Southeast Zone

March 5, 2025‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌

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Harney County

Early migrant waterfowl have begun to show up in the county. Look to Malheur Wildlife Refuge and other inholdings of water for pintail, tundra swans, white-fronted, snow, and Canada geese.

Wintering raptors are still present in the area. Opportunities to view golden eagles, bald eagles, various hawks and falcons perched on telephone poles and fence posts are available across the district. Resident raptors such as red-tailed hawks and northern harriers can be observed in open agricultural areas.

Recent snow events have occurred on the district. As the winter season progresses, look for deer, elk, and antelope to remain active for longer periods of the day. These habits can cause for big game species to be more visible and may provide opportunities for viewers and photographers. Note that this time of year it is best to keep distance from these species as to not cause additional stressors to the animals who are already low on energy reserves.

Keep in mind that tracks from a multitude of species can be identified in the snow during the winter months. Don't forget to study up on animal tracks and you could potentially find tracks of porcupine, coyote, rabbit, bobcat, wolf, elk, deer, antelope, bighorn sheep, and cougar amongst others across the district.

Klamath County

The Link River trail below Upper Klamath Lake, Lake Ewauna and the Wood River wetlands are excellent places to view many species of wildlife including deer, river otter, muskrat, mink and a variety of waterfowl and shorebirds.

Lower Klamath and Tule Lake NWR are good places to view raptor species such as eagle, hawk, falcon, and owl. Drought conditions have impacted the refuges but there are still some good viewing opportunities for raptors.

Klamath Wildlife Area 

updated Nov. 6, 2024

Miller Island Unit

• The Miller Island Unit is located 6 miles south and west of Klamath Falls. Miller Island Unit is closed to all access from 10 p.m. until 4 a.m.
• May 1 – Sept. 30: Open to public use daily.
• Oct. 1 – Apr. 30: Open to public use on designated hunt days during authorized hunting seasons. All other days are closed to all entry, except public rds., parking areas, the boat ramp, the designated birding trail and designated dog training area to minimize disturbance to migrating waterfowl.
• Overnight camping is not allowed on the Miller Island Unit.

A Wildlife Area Parking Permit is now required to park on the Wildlife Area. Cost is $10 daily or $30 annually. Free with purchase of hunting license; just be sure to put it on your dashboard. Find out how to buy a parking permit.

Waterfowl

Canada geese can be found throughout the area, either loafing in seasonal wetlands or utilizing farmed fields and pastures.

Duck species that can usually be found on the area at this time are mallard, northern shoveler, gadwall, northern pintail, green-winged teal, american wigeon, canvasback, redhead, common goldeneye, bufflehead, ruddy duck, ring-necked duck, lesser scaup and common and hooded mergansers.

Shorebirds, waders and other waterbirds

Great blue herons are readily observed on the area. American bitterns are also present but can be difficult to find.

Virginia rails and soras can be heard throughout the area but can be difficult to spot. American coot can be found scattered throughout Miller Island.

Grebe species and numbers remain good. They can usually be found scattered over the area's wetland ponds and on the Klamath River. Western, eared and pied-billed grebes can now be found on the area.

Ring-billed gull numbers fluctuate between very few sightings to very common. Other gull species can be occasionally observed.

Raptors

Look for great horned and barn owls at dusk. Red-tailed hawks, northern harriers, cooper's hawks, sharp-shinned, rough-legged, American kestrels, and prairie falcons are foraging throughout the wildlife area. Eagle numbers are low, but several can usually be found scattered around the area.

Peregrine falcons can occasionally be seen but are rare sightings.

Upland Game Birds

California quail and ring-necked pheasant are scattered around the old homesteads and the headquarters area.

Songbirds and other passerines

Eurasian collared and mourning doves are scattered over the area.

American and lesser goldfinches, house finches, mountain chickadees, American robins, yellow-rumped warblers, western meadowlark, black-billed magpies, common raven and Northern flickers continue to be a common site throughout the area. White-crowned and golden crowned sparrows are also becoming common sites on the wildlife area.

Marsh wrens and song sparrows can be found in dense stands of tall emergent hard stem bulrush and broad-leaf cattail and are very numerous. Red-winged, brewers and Yellow-headed blackbirds can still be found, but their numbers are declining and will continue to do so with fall migrations.

Mammals

Dusk is the best time to spot beaver and muskrat. River otter, mink, long-tailed weasel, coyotes, stripped skunk, black-tailed jackrabbit, mountain cottontail, California ground squirrels and raccoon can also be found using the Wildlife Area. Deer numbers continue to remain good.

Visitors might also spot river otter, mink, long-tailed weasel, coyotes, stripped skunk, black-tailed jackrabbit, mountain cottontail, California ground squirrels and raccoon using the wildlife area. Deer numbers continue to remain good.

If you have any questions, please contact Klamath Wildlife Area at (541) 883-5732.

Lake County

This time of year, viewers looking for waterfowl in Lake County may find Canada geese and some dabbling duck species on open waters near Valley Falls and in the Warner wetlands, with compositions changing daily due to spring migration beginning. Quite a few snow geese and swans were moving through the county during the recent warm spell. Summer Lake Wildlife Area remains Lake Counties best viewing opportunity for waterfowl in winter.

Very few shorebirds remain in the county but they will increase in numbers as the weather warms and birds move north. The earliest arrivals have begun appearing on flooded fields and reservoirs in the area.

Unique raptor species, such as the rough-legged hawk and Ferruginous hawk may be found in Lake County at this time of year. These species summer very far north, often inside the Arctic circle, and use this landscape during winter. This pattern represents a unique life history strategy as the most common raptor species in the County migrate further south for winter. Other common raptor species present include red-tailed hawks, American kestrels, prairie falcons, Northern harriers, bald eagles and golden eagles.

Great horned owls, barn owls, and short-eared owls can also be heard and seen at night.

Though few and far between, you'll find the most diversity of passerine species in riparian areas. Relatively few species remain in lake County for winter, though some hearty varieties and non-migratory species do remain. Species such as Townsend's solitaire, American robin, dark-eyed junco, western meadowlark, and some shrikes can be found throughout the county.

Mule deer

Most of the mule deer are currently occupying winter ranges on low elevation sagebrush steppe, or adjacent agricultural lands. Motorists are reminded that often these wintering areas are associated with high-speed highways that present a real threat to both deer and driver. Please be aware of deer attempting to cross the road, especially at night.

Mule deer that spend the summer in the surrounding forested big game management units migrate to traditional wintering grounds near the towns of Silver Lake, Fort Rock and Christmas Valley, Paisley and Lakeview to escape harsh winter conditions at higher elevations. Some mule deer that migrate to North Lake County come from as far away as Crater Lake in the Cascades.

Pronghorn

Pronghorn are currently located on their traditional winter ranges. Most of the Lake County pronghorn winter in Nevada, but there are pockets that may still hold some pronghorn in areas around Valley Falls, Silver Lake, or Paisley.

Pronghorn antelope have horns instead of antlers like mule deer and elk. Both buck and doe pronghorn antelope have horns. The outer sheath is shed annually by December as the new horn grows in underneath. This new growth will be complete by July the following year. A prominent prong or point on the horn can identify buck pronghorn antelope. In addition, the buck's entire nose appears black, and all bucks have a visible black cheek patch.

Doe pronghorn antelope generally do not have a prong or point, and the horn is usually less than 5-inches long. A doe's nose is much lighter colored, and a doe will not have a visible black cheek patch. If you see a group of pronghorn, remember to check behind the group. The dominant buck is often following well behind.

Bighorn Sheep

Bighorn sheep can be found on many of the canyon rims in Lake County.

Look for sheep on rims along Hwy 395 from the Christmas Valley Highway junction south to the Hwy 31 junction. Abert Rim just above Abert Lake along Hwy 395 offers good viewing. Hadley Butte, near Paisley, also offers viewing from Hwy 31 and the Summer Lake Hot Springs. Viewers wishing to observe bighorns should bring binoculars or spotting scopes, as sheep are generally found in steep rocky terrain and must be viewed from a distance.

Malheur County

A variety of shorebirds can be found this time of year as they migrate south. Avocets, willets, godwits, sandpipers, killdeer, and black-necked stilts will be active along reservoir shores and floodplain meadows throughout September.

With hunting seasons underway, deer and elk can be found anywhere, anytime in the county as hunters move them around. Most of them will be found in higher elevation forested areas and in creek and river bottoms or agricultural fields in the sagelands.

Pronghorn will be well-distributed following hunting season with more residing the further south you get in the county. Pronghorn are entering their breeding season, so where you encounter antelope, you may very likely find nice bucks with fully-mature headgear. Bighorn sheep will also be more easily seen on the tops of canyon rims or bottoms along water sources as they begin breeding season in the coming month.

As fire danger remains very high throughout the district, ODFW asks recreationists to take precautions to avoid starts and adhere to all local fire restrictions. We also ask that people be conscientious of the stressors put on animals when finding wildlife in remaining habitat islands within the burned area of this summer's wildfires.

Summer Lake Wildlife Area

Updated Jan. 6, 2025

Camping is permitted at four sites on the wildlife area. Campgrounds are primitive but each has vault toilets, trash barrels, and a few picnic tables.

• Wildlife Viewing Loop and refuge areas are closed for the winter starting on Oct. 5, 2024 and will not reopen until Feb. 2, 2025.
• Access roads to campgrounds remain open, year-round. Wildlife area outside of refuge areas is open to all non-motorized traffic. Roads are marked with current access regulations. Parking is only allowed in designated parking areas.
• Non-motorized travel on spur levees or lateral dikes is permitted, as is cross-country travel.

Game bird hunting seasons are now open. Viewing opportunities may be reduced by occasional extreme weather conditions.

The Schoolhouse Lake Wildlife Viewing blind provides an excellent opportunity to see a wide variety of waterbirds.

Waterfowl

Mallard, northern shoveler, pintail, green-winged teal, American wigeon and gadwall are the most common species observed. Diver species such as canvasback, ring-necked, scaup, goldeneye and bufflehead can also be found..

Canada geese remain widely distributed across the wildlife area along with a few white-fronted and snow geese that have started migrating north.

A few resident and non-breeding trumpeter swans remain widely scattered across the wildlife area. These birds are part of restoration efforts and will be neck-collared with green collars and white alphanumeric symbols. Tundra swans have started to show up over the last week.

Shorebirds, wading birds, and other waterbirds

Very few shorebirds are around except for some hardier species such as killdeer and yellowlegs.

American bittern, black-crowned night-herons and great blue herons can be found throughout the wildlife area. American coot are widely scattered across the wildlife area. Virginia rail and sora are throughout the wildlife area, but can be difficult to locate due to the thick wetland vegetation they inhabit.

Pied-billed grebes will be the most common of the grebe species this time of year, look for them in large open bodies of water such as Ana Reservoir, North Bullgate Refuge and North Levee Impoundment.

Small numbers of gull species are scattered throughout the wildlife area.

Raptors and others

Northern harriers and red-tailed hawks are common this time of the year. Rough-legged hawks, American kestrel, coopers, sharp shinned, peregrine and prairie falcons can occasionally be found. Bald and golden eagles are also found on a regular basis, since both species frequently hunt the waterbirds on the wildlife area.

Great horned owls remain widely scattered across the entire wildlife area, especially in the trees at campgrounds. Short-eared owls can sometimes be found in early morning or evening hours. Barn owls can sometimes be observed, as well.

Upland game birds

California quail and ring-necked pheasants can sometimes be observed near Headquarters and north end upland areas.

Songbirds and other passerines

Eurasian collared doves remain in small numbers and can be observed at Headquarters Complex and other areas.

American robins, Townsends solitaires, loggerhead shrikes, Steller's and scrub jays and western bluebirds are in varied numbers across the wildlife area, especially around Headquarters and old homestead sites. Black-billed magpie and common raven are also common throughout the area, as are Northern flickers.

There are very good numbers of marsh wrens and song sparrows in the dense stands of hardstem bulrush and broad-leaved cattail along dikes and levees throughout the wetlands.

Most blackbird species have migrated but will mostly consist of Brewers. Western meadowlarks can be found scattered in good numbers throughout the area.

Winter migrants have started to show up including large numbers of white crowned and golden crowned sparrows, dark eyed juncos and spotted towhees.

Habitat

Seasonal marsh areas are fully flooded and Summer Lake proper is increasing in size and will continue to increase through the winter.

For assistance and additional information, contact wildlife area staff at 541-943-3152.