The Grebe Newsletter
November/December 2024Hello All,
Please read this attached newsletter from the Klamath Basin Audubon Society.
It contains loads of information about recent happenings in the Klamath Basin and events and activities yet to come!
I hope to see you at an event, activity, or even on the trail. KBAS needs more voices like you!
Good Birding!
Kevin Spencer, KBAS President
Our Mission Statement:
The Klamath Basin Audubon Society will provide the opportunity for all to experience and appreciate our region’s wildlife, focusing on birds and other natural resources.
Become a Member:
We invite you to join us in the Klamath Basin Audubon Society, your local chapter of the National Audubon Society.
Becoming a member will help you stay involved with local conservation efforts.
You can download an application and mail it to the listed address or you can Join/Renew online by clicking the button below.
What are the Membership Benefits? Annual membership in Klamath Basin Audubon Society provides:
Opportunities to volunteer in a variety of important capacities.
You get the inside scoop on important KBAS programs and field trips.
An email subsciption to the our newsletter, The Grebe. You can read past issues here: The Grebe
Learn more about what we do.
Read our Chapter By-Laws.
Board of Directors and Committees
General members are always invited and welcome to attend the KBAS Board meetings to help in planning future activities and to discuss Board policies. We meet the first Wednesday of every month from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. Currently those meetings are held using ZOOM.
Contact Info email: dsamuels@charter.net
Our Chapter: Chapter History
Following enactment of the Endangered Species Act and Oregon's classification of the Bald Eagle as endangered within the state in 1973, biologists from California and Oregon learned of the significance of the Bear Valley area southwest of Klamath Falls to these iconic birds. Ralph Opp, one of those biologists who mapped the Bear Valley area, worked with The Nature Conservancy who brokered the transfer of private lands to the Fish and Wildlife Service. In 1978, 4000 acres of Bear Valley became the Bear Valley National Wildlife Refuge, 1000 acres being designated as the core eagle roosting area. In the same year, the Bald Eagle was placed on the federal endangered species list.
In 1980, the first Bald Eagle Conference was held in Klamath Falls with the help of the Portland and Eugene Audubon chapters and the Klamath Basin Wildlife Refuges. Issues of bald eagle management relative to the habitat, politics, and the economy of the area were discussed by professionals and conservationists. The conference included a fly-out experience at Bear Valley. The Klamath Basin Audubon Society (KBAS) was chartered in 1983 and began sponsoring the Bald Eagle Conference in 1984. The Bald Eagle Conference continued annually in February until 2005 when it was expanded and renamed the Winter Wings Festival. KBAS continues to produce the Winter Wings Festival, which draws hundreds of visitors annually to enjoy the eagles and many other bird species that make their winter home in the Klamath Basin. The Winter Wings Festival has been recognized by birding magazines as the oldest birding festival in the United States.
Looking for something fun to do while you stay home and stay safe? The National Audubon Society has put together some fun bird stuff for everyone to enjoy.
A birdy “care package” is a webpage with all of Audubon’s best bird photos, videos and stories.