10,000+ sq. miles can be daunting! Which birds are where? and when? Dan Streiffert has been birding and photographing in Harney County for 12+ years. This presentation showcases his approach to taking advantage of particular birding ‘routes’ that cover the diverse landscape and discovers the array of birds and other wildlife available. Dan will share tips and tricks for seeing particular species at different times of the day or throughout the year. Take this opportunity to talk with a specialist face to face! CLASSROOM STYLE PRESENTATION
$10 / person, Thursday, April 10, 3 to 4:30 p.m. | 50 spots available
Location: Harney County Chamber of Commerce, 484 N Broadway, Burns, OR 97720
HARNEY NIGHTS
Spend the evening with friends, exploring our downtown shops and other vendors at Arrowhead Plaza. Food, merchandise, arts and more! We’re staying open a bit later to welcome your visit.
Thursday, April 10, 3 to 6:00 p.m.
Location: Downtown Burns, Arrowhead Plaza
TAKING FLIGHT, COMING IN FOR A LANDING, PART 1
A reading by Oregon Poet Laureate Ellen Waterston
Oregon Poet Laureate Ellen Waterston will read her own work, as well as writings by other authors, that draw inspiration from the winged victories that the Harney County Migratory Bird Festival celebrates. According to Waterston, “In combination, these readings will underscore what we all know: the miracle these migrations represent and the work we all have to do to ensure they continue.”
Award-winning poet and author Ellen Waterston has dedicated herself to writing and advocating for the literary arts in the high desert region of Oregon, all the while continuing to write poetry and nonfiction works that have evolved into essential reading about Oregon and the West. She has published four poetry and four literary nonfiction titles, including, most recently, We Could Die Doing This (2024) and Walking the High Desert (2020) and is founder of the Writing Ranch and of the annual Waterston Desert Writing Prize. 2024 was a banner year for Waterston who, that year, received Soapstone’s Bread and Roses Award, the Stewart H Holbrook Award and was named the eleventh Poet Laureate of Oregon. For more information visit www.writingranch.com.
Free, Thursday, April 10, 6 to 7 p.m.
Location: Harney County Library – 80 W ‘D’ St., Burns, OR, 97720
WATERFOWL ID WORKSHOP
Have you ever seen birds on a pond and wondered, who’s out there? This waterfowl ID class will give you the tools you need to identify them. This class will go over waterfowl evolution, point out patterns, shapes, and behaviors to help you identify the different species here in Harney County. After the class, join us in the Waterfowl ID Tour where we will use these new skills in the field. This class is led by Melissa Petschauer, Harney Basin Ecological Coordinator for High Desert Partnership. Her career has been based in avian research with a focus on waterfowl.
$20 / person, Friday, April 11, 7 to 8:30 a.m. | 30 spots available
Location: Geno’s Youth Center – 135 E Washington St, Burns, OR, 97720
URBAN BIRDING DROP-IN WALK
Looking for somewhere to bird between tours? Drop-in to the Burns/Hines Natural Trail. To access this trail you can drive north on Egan Rd from the Fairgrounds. Parking will be on your left just before Pierce St. If you want access to bathrooms, you can also drive through town to High Desert Partnership and park in their parking lot. From their parking lot you can walk to the Nature Trail by walking behind High Desert Partnership to Pettibone, then following Pettibone east to the trailhead (at the intersection between Pettibone and Peter French). This trailhead follows along the golf course and a left turn will take you to a viewing platform for the Burns Sewage ponds. The trail extends about a mile past the viewing platform, past meadows, shrubs, grasses, and Russian olives. Volunteers may be out and about on the trail to help with your birding experience!
Free, Friday/Saturday/Sunday, April 11/12/13, 7:30 to 10 a.m. | Friday/Saturday, April 11/12, 1 to 3:30 p.m.
Departs from: Burns/Hines Natural Trail – meet in the parking lot on the corner of West Pierce St. and Egan St.
FIELD SKETCHING / JOURNALING WORKSHOP/TOUR
Join artist MaryLou Wilhelm for a fun and easy sketching workshop to learn about and practice with materials and techniques for working quickly in the field. You’ll enjoy simple exercises to help with drawing accuracy of real life scenes and subjects, landscapes up close and far away, story telling through art, and keeping a journal of informative observations. There is no experience necessary to participate in a field sketching workshop and all levels are welcome. Participants will travel to a local residence that has diverse habitat and often attracts Wood Ducks, Hooded Merganser, and other duck species; songbirds and diverse raptor species. CARAVAN TOUR (We lead, you drive).
$20 / person, Friday/Saturday, April 11/12, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. | 7 spots available per workshop/tour
Departs from: Geno’s Youth Center – 135 E Washington St., Burns, OR, 97720
eTOUR OF HARNEY COUNTY HISTORY & ARCHAEOLOGY
Join retired BLM Archaeologist Scott Thomas for presentations about 1) Shoshone Bison Hunters of the Northern Great Basin, 2) Edible Spring Plants in the Harney Basin, 3) a World War II B24 Crash in the Pueblo Mountains, and 4) Early Days at Rimrock Draw with Updates. These interesting and detailed discussions give listeners a visual opportunity to experience the history, archaeology and cultural botany in the Harney Basin. The relaxed atmosphere of this presentation will allow for plenty of question/answer time and casual stretch breaks. Come and go as you please!
Free, Friday, April 11, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Location: Geno’s Youth Center – 135 E Washington St., Burns, OR, 97720
ART SHOW & SALE
The Art Show and Sale offers high-quality work from local and regional artists. Located in the Harney County Fairgrounds Memorial Building throughout the weekend, festival participants have a wonderful opportunity to view and purchase original pieces of art, including wildlife paintings, photographs, sculpture, jewelry, woodworks and much more. No admission fee. Check out our vendor line-up!
Free admission, Friday, April 11: 12 to 6 p.m. | Saturday, April 12: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Sunday, April 13: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Location: Geno’s Youth Center – 135 E Washington St., Burns, OR, 97720
eBIRD & COMMUNITY SCIENCE TOUR/WORKSHOP
Join Bird Alliance of Oregon’s Eastern Oregon Biologist, Teresa Wicks, and High Desert Partnership’s Harney Basin Ecological Coordinator, Melissa Petschauer for this largely field-based workshop. We’ll spend about 15-minutes before the tour going over what eBird is and how to use it not only as a tool for tracking your bird sightings but how you can use it to contribute to community science. After this brief introduction to eBird, we’ll head into the field to collect eBird sightings for Project IBiS (Inventorying Birds in the Silvies Floodplain). This field opportunity will not only contribute to important data about bird use of the floodplain and how bird use relates to Harney Basin Wetlands Collaborative projects, but will give you firsthand experience with using the eBird app.
$30 / person, Friday, April 11, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. , and Saturday, April 12, 12 to 3 p.m. | 15 spots available per tour
Departs from: Geno’s Youth Center – 135 E Washington St., Burns, OR, 97720
RAPTOR ID WORKSHOP
Explore Harney County’s diurnal birds of prey with Biologist Matt Hanneman. Matt is the Wildlife Program Manager for the Burns Paiute Tribe. He conducted graduate work on Red-shouldered hawks and is currently studying the American Kestrel. This workshop will focus on field marks as well as shape, size, and general behavior to develop your new skills at identifying local eagles, hawks and falcons. After this Workshop you’ll have an understanding of the seasonal changes in raptors in the Harney Basin and why April can be an exciting time for raptor watching! CLASSROOM STYLE WORKSHOP.
$20 / person, Saturday, April 12, 7 to 8:30 a.m. | 30 spots available
Location: Geno’s Youth Center – 135 E Washington St., Burns, OR, 97720
BIRDING BY EAR WORKSHOP
Join Dr. Thomas Bancroft and hone your birding by ear skills in this interactive, beginners workshop. The class will take you on a deep dive into bird vocalizations, what different sounds mean, and introduce you to the fascinating world of bird calls in your own backyard and beyond. Dr. Bancroft holds a Ph.D. in Biology and an M.A. in Zoology, both from the University of South Florida. He is a scientist, photographer, and writer with the highest passion and love for nature.
$30 / person, Saturday, April 12, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. | 30 spots available
Location: Geno’s Youth Center – 135 E Washington St., Burns, OR, 97720
TAKING FLIGHT, COMING IN FOR A LANDING, PART 2
with Oregon Poet Laureate Ellen Waterston
In this two-hour writing intensive, participants will explore the intersection between poetry and prose, and fiction and nonfiction. Using the bird migrations as inspiration, generative writing prompts will focus on returning established and emerging poetry and prose writers to the page with renewed commitment. Bring curiosity, paper and pen. No prior writing experience necessary. *Free, but MUST PRE-REGISTER online at harneycountylibrary.org/writersworkshop or call the library at 541-573-6670.* Sign-ups for the program will open on March 10, and there will be a wait list so we can call people to let them know of open slots in case of cancellations or no-shows.
Free, Saturday, April 12, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. | 15 spots available; must be at least 16 years of age
Location: Harney County Library – 80 W ‘D’ St., Burns, OR, 97720
KIDS’ STORYWALK
StoryWalk® is a movement and literacy boosting project that places an illustrated children’s book, taken apart and displayed page by page, along a walking route in your community. The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. The Harney County Library’s StoryWalk is in the park along the west side of the library, and it features a book called “Miguel’s Community Garden”! FAMILY FRIENDLY.
Free, Outdoors, Available all weekend!
Location: Harney County Library, 80 W ‘D’ Street, Burns, OR 97720
KIDS’ FAIR IN THE FIELD
Fair in the Field is a fun and exciting event put on by various agencies and organizations in Harney County. We will provide hands-on activities that will offer fun insight into the bird habitat in Harney County. This event will be fun for the whole family!
Free, Saturday, April 12, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Location: Geno’s Youth Center – 135 E Washington St., Burns, OR, 97720
KIDS’ BIRDHOUSE BUILDING
Bring the kids and join the Harney County Lions Club for a birdhouse building workshop! All materials are pre-cut and provided by the Lions Club at no expense. Volunteers will be available to help with construction, though adults are encouraged to get hands on and help their littles. There are approximately 75-100 kits available, and they usually go quickly!
Free, Saturday, April 12, 12 to 2 p.m.
Location: Geno’s Youth Center – 135 E Washington St., Burns, OR, 97720
THE ILLUSTRATED JOURNAL WORKSHOP
with Oregon Poet Laureate Ellen Waterston
This workshop, led by Oregon Poet Laureate Ellen Waterston, will explore how drawing informs writing and writing informs drawing in unexpected ways. Using prompts inspired by the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge and its inhabitants, participants will describe place and personhood in word and image form. Bring a blank journal, writing and drawing materials. No prior writing or drawing experience required.
$20 / person, Saturday April 12, 2 to 4 p.m. | 15 spots available; must be at least 16 years of age
Location: Harney County Library – 80 W ‘D’ St., Burns, OR, 97720
BRUNCH WITH THE BIRDS
Malheur National Wildlife Refuge is a morning must-stop for every birder in the area during spring migration. You never know what will arrive to seek shelter among the small oasis of trees that surround the remarkable CCC-era buildings. Join Teresa Wicks, Portland Audubon’s Eastern Oregon Program Manager, for a walk of the grounds followed by a catered brunch hosted by the Friends of Malheur NWR at the Crane’s Nest Nature Center Pavilion along the Marshall Pond Trail. Participants should indicate dietary restrictions.
$40 / person, Sunday, April 13, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. | 20 spots available
Location: Malheur Refuge Headquarters Lawn, 36391 Sodhouse Ln, Princeton, OR 97721
MALHEUR STEWARDSHIP WORK PARTY
Malheur National Wildlife Refuge gives us so much and this is your chance to Give Back with the Friends of Malheur Refuge! You have enjoyed two wonderful days of tours, how about an afternoon helping our Friends Group get the grounds around Refuge headquarters spruced up? Join our Stewardship work party coordinators Alice Elshoff and Donna Owens for some weeding in our pollinator garden, planting of more native pollinator plants, along with raking and cleaning up around the Cranes Nest Nature Center and Marshall Pond Wildlife Observation Trail!
Free, Sunday, April 13, 1 to 4 p.m.
Location: Malheur Refuge Headquarters Lawn, 36391 Sodhouse Ln, Princeton, OR 977213
