Birding Locations
Baker County Website
National Wildlife Refuges in Oregon
Dooley Mt. Summit return to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 B-5 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 C-6 geographic coordinates 44 34’ 05” N 117 51’ 05” W
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Location: Take SR 7 south of Baker City to Salisbury. Along this route watch for Bobolinks in the wet hay meadows in May and June. At Salisbury turn south onto SR 245 and you will go up over Dooley Mountain Summit (5392') during late spring through late September it is well worth birding the many U.S. Forest Service Roads that take off from the summit area. FSRD 11 is very good June birding with all the southeastern Blue Mountain birds in abundance. Also bird FSRD 1115 as it crosses several eco-zones and is worth your time.
Habitat and Birds: This is a great owling area Sept-October. This area is loaded with woodpeckers such as Hairy, Black-backed, White-headed and Pileated. Watch out for ticks in late May.
Unity Lake State Park return to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 82 B-4 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 78 C-5 geographic coordinates 44 30’ 01” N 118˚ 11’ 08” W
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Location: From Baker, travel 7.8 miles south on Hwy 7 to Hwy 245. Take 245 south for 15 miles through the Wallowa Whitman NF (bird as much as you like in this forest). 245 will turn west at this point. Go another 18 miles to Unity Reservoir. About halfway from the west turn Unity Reservoir is the tiny berg of Hereford. Just west of Hereford look for a side road called Hereford Loop. This area is good for Bobolink and Sandhill Cranes.
Habitat and Birds: Birds you might expect to see along this stretch would include Snow Goose, Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, Tundra Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, a dozen other duck species, Chukar, Gray Partridge, Ruffed Grouse, Dusky Grouse, Wild Turkey, Pied-billed Grebe, Great Egret, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Northern Goshawk, Golden Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Spotted Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, California Gull, Herring Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Western Screech-Owl, Great-horned Owl, Long-eared Owl, Common Nighthawk, Vaux's and White-throated Swift, Lewis's Woodpecker, Say's Phoebe, Eastern Kingbird, Western Kingbird, Loggerhead Shrike, Red-eyed Vireo, Horned Lark, swallows, House Wren, Canyon Wren, Rock Wren, Sage Thrasher, Mountain Bluebird, migrating warblers, Lazuli Bunting, and Bullock's Oriole.
From Unity Reservoir to Whitney return to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 82 B-4 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 78 C-5 geographic coordinates (south end Hwy 245 Unity Reservoir) 44 30’ 18” N 118˚ 08’ 18” W (North end Hwy 7 Whitney Wetlands) 44 39’ 39” N 118˚ 17’ 29” W
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Location: From Baker, travel 7.8 miles south on Hwy 7 to Hwy 245. Take 245 south for 15 miles through the Wallowa Whitman NF (bird as much as you like in this forest). 245 will turn west at this point. Go another 16 miles toward Unity Reservoir. About 2 miles from the reservoir, turn right (north) on Whitney Road (This road is also called the 507 Road or the Big Flat Road). Take this road north for about 15 miles to the ghost town of Whitney and Hwy 7. About halfway on this road the name changes to Burnt River Road on some maps. You can take Hwy 7 back to Baker City.
Habitat and Birds: This is a good route for forest birds. Care should be taken when attempting access to this lake in early spring as snow may block your path. Watch for Ruffed Grouse, Dusky Grouse, Wild Turkey, Northern Goshawk, White-throated Swift, Lewis's Woodpecker, Mountain Quail, Flammulated Owl, Northern Pygmy-Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Calliope Hummingbird, Lewis’s Woodpecker, Williamson’s Sapsucker, Red-naped Sapsucker, White-headed Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Hammond’s Flycatcher, Dusky Flycatcher, Cassin’s Vireo, Mountain Chickadee, all 3 nuthatches, Brown Creeper, Townsend’s Solitaire, Hermit Thrush, Townsend’s Warbler, Western Tanager, Cassin’s Finch, Red Crossbill and many more. In the Whitney Wetlands near Hwy 7 you can often find Wilson’s Phalaropes, waterfowl, Sandhill Cranes, and both bluebirds.
Long Creek Group Campground return to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 B-5 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 C-6 geographic coordinates 44 21’ 00” N 118 09’ 05” W
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Location: South and east of Unity off SR 26 is West Camp Creek Rd. which goes south and becomes FSRD 1680. Follow it south for five miles until you reach South Camp Creek. Parallel it for one mile then turn left at the sign into the campground. The 1.75 miles into the campground is well worth walking and birding June -August.
Habitat and Birds: Watch the hummingbirds as there may be Broad Tailed Hummers here. There are good numbers of Flammulated Owls calling in Late May into early June. This is a great birding/ camping site that deserves your attention. Watch for amphibians along the creek and the wild flower bloom is spectacular in May and June.
Durkee and Burnt River Canyonreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 B-6 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 C-8 geographic coordinates 44 35’ 01” N 117 27’ 48” W
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Location: Drive 22 miles south of Baker City on I-84 and take exit 327. Take Durkee Road west to Old US Hwy 30. Turn right (north) on 30 and go 1.6 miles to Burnt River Canyon Lane. Take a left and drive this road for 20 miles through Burnt River Canyon.
Habitat and Birds: The rich farmland around Durkee can provide good birding. The canyon itself offers opportunities to find Chukar, Canyon Wren, Rock Wren, and Bushtit. Ash-throated and Gray Flycatchers may be found here as well. The contrast between the dry hillsides and wet riparian areas around the river make this a beautiful drive and pretty good birding as well. Watch for breeding Lewis's Woodpecker, White-throated Swift, and "Western-type" Flycatcher (the distribution of Cordilleran and Pacific-slope Flycatcher in Eastern Oregon is not well understood) along this route.
Sumpter/Sumpter Valley Dredge State Heritage Areareturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 82 B-4 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 78 B-5 geographic coordinates 44 44’ 37” N 118˚ 12’ 06” W
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Location: To reach the city of Sumpter, take Hwy 7 south of Baker City and then west for about 25 miles to the Jct of Hwy 7 and Hwy 220 (Hwy 410). Take 220 another 3 miles into Sumpter. To find the Sumpter Valley Dredge State Heritage Area, look for signs about 0.5 miles before entering Sumpter. The State site in the City of Sumpter has small graveled trails paralleling the Powder River and Cracker Creek. Some facilities are available in the city and at the park. In summer, you can take the train for a tour of the old gold mine area.
Habitat and Birds: Conifer Forests and cottonwood-willow riparian areas along the Powder River. Species that can be seen here include Black-headed Grosbeaks, Gray Catbirds, swallows, vireos, and forest finches. There are some ponds in the area that may contain cattails. Look for American Bittern and various waterfowl.
Phillips Reservoirreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 82 B-4 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 78 B-5 geographic coordinates 44 40’ 19” N 117 59’ 59” W
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Location: Take Hwy 7 south and then west out of Baker City for about 20 miles. Phillips Reservoir is next to Hwy 7. There are several areas to bird around the reservoir. On the north side, the Union Creek Campground has paved roads that make walking easy. There is a trail that goes all around the lake and that trail can be accessed from Union Creek. On the south side, Southwest Shore and Millers Lane campgrounds provide good birding. Access these by taking Hudspeth Lane on the west side of the lake. Hudspeth goes through some tailings and has many small pools of water. Take the first left after rounding the lake and follow the signs to the other campgrounds. Mowich Loop Picnic Area provides additional good birding on your way back to Hwy 7.
Habitat and Birds: Ponderosa pines and riparian vegetation are the big draws along with the lake itself. Possible species here include: Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Common Loon, Mountain Bluebird, Western Bluebird, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Pygmy Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch, Red Crossbill, Dark-eyed Junco, Pine Siskin, Cassin's Finch, Mountain Chickadee, Evening Grosbeak, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Song Sparrow, Calliope Hummingbird, varieties of warblers, and Sandhill Crane
Powder River Recreation Trailreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 B-5 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 B-6 geographic coordinates 44 40’ 14” N 117 58’ 39” W
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Location: From Baker City, take Hwy 7 south and then west for about 16 miles and look for parking area on your left. Park and cross the wooden bridge. The trail goes both north and south from this location. The north section is more rugged but the south section is suitable for most birders and has a restroom facility.
Habitat and Birds: Riparian and conifer habitat. Possible birds here include: American Dipper, Song Sparrow, Black-capped Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch, Red Crossbill, Vaux's Swift, swallows, Common Merganser, and Belted Kingfisher
Bowen Valleyreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 B-5 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 B-6 geographic coordinates 44 44’ 23” N 117 50’ 01” W
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Location South of Baker City, Hwy 7 goes through a canyon and then opens up with farmland on to the west and the Powder River to the east. This is Bowen Valley. This small valley is only 4 miles long but can produce some good birds.
Habitat and Birds: Riparian stream sides and farmland. Look for Western and Eastern Kingbirds here. Bobolinks are possible here and raptors like Ferruginous Hawk and Rough-legged Hawk might be found in season. This can be a good winter sparrow area along the fence lines and Gray Partridge and Chukars feed in the snow covered winter fields.
Baker Cityreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-5 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 B-6 geographic coordinates 44 46’ 28” N 117 49’ 47” W
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City Information
Location: Baker City is in NE Oregon about 42 miles south of La Grande and 72 miles north of Ontario off I-84.
Habitat and Birds: As is typical of most Eastern Oregon towns, winter is the best time to find rare birds in Baker City. Check the various neighborhoods for fruiting trees and watch for wintering finches, warblers, sparrows, and Bohemian Waxwings.
Baker Sewer Pondsreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-5 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 B-6 geographic coordinates 44 ’ ” N 117 ’ ” W
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Location: From the west side of Baker City, go to 10th Street and travel north out of town. 10th becomes the La Grande-Baker Hwy or Hwy 30 as it leaves Baker City. Hughes Lane marks the northern edge of Baker City. From the intersection of Hughes and Hwy 30, go .7 miles to Imnaha Road and take a right. Go 0.5 miles and you will see the ponds on your right. If you want better access to these ponds, call city hall at 541-523-6541. Bill Tice's book on Oregon sewer ponds lists Tom Fisk as a contact person at city hall but that information may be outdated.
Habitat and Birds: This, like most of the small ponds around Baker City, can produce just about any form of waterfowl, shorebird, or wader one might expect to find in Baker County. Snow Goose, Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, Tundra Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, a dozen other duck species, grebes, Great Egret, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Peregrine Falcon, Spotted Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Several species of gull, and a few others might be found here.
ODFW Highway Pondreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-5 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 A-7 geographic coordinates 44 51’ 41” N 117 48’ 50” W
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Location: From Baker City travel north on Interstate 84 approximately 5 miles to the State 203 exit (going to Medical Springs). This Oregon Dept. of Wildlife pond is just off the interstate to the east of the access road. There is a designated parking area on the northside of the pond but no other developed facilities. A foot path developed by anglers goes around the pond. Other privately owned dredge ponds are also located just east of Baker City along a frontage road that extends under the freeway at exit 304. Public access is only allowed with permission from land owners
Habitat and Birds: A good spot to check for waterfowl and shorebirds. Snow Goose, Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, Tundra Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, a dozen other duck species, grebes, Great Egret, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Peregrine Falcon, Spotted Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Several species of gull, and a few others might be found here.
Lake Bobreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-5 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 B-7 geographic coordinates 44 50’ 15” N 117 49’ 06” W
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Location: From I-5, take exit 302 and go west on Hwy 86 for 0.1 miles. Turn right (north) on Old Trail Road and go 2.4 miles to the ponds.
Habitat and Birds: Snow Goose, Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, Tundra Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, a dozen other duck species, grebes, Great Egret, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Peregrine Falcon, Spotted Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Several species of gull, and a few others might be found here.
Airport Pondsreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 geographic coordinates 44 ’ ” N 117 ’ ” W
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Location: From I-5, take exit 302 and go east on Hwy 86 for 0.1 miles. Turn left (north) on Hwy 203 which parallels I-84. Within a half mile, you will see a pond on your right. Check this one. Continue on Hwy 203 for 1.5 miles and turn right on S. Airport Lane. More ponds will soon appear on your right. Check these and continue east to Lindley Road. There is another pond to check here. Turn left on Lindley and go 0.025 miles and turn right on S. Airport Lane. Go 1.5 miles east to Sunny Slope Road. Turn right and go 0.5 miles to the last pond.
Habitat and Birds: Snow Goose, Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, Tundra Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, a dozen other duck species, grebes, Great Egret, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Peregrine Falcon, Spotted Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Several species of gull, and a few others might be found here.
Best Frontage Road & Smith Lakereturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-5 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 B-7 geographic coordinates 44 48’ 11” N 117 48’ 34” W
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Location: From I-84, take exit 302 and travel east on Hwy 86 for about 0.1 miles. Turn south on Best Frontage Road and scan the ponds on your left. There are a total of 4 ponds but the eastern-most pond is difficult to see. You may get a better look if you turn left (east) on "H" Street and circle around to Atwood Road. To find Smith Lake, go to the south end of Best Frontage Road and turn left on "H" Street. Take "H" to Atwood Road and turn right. The road quickly turns east and becomes Sunset Lane. Turn right between the two farm houses and go 0.25 miles to the lake.
Habitat and Birds: This, like most of the small ponds around Baker City, can produce just about any form of waterfowl, shorebird, or wader one might expect to find in Baker County. Snow Goose, Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, Tundra Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, a dozen other duck species, grebes, Great Egret, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Peregrine Falcon, Spotted Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, several species of gull, and a few others might be found here.
Mt. Hope Cemeteryreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-5 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 B-7 geographic coordinates 44 46’ 01” N 117 49’ 23” W
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Location: From the center of Baker City, travel south on Main Street (Hwy 7) to Auburn Avenue. Turn left (east) and immediately turn right (south) onto Bridge Street (Hwy 30). Take Bridge Street south about 4 blocks and turn left on Indiana Avenue. The cemetery is two blocks to the east.
Habitat and Birds: Though not many trees, there are a few and they could harbor a migrant or two and might be a place to find a winter visitor.
Pocahontas Roadreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-5 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 B-6 geographic coordinates 44 47’ 46” N 117 50’ 37” W
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Location: From the west side of Baker City, take Hwy 30 (10th Street) north to the edge of the city. Turn left on Pocahontas Road (Look for the local Fish & Wildlife building and a livestock supply store.) Keep to this road as it winds through farmland. Near mile 13.5 look for a right turn on the Anthony Lakes Hwy and this will get you to Haines (see the Haines Sewer Ponds below) and then back to Baker City.
Habitat and Birds: Most of this area is open farmland but there are several riparian strips and some dry scrub-land. Long-billed Curlew are plentiful here in season. This might be a good area to check for Burrowing Owl and Short-eared Owl.
Kolb Reservoirreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-5 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 B-6 geographic coordinates 44 45’ 56” N 117 51’ 08” W
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Location: Kolb Reservoir is just east of the Baker City Golf Club in SW Baker City. Take Hwy 7 south to the southern edge of town. Turn right (west) on Indiana Avenue and go past the golf course. Look for Reservoir Road on the right. The entrance to Kolb Reservoir is on the left across from Reservoir Road.
Habitat and Birds: This small pond is well used by locals but can sometimes harbor waterfowl or shorebirds.
Thief Valley Reservoirreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 87 D-5 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 75 F-7 geographic coordinates 45 00’ 45” N 117 46’ 52” W
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Location: To get to the undeveloped west side of the reservoir, travel north from Baker City on I-5 to exit 285 (North Powder). Take 2nd street for 2 blocks and turn right on Ice Plant Road. This road quickly becomes Bidwell Road. Take Bidwell for 4.0 miles to Theif Valley Reservoir Road. Take this road another 5 miles to the reservoir. The developed east side is in Union County.
Habitat and Birds: Snow Goose, Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, Tundra Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, a dozen other duck species, grebes, Great Egret, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Peregrine Falcon, Spotted Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, several species of gull, and a few others might be found here.
Balm Creek Reservoir return to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-7 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 A-8 geographic coordinates 44 58’ 12” N 117 29’ 29” W
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Location: From I-84 exit 302 in Baker City, take I-84 north for 3.5 miles. Take exit 298 to Medical Springs Hwy/OR -203. Travel east on Hwy 203 for 18 miles. Turn right at Big Creek Road. In two miles, the road will change to Collins Road/NFD 70. Stay on this road for 9 miles to Balm Creek Reservoir. Take a local Forest Service map with you to explore the surrounding area or you can bird only around the lake.
Habitat and Birds: Care should be taken when attempting access to this lake in early spring as snow may block your path. From mid-summer to late fall, the lake sometimes dries up. Forest species in this area include Ruffed Grouse, Dusky Grouse, Wild Turkey, Northern Goshawk, White-throated Swift, Lewis's Woodpecker, Mountain Quail, Flammulated Owl, Northern Pygmy-Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Calliope Hummingbird, Lewis’s Woodpecker, Williamson’s Sapsucker, Red-naped Sapsucker, White-headed Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Hammond’s Flycatcher, Dusky Flycatcher, Cassin’s Vireo, Mountain Chickadee, all 3 nuthatches, Brown Creeper, Townsend’s Solitaire, Hermit Thrush, Townsend’s Warbler, Western Tanager, Cassin’s Finch, Red Crossbill and many more.
Haines Sewage Pondsreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-5 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 A-6 geographic coordinates 44 54’ 52” N 117 55’ 02” W
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Location: Haines is about 10 miles north of Baker City on Hwy 30. Once in the town, turn right (east) on 3rd Street. Leave town and travel about 1.5 miles. Go past the dump road and the ponds will be on the right side. There is no reason to enter the property and entrance is not allowed.
Habitat and Birds: These ponds have not been birded much but standing water in Baker County is at a premium so they might produce some good birds.
North Powder Pondsreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 87 D-5 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 75 F-6 geographic coordinates 45 00’ 48” N 117 55’ 46” W
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Location: There are two ponds called North Powder Pond #1 and North Powder Pond #2. North Powder Pond #2 is technically in Union County but we will address them both here. To find Pond #1, take exit 285 and go to the west side of the freeway. Take Hwy 30 south for 0.9 miles and look for a dirt road to your right. Take this road to Pond #1. To find Pond #2, return to the freeway exit on Hwy 30 and take Hwy 237 west. Travel 4 miles on this road to a left hand turn (south) onto Ellis Road. The pond is just 0.5 miles south on Ellis Road.
Habitat and Birds: Snow Goose, Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, Tundra Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, a dozen other duck species, grebes, Great Egret, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Peregrine Falcon, Spotted Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, several species of gull, and a few others might be found here.
National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Centerreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-6 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 B-7 geographic coordinates 44 48’ 49” N 117 43’ 37” W
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Location This is one of those locations that must be visited. The birding is typical desert fare; go early in the morning, carry lots of water, expect much of the activity to die off by 9:00 AM. Once finished, don't pass up interpretive center itself. This center tells the whole Oregon Trail story and is a moving and powerful exhibit. To get here, take I-84 north of Baker to exit 302. Take Hwy 86 east for 5 miles to the interpretive center. There are several driving areas and hiking loops but take plenty of water in summer and dress warmly in winter.
Habitat and Birds: Open sage and grassland. Look for sage species like Sage Sparrow and Sage Thrasher. Sparrows include Vesper, Lark, Savannah, Brewer's, and Zonotrichians (winter).
Virtue Flat OHV Areareturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-6 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 B-7 geographic coordinates 44 48’ 28” N 117 42’ 57” W
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Location Across Hwy 86 from the entrance to the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center is Ruckles Creek Road. This is the access road to the OHV area. On weekends, this area can be full of noisy OHVs but weekdays can offer a good, quiet place to bird.
Habitat and Birds: Open sage and grassland. Look for sage species like Sage Sparrow and Sage Thrasher. Sparrows include Vesper, Lark, Savannah, Brewer's, and Zonotrichians (winter).
Love Reservoirreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 B-6 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 B-8 geographic coordinates 44 45’ 38” N 117 30’ 54” W
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Location Please don't try this location if the road is wet. When muddy, it can trap you. From the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center (see above), you can get to Love Reservoir two ways. 1) Take the Virtue Flat OHV Area road (Ruckles Creek Road) east for about 7 miles to Love Reservoir Road. Then take Love Reservoir Road 5.7 miles to the reservoir. 2) For the less adventurous types, travel 7.6 miles past the interpretive center and turn south on Ruckles Creek Road. Take Ruckles Creek for 3.2 miles and turn onto Love Reservoir Road. Follow this road 5.7 miles to the water. There are no developed facilities at this location. Continue past the lake and investigate Love Ditch as it meanders near the road. It can harbor more waterfowl.
Habitat and Birds: Open sage and a shallow lake. Species expected here: Eared Grebe, various waterfowl, Horned Lark, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Marsh Wren, Virginia Rail.
Hole-in-the-Wall return to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-7 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 B-9 geographic coordinates 44 48’ 24” N 117 19’ 13” W
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Location Twenty three miles east of the interpretive center and 11 miles west of Richland is Hole-in-the-Wall Gulch. Look for the Interpretive sign. The birding area is below the sign on the Powder River. You can drive down to this area by using the old highway that runs a short distance before stopping at a landslide.
Habitat and Birds: Upland sage and riparian vegetation. Yellow-breasted Chats like this area as do Gray Catbirds and Bullock's Orioles.
New Bridge/Eagle Creek Roadreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-8 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 B-10 geographic coordinates 44 48’ 06” N 117 11’ 22” W
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Location: From Richland, travel west on Hwy 86 for .3 miles to New Bridge Road. A half mile north on this road is a good pond that can have waterfowl. Bird along this road including the tiny town of New Bridge.
Habitat and Birds: Ornamental vegetation provides good hummingbird habitat and fruiting trees often have waxwings and orioles. The hillsides will have Lazuli Bunting and possibly Yellow-breasted Chat. The town of New Bridge is known to be a good place to find Western Screech-Owl. Just north of New Bridge, there are large cottonwoods which attract Lewis's Woodpeckers among other species. Red-eyed Vireo has been spotted here more than once. Eventually, Eagle Creek Road enters timber and a variety of forest birds will greet you. This is the favorite Baker County location for at least one of the authors of this document.
Eagle Cap Wilderness Areareturn to the top
National Forest Website
Location: (Trails require a NW Forest Pass) East Eagle Trailhead- Located approximately 34 miles northwest of Richland, OR, on Forest Road #7735. Take a left on Forest Road #77 and then a right on Forest Road #7745 which leads to the trailhead. Primitive camping. Fish Lake Trailhead- Approximately 21 miles north of Halfway, OR, on County Road #1005, travel approximately 3 miles and then onto County Road #999 which leads to Forest Road #66. The trailhead has a loading ramp, hitch rails, and one picnic table. Fish Lake Campground is approximately 0.5 miles from the trailhead.
Habitat and Birds: This wilderness if famous in birding circles as the best place in Oregon to find Spruce Grouse, White-winged Crossbill, and Pine Grosbeak. Though the wilderness proper does not extend far into Baker County, it is possible to access the forest on the southern edge of the wilderness area and find terrific forest birding. At lower elevations, check riparian areas for Gray Catbird and Veery. Just about any location will yield plenty of Mt. Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatches, and Brown Creepers. Cassin's Vireos and Cassin's Finches inhabit the open forested areas. Evening Grosbeaks in the forest and Black-headed Grosbeaks near the riparian areas may be abundant in some years. Though Ruffed Grouse and Dusky Grouse outnumber the Spruce Grouse, the latter is still present here in small numbers. Owls include Northern Pygmy, Northern Saw-whet, Flammulated (mid-elevation forests with open patches), Western Screech, and Great Horned (with Great Gray and Long-eared always a possibility). Cooper's Hawks and Northern Goshawks are found here as are Rufous and Calliope Hummingbirds. Woodpeckers include Pileated and White-headed along with the ubiquitous Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers. Williamson's and Red-naped Sapsuckers are here as well. Empids include Hammond's, Dusky, Gray, Cordilleran, and Willow. Western-Wood Pewee can be here as well. Gray Jays and Clark's Nutcrackers are easy to find and Western Tanager are common. Townsend's Solitaire are often found nesting in this region as are Hermit and Swainson's Thrushes. Western and Mt. Bluebirds are present. Warblers include Yellow, Yellow-rumped, Common Yellowthroat, Nashville, Wilson's, MacGillivray's, Orange-crowned, and Townsend's. Both kinglets are here as are Pine Siskins and Red Crossbills.
Snake RiverOxbow Reservoir/Hwy 71 return to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 88 D-1 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 88 F-1 geographic coordinates 44 58’ 18” N 116 51’ 29” W
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Location: From Richland, take Hwy 86 NW for 28 miles to the Snake River. Bird the area just north of the junction between Hwy 86 and the Brownlee-Oxbow Hwy (Hwy 71). This is the tiny town of Copperfield. Then take, the Brownlee-Oxbow Hwy south for 10 miles before it crosses into Idaho. Keep in mind the eastern half of the river is in Idaho.
Habitat and Birds: There are three attractions here: the river, the rocky canyon, and the green seeps that are scattered among the canyons. Birds you might expect to see along this stretch would include Snow Goose, Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, Tundra Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, a dozen other duck species, Chukar, Gray Partridge, Ruffed Grouse, Dusky Grouse, Wild Turkey, Pied-billed Grebe, Great Egret, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Northern Goshawk, Golden Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Spotted Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, California Gull, Herring Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Western Screech-Owl, Great-horned Owl, Long-eared Owl, Common Nighthawk, Vaux's and White-throated Swift, Lewis's Woodpecker, Say's Phoebe, Eastern Kingbird, Western Kingbird, Loggerhead Shrike, Red-eyed Vireo, Horned Lark, swallows, House Wren, Canyon Wren, Rock Wren, Sage Thrasher, Mountain Bluebird, migrating warblers, Lazuli Bunting, and Bullock's Oriole.
Halfwayreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-8 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 A-10 geographic coordinates 44 52’ 50” N 117 06’ 52” W
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Location: From Richland, take Hwy 86 NW for 11 miles and look for Hwy 12 and the sign to Halfway.
Habitat and Birds: This is a small town that exists at the edge of the Whitman National Forest. Though a Prothonotary Warbler was found here in 2001, the more standard fare will likely be birds that wander down from the forest. Winter specialties here include Bohemian Waxwing, Common Redpoll, and Pine Siskin is possible.
Brownlee Reservoir & Hewitt Memorial Park return to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-8 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 B-10 geographic coordinates 44 45’ 20” N 117 07’ 53” W
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Location: From Richland, travel east on Hwy 86 to the point at which the road begins to bend north (less than a mile from Richmond). Robinette Road goes straight instead of bending north. Take Robinette for 1.1 miles to a fork. Take the right fork which is Hewitt Road to the boat ramp and scan the lake. Return back to the fork in the road and take the left fork to another boat ramp and scan here. To access the less developed south side of the reservoir, take 1st Street out of Richland south for .75 miles and the road will take a right angle turn to the right. Follow this turn and stay on this road for a short distance until it takes another right angle turn and heads south. Take this road (still 1st St.) south until it crosses the Powder River. At the bridge, reset your odometer and travel south and then east for 2 miles. Look for a dirt road that will follow the south bank of the reservoir.
Habitat and Birds: Open water and riparian areas mixed with dry sage and rocky areas. Look for phalaropes, gulls, terns, waterfowl, herons, and shorebirds along the lake. The few trees that line the river can produce migrants and might yield a Gray Catbird on occasion.
Snake RiverHomestead Road return to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 88 D-1 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 88 F-1 geographic coordinates 44 58’ 37” N 116 51’ 36” W
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Location: From Richland, take Hwy 86 NW for 28 miles to the Snake River. Bird the area just north of the junction between Hwy 86 and the Brownlee-Oxbow Hwy (Hwy 71). This is the tiny town of Copperfield. Then proceed north on Homestead Road for 6.5 miles. At this point, the road forks. You can take the right fork (closest to the river) and continue north along the river before the road runs out after another 2 miles or you can take the left fork and follow it 4 miles to a "T" in the road at the edge of the forest. The Baker-Wallowa county line is only about 100 yards north of this junction.
Habitat and Birds: Birds you might expect to see along this stretch would include Snow Goose, Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, Tundra Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, a dozen other duck species, Chukar, Gray Partridge, Ruffed Grouse, Dusky Grouse, Wild Turkey, Pied-billed Grebe, Great Egret, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Northern Goshawk, Golden Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Spotted Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, California Gull, Herring Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Western Screech-Owl, Great Horned Owl, Long-eared Owl, Common Nighthawk, Vaux's and White-throated Swift, Lewis's Woodpecker, Say's Phoebe, Eastern Kingbird, Western Kingbird, Loggerhead Shrike, Red-eyed Vireo, Horned Lark, swallows, House Wren, Canyon Wren, Rock Wren, Sage Thrasher, Mountain Bluebird, migrating warblers, Lazuli Bunting, and Bullock's Oriole.
Snake River Road/Brownlee Reservoirreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-8 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 B-10 Pg 79 geographic coordinates 44 38’ 36” N 117 06’ 20” W
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Location: Take 1st Street out of Richland south for .75 miles and the road will take a right angle turn to the right. Follow this turn and stay on this road for a short distance until it takes another right angle turn and heads south. Take this road (still 1st St.) south until it crosses the Powder River. At the bridge, reset your odometer and travel south and then east for 2 miles. The road (still 1st St.) then turns south for 5 miles as it makes its way to the reservoir. The road changes names to Snake River Road just before it reaches the reservoir (1st St. turns and goes north). If you are inclined to do so, you can drive south for 30 miles along the river to Huntington in Southern Baker County.
Habitat and Birds: Like the other roads that follow the Snake River, extreme canyons are bordered by open water. Birds you might expect to see along this stretch would include Snow Goose, Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, Tundra Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, a dozen other duck species, Chukar, Gray Partridge, Ruffed Grouse, Dusky Grouse, Wild Turkey, Pied-billed Grebe, Great Egret, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Northern Goshawk, Golden Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Spotted Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, California Gull, Herring Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Western Screech-Owl, Great-horned Owl, Long-eared Owl, Common Nighthawk, Vaux's and White-throated Swift, Lewis's Woodpecker, Say's Phoebe, Eastern Kingbird, Western Kingbird, Loggerhead Shrike, Red-eyed Vireo, Horned Lark, swallows, House Wren, Canyon Wren, Rock Wren, Sage Thrasher, Mountain Bluebird, migrating warblers, Lazuli Bunting, and Bullock's Oriole.
Basser Diggins CG Big Lookout Mt. return to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 B-7 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 C-9 geographic coordinates 44 38’ 05” N 117 15’ 00” W
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Location: From I-84 at Durkee cross under I-84 onto the Manning Basin Rd. heading east , northeast 13 miles to Basser Diggins Campground. This BLM campground is atop Big Lookout Mountain (7120') and the view is spectacular!
Habitat and Birds: The habitat is a mix of Western Juniper, Douglas Fir, Aspen and bitter brush. This is a real isolated birding experience as there are very few folks in this area. The birding is never dull as there are very unique plant communities in this area. Green-tailed Towhees, Gray Flycatchers, Red-naped Sapsucker, Dusky Flycatchers, Brewers Sparrows and Cassin's Vireo have been seen here along with Cassin's Finch. The area is seldom birded and should be looked over in late spring through October. Looks like an outstanding fall raptor passage site. This is a fair weather road and should never be attempted in winter with snow on the ground. Because this is a high elevation site be prepared for unexpected weather in the summer.
Farewell Bend State Recreational Areareturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 C-8 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 D-9 geographic coordinates 44 18’ 24” N 117 13’ 29” W
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Location: Farewell Bend is south of Huntington near the confluence of Hwy 30 and I-84. Take exit 353 on I-84 and travel north on Hwy 30 for one mile to the park.
Habitat and Birds: Large trees bordering the Snake River. Gulls will often loaf here and the trees in the park offer migrants a good resting location near the river. Good views of the river proper are offered here and just about any waterfowl known to visit Baker County could be found here.
Birding Locations
Baker County Website
National Wildlife Refuges in Oregon
Dooley Mt. Summit return to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 B-5 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 C-6 geographic coordinates 44 34’ 05” N 117 51’ 05” W
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Location: Take SR 7 south of Baker City to Salisbury. Along this route watch for Bobolinks in the wet hay meadows in May and June. At Salisbury turn south onto SR 245 and you will go up over Dooley Mountain Summit (5392') during late spring through late September it is well worth birding the many U.S. Forest Service Roads that take off from the summit area. FSRD 11 is very good June birding with all the southeastern Blue Mountain birds in abundance. Also bird FSRD 1115 as it crosses several eco-zones and is worth your time.
Habitat and Birds: This is a great owling area Sept-October. This area is loaded with woodpeckers such as Hairy, Black-backed, White-headed and Pileated. Watch out for ticks in late May.
Unity Lake State Park return to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 82 B-4 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 78 C-5 geographic coordinates 44 30’ 01” N 118˚ 11’ 08” W
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Location: From Baker, travel 7.8 miles south on Hwy 7 to Hwy 245. Take 245 south for 15 miles through the Wallowa Whitman NF (bird as much as you like in this forest). 245 will turn west at this point. Go another 18 miles to Unity Reservoir. About halfway from the west turn Unity Reservoir is the tiny berg of Hereford. Just west of Hereford look for a side road called Hereford Loop. This area is good for Bobolink and Sandhill Cranes.
Habitat and Birds: Birds you might expect to see along this stretch would include Snow Goose, Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, Tundra Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, a dozen other duck species, Chukar, Gray Partridge, Ruffed Grouse, Dusky Grouse, Wild Turkey, Pied-billed Grebe, Great Egret, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Northern Goshawk, Golden Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Spotted Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, California Gull, Herring Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Western Screech-Owl, Great-horned Owl, Long-eared Owl, Common Nighthawk, Vaux's and White-throated Swift, Lewis's Woodpecker, Say's Phoebe, Eastern Kingbird, Western Kingbird, Loggerhead Shrike, Red-eyed Vireo, Horned Lark, swallows, House Wren, Canyon Wren, Rock Wren, Sage Thrasher, Mountain Bluebird, migrating warblers, Lazuli Bunting, and Bullock's Oriole.
From Unity Reservoir to Whitney return to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 82 B-4 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 78 C-5 geographic coordinates (south end Hwy 245 Unity Reservoir) 44 30’ 18” N 118˚ 08’ 18” W (North end Hwy 7 Whitney Wetlands) 44 39’ 39” N 118˚ 17’ 29” W
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Location: From Baker, travel 7.8 miles south on Hwy 7 to Hwy 245. Take 245 south for 15 miles through the Wallowa Whitman NF (bird as much as you like in this forest). 245 will turn west at this point. Go another 16 miles toward Unity Reservoir. About 2 miles from the reservoir, turn right (north) on Whitney Road (This road is also called the 507 Road or the Big Flat Road). Take this road north for about 15 miles to the ghost town of Whitney and Hwy 7. About halfway on this road the name changes to Burnt River Road on some maps. You can take Hwy 7 back to Baker City.
Habitat and Birds: This is a good route for forest birds. Care should be taken when attempting access to this lake in early spring as snow may block your path. Watch for Ruffed Grouse, Dusky Grouse, Wild Turkey, Northern Goshawk, White-throated Swift, Lewis's Woodpecker, Mountain Quail, Flammulated Owl, Northern Pygmy-Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Calliope Hummingbird, Lewis’s Woodpecker, Williamson’s Sapsucker, Red-naped Sapsucker, White-headed Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Hammond’s Flycatcher, Dusky Flycatcher, Cassin’s Vireo, Mountain Chickadee, all 3 nuthatches, Brown Creeper, Townsend’s Solitaire, Hermit Thrush, Townsend’s Warbler, Western Tanager, Cassin’s Finch, Red Crossbill and many more. In the Whitney Wetlands near Hwy 7 you can often find Wilson’s Phalaropes, waterfowl, Sandhill Cranes, and both bluebirds.
Long Creek Group Campground return to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 B-5 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 C-6 geographic coordinates 44 21’ 00” N 118 09’ 05” W
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Location: South and east of Unity off SR 26 is West Camp Creek Rd. which goes south and becomes FSRD 1680. Follow it south for five miles until you reach South Camp Creek. Parallel it for one mile then turn left at the sign into the campground. The 1.75 miles into the campground is well worth walking and birding June -August.
Habitat and Birds: Watch the hummingbirds as there may be Broad Tailed Hummers here. There are good numbers of Flammulated Owls calling in Late May into early June. This is a great birding/ camping site that deserves your attention. Watch for amphibians along the creek and the wild flower bloom is spectacular in May and June.
Durkee and Burnt River Canyonreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 B-6 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 C-8 geographic coordinates 44 35’ 01” N 117 27’ 48” W
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Location: Drive 22 miles south of Baker City on I-84 and take exit 327. Take Durkee Road west to Old US Hwy 30. Turn right (north) on 30 and go 1.6 miles to Burnt River Canyon Lane. Take a left and drive this road for 20 miles through Burnt River Canyon.
Habitat and Birds: The rich farmland around Durkee can provide good birding. The canyon itself offers opportunities to find Chukar, Canyon Wren, Rock Wren, and Bushtit. Ash-throated and Gray Flycatchers may be found here as well. The contrast between the dry hillsides and wet riparian areas around the river make this a beautiful drive and pretty good birding as well. Watch for breeding Lewis's Woodpecker, White-throated Swift, and "Western-type" Flycatcher (the distribution of Cordilleran and Pacific-slope Flycatcher in Eastern Oregon is not well understood) along this route.
Sumpter/Sumpter Valley Dredge State Heritage Areareturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 82 B-4 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 78 B-5 geographic coordinates 44 44’ 37” N 118˚ 12’ 06” W
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Location: To reach the city of Sumpter, take Hwy 7 south of Baker City and then west for about 25 miles to the Jct of Hwy 7 and Hwy 220 (Hwy 410). Take 220 another 3 miles into Sumpter. To find the Sumpter Valley Dredge State Heritage Area, look for signs about 0.5 miles before entering Sumpter. The State site in the City of Sumpter has small graveled trails paralleling the Powder River and Cracker Creek. Some facilities are available in the city and at the park. In summer, you can take the train for a tour of the old gold mine area.
Habitat and Birds: Conifer Forests and cottonwood-willow riparian areas along the Powder River. Species that can be seen here include Black-headed Grosbeaks, Gray Catbirds, swallows, vireos, and forest finches. There are some ponds in the area that may contain cattails. Look for American Bittern and various waterfowl.
Phillips Reservoirreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 82 B-4 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 78 B-5 geographic coordinates 44 40’ 19” N 117 59’ 59” W
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Location: Take Hwy 7 south and then west out of Baker City for about 20 miles. Phillips Reservoir is next to Hwy 7. There are several areas to bird around the reservoir. On the north side, the Union Creek Campground has paved roads that make walking easy. There is a trail that goes all around the lake and that trail can be accessed from Union Creek. On the south side, Southwest Shore and Millers Lane campgrounds provide good birding. Access these by taking Hudspeth Lane on the west side of the lake. Hudspeth goes through some tailings and has many small pools of water. Take the first left after rounding the lake and follow the signs to the other campgrounds. Mowich Loop Picnic Area provides additional good birding on your way back to Hwy 7.
Habitat and Birds: Ponderosa pines and riparian vegetation are the big draws along with the lake itself. Possible species here include: Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Common Loon, Mountain Bluebird, Western Bluebird, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Pygmy Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch, Red Crossbill, Dark-eyed Junco, Pine Siskin, Cassin's Finch, Mountain Chickadee, Evening Grosbeak, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Song Sparrow, Calliope Hummingbird, varieties of warblers, and Sandhill Crane
Powder River Recreation Trailreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 B-5 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 B-6 geographic coordinates 44 40’ 14” N 117 58’ 39” W
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Location: From Baker City, take Hwy 7 south and then west for about 16 miles and look for parking area on your left. Park and cross the wooden bridge. The trail goes both north and south from this location. The north section is more rugged but the south section is suitable for most birders and has a restroom facility.
Habitat and Birds: Riparian and conifer habitat. Possible birds here include: American Dipper, Song Sparrow, Black-capped Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch, Red Crossbill, Vaux's Swift, swallows, Common Merganser, and Belted Kingfisher
Bowen Valleyreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 B-5 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 B-6 geographic coordinates 44 44’ 23” N 117 50’ 01” W
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Location South of Baker City, Hwy 7 goes through a canyon and then opens up with farmland on to the west and the Powder River to the east. This is Bowen Valley. This small valley is only 4 miles long but can produce some good birds.
Habitat and Birds: Riparian stream sides and farmland. Look for Western and Eastern Kingbirds here. Bobolinks are possible here and raptors like Ferruginous Hawk and Rough-legged Hawk might be found in season. This can be a good winter sparrow area along the fence lines and Gray Partridge and Chukars feed in the snow covered winter fields.
Baker Cityreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-5 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 B-6 geographic coordinates 44 46’ 28” N 117 49’ 47” W
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City Information
Location: Baker City is in NE Oregon about 42 miles south of La Grande and 72 miles north of Ontario off I-84.
Habitat and Birds: As is typical of most Eastern Oregon towns, winter is the best time to find rare birds in Baker City. Check the various neighborhoods for fruiting trees and watch for wintering finches, warblers, sparrows, and Bohemian Waxwings.
Baker Sewer Pondsreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-5 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 B-6 geographic coordinates 44 ’ ” N 117 ’ ” W
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Location: From the west side of Baker City, go to 10th Street and travel north out of town. 10th becomes the La Grande-Baker Hwy or Hwy 30 as it leaves Baker City. Hughes Lane marks the northern edge of Baker City. From the intersection of Hughes and Hwy 30, go .7 miles to Imnaha Road and take a right. Go 0.5 miles and you will see the ponds on your right. If you want better access to these ponds, call city hall at 541-523-6541. Bill Tice's book on Oregon sewer ponds lists Tom Fisk as a contact person at city hall but that information may be outdated.
Habitat and Birds: This, like most of the small ponds around Baker City, can produce just about any form of waterfowl, shorebird, or wader one might expect to find in Baker County. Snow Goose, Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, Tundra Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, a dozen other duck species, grebes, Great Egret, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Peregrine Falcon, Spotted Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Several species of gull, and a few others might be found here.
ODFW Highway Pondreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-5 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 A-7 geographic coordinates 44 51’ 41” N 117 48’ 50” W
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Location: From Baker City travel north on Interstate 84 approximately 5 miles to the State 203 exit (going to Medical Springs). This Oregon Dept. of Wildlife pond is just off the interstate to the east of the access road. There is a designated parking area on the northside of the pond but no other developed facilities. A foot path developed by anglers goes around the pond. Other privately owned dredge ponds are also located just east of Baker City along a frontage road that extends under the freeway at exit 304. Public access is only allowed with permission from land owners
Habitat and Birds: A good spot to check for waterfowl and shorebirds. Snow Goose, Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, Tundra Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, a dozen other duck species, grebes, Great Egret, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Peregrine Falcon, Spotted Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Several species of gull, and a few others might be found here.
Lake Bobreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-5 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 B-7 geographic coordinates 44 50’ 15” N 117 49’ 06” W
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Location: From I-5, take exit 302 and go west on Hwy 86 for 0.1 miles. Turn right (north) on Old Trail Road and go 2.4 miles to the ponds.
Habitat and Birds: Snow Goose, Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, Tundra Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, a dozen other duck species, grebes, Great Egret, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Peregrine Falcon, Spotted Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Several species of gull, and a few others might be found here.
Airport Pondsreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 geographic coordinates 44 ’ ” N 117 ’ ” W
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Location: From I-5, take exit 302 and go east on Hwy 86 for 0.1 miles. Turn left (north) on Hwy 203 which parallels I-84. Within a half mile, you will see a pond on your right. Check this one. Continue on Hwy 203 for 1.5 miles and turn right on S. Airport Lane. More ponds will soon appear on your right. Check these and continue east to Lindley Road. There is another pond to check here. Turn left on Lindley and go 0.025 miles and turn right on S. Airport Lane. Go 1.5 miles east to Sunny Slope Road. Turn right and go 0.5 miles to the last pond.
Habitat and Birds: Snow Goose, Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, Tundra Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, a dozen other duck species, grebes, Great Egret, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Peregrine Falcon, Spotted Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Several species of gull, and a few others might be found here.
Best Frontage Road & Smith Lakereturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-5 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 B-7 geographic coordinates 44 48’ 11” N 117 48’ 34” W
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Location: From I-84, take exit 302 and travel east on Hwy 86 for about 0.1 miles. Turn south on Best Frontage Road and scan the ponds on your left. There are a total of 4 ponds but the eastern-most pond is difficult to see. You may get a better look if you turn left (east) on "H" Street and circle around to Atwood Road. To find Smith Lake, go to the south end of Best Frontage Road and turn left on "H" Street. Take "H" to Atwood Road and turn right. The road quickly turns east and becomes Sunset Lane. Turn right between the two farm houses and go 0.25 miles to the lake.
Habitat and Birds: This, like most of the small ponds around Baker City, can produce just about any form of waterfowl, shorebird, or wader one might expect to find in Baker County. Snow Goose, Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, Tundra Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, a dozen other duck species, grebes, Great Egret, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Peregrine Falcon, Spotted Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, several species of gull, and a few others might be found here.
Mt. Hope Cemeteryreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-5 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 B-7 geographic coordinates 44 46’ 01” N 117 49’ 23” W
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Location: From the center of Baker City, travel south on Main Street (Hwy 7) to Auburn Avenue. Turn left (east) and immediately turn right (south) onto Bridge Street (Hwy 30). Take Bridge Street south about 4 blocks and turn left on Indiana Avenue. The cemetery is two blocks to the east.
Habitat and Birds: Though not many trees, there are a few and they could harbor a migrant or two and might be a place to find a winter visitor.
Pocahontas Roadreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-5 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 B-6 geographic coordinates 44 47’ 46” N 117 50’ 37” W
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Location: From the west side of Baker City, take Hwy 30 (10th Street) north to the edge of the city. Turn left on Pocahontas Road (Look for the local Fish & Wildlife building and a livestock supply store.) Keep to this road as it winds through farmland. Near mile 13.5 look for a right turn on the Anthony Lakes Hwy and this will get you to Haines (see the Haines Sewer Ponds below) and then back to Baker City.
Habitat and Birds: Most of this area is open farmland but there are several riparian strips and some dry scrub-land. Long-billed Curlew are plentiful here in season. This might be a good area to check for Burrowing Owl and Short-eared Owl.
Kolb Reservoirreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-5 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 B-6 geographic coordinates 44 45’ 56” N 117 51’ 08” W
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Location: Kolb Reservoir is just east of the Baker City Golf Club in SW Baker City. Take Hwy 7 south to the southern edge of town. Turn right (west) on Indiana Avenue and go past the golf course. Look for Reservoir Road on the right. The entrance to Kolb Reservoir is on the left across from Reservoir Road.
Habitat and Birds: This small pond is well used by locals but can sometimes harbor waterfowl or shorebirds.
Thief Valley Reservoirreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 87 D-5 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 75 F-7 geographic coordinates 45 00’ 45” N 117 46’ 52” W
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Location: To get to the undeveloped west side of the reservoir, travel north from Baker City on I-5 to exit 285 (North Powder). Take 2nd street for 2 blocks and turn right on Ice Plant Road. This road quickly becomes Bidwell Road. Take Bidwell for 4.0 miles to Theif Valley Reservoir Road. Take this road another 5 miles to the reservoir. The developed east side is in Union County.
Habitat and Birds: Snow Goose, Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, Tundra Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, a dozen other duck species, grebes, Great Egret, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Peregrine Falcon, Spotted Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, several species of gull, and a few others might be found here.
Balm Creek Reservoir return to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-7 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 A-8 geographic coordinates 44 58’ 12” N 117 29’ 29” W
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Location: From I-84 exit 302 in Baker City, take I-84 north for 3.5 miles. Take exit 298 to Medical Springs Hwy/OR -203. Travel east on Hwy 203 for 18 miles. Turn right at Big Creek Road. In two miles, the road will change to Collins Road/NFD 70. Stay on this road for 9 miles to Balm Creek Reservoir. Take a local Forest Service map with you to explore the surrounding area or you can bird only around the lake.
Habitat and Birds: Care should be taken when attempting access to this lake in early spring as snow may block your path. From mid-summer to late fall, the lake sometimes dries up. Forest species in this area include Ruffed Grouse, Dusky Grouse, Wild Turkey, Northern Goshawk, White-throated Swift, Lewis's Woodpecker, Mountain Quail, Flammulated Owl, Northern Pygmy-Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Calliope Hummingbird, Lewis’s Woodpecker, Williamson’s Sapsucker, Red-naped Sapsucker, White-headed Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Hammond’s Flycatcher, Dusky Flycatcher, Cassin’s Vireo, Mountain Chickadee, all 3 nuthatches, Brown Creeper, Townsend’s Solitaire, Hermit Thrush, Townsend’s Warbler, Western Tanager, Cassin’s Finch, Red Crossbill and many more.
Haines Sewage Pondsreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-5 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 A-6 geographic coordinates 44 54’ 52” N 117 55’ 02” W
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Location: Haines is about 10 miles north of Baker City on Hwy 30. Once in the town, turn right (east) on 3rd Street. Leave town and travel about 1.5 miles. Go past the dump road and the ponds will be on the right side. There is no reason to enter the property and entrance is not allowed.
Habitat and Birds: These ponds have not been birded much but standing water in Baker County is at a premium so they might produce some good birds.
North Powder Pondsreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 87 D-5 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 75 F-6 geographic coordinates 45 00’ 48” N 117 55’ 46” W
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Location: There are two ponds called North Powder Pond #1 and North Powder Pond #2. North Powder Pond #2 is technically in Union County but we will address them both here. To find Pond #1, take exit 285 and go to the west side of the freeway. Take Hwy 30 south for 0.9 miles and look for a dirt road to your right. Take this road to Pond #1. To find Pond #2, return to the freeway exit on Hwy 30 and take Hwy 237 west. Travel 4 miles on this road to a left hand turn (south) onto Ellis Road. The pond is just 0.5 miles south on Ellis Road.
Habitat and Birds: Snow Goose, Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, Tundra Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, a dozen other duck species, grebes, Great Egret, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Peregrine Falcon, Spotted Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, several species of gull, and a few others might be found here.
National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Centerreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-6 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 B-7 geographic coordinates 44 48’ 49” N 117 43’ 37” W
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Location This is one of those locations that must be visited. The birding is typical desert fare; go early in the morning, carry lots of water, expect much of the activity to die off by 9:00 AM. Once finished, don't pass up interpretive center itself. This center tells the whole Oregon Trail story and is a moving and powerful exhibit. To get here, take I-84 north of Baker to exit 302. Take Hwy 86 east for 5 miles to the interpretive center. There are several driving areas and hiking loops but take plenty of water in summer and dress warmly in winter.
Habitat and Birds: Open sage and grassland. Look for sage species like Sage Sparrow and Sage Thrasher. Sparrows include Vesper, Lark, Savannah, Brewer's, and Zonotrichians (winter).
Virtue Flat OHV Areareturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-6 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 B-7 geographic coordinates 44 48’ 28” N 117 42’ 57” W
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Location Across Hwy 86 from the entrance to the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center is Ruckles Creek Road. This is the access road to the OHV area. On weekends, this area can be full of noisy OHVs but weekdays can offer a good, quiet place to bird.
Habitat and Birds: Open sage and grassland. Look for sage species like Sage Sparrow and Sage Thrasher. Sparrows include Vesper, Lark, Savannah, Brewer's, and Zonotrichians (winter).
Love Reservoirreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 B-6 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 B-8 geographic coordinates 44 45’ 38” N 117 30’ 54” W
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Location Please don't try this location if the road is wet. When muddy, it can trap you. From the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center (see above), you can get to Love Reservoir two ways. 1) Take the Virtue Flat OHV Area road (Ruckles Creek Road) east for about 7 miles to Love Reservoir Road. Then take Love Reservoir Road 5.7 miles to the reservoir. 2) For the less adventurous types, travel 7.6 miles past the interpretive center and turn south on Ruckles Creek Road. Take Ruckles Creek for 3.2 miles and turn onto Love Reservoir Road. Follow this road 5.7 miles to the water. There are no developed facilities at this location. Continue past the lake and investigate Love Ditch as it meanders near the road. It can harbor more waterfowl.
Habitat and Birds: Open sage and a shallow lake. Species expected here: Eared Grebe, various waterfowl, Horned Lark, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Marsh Wren, Virginia Rail.
Hole-in-the-Wall return to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-7 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 B-9 geographic coordinates 44 48’ 24” N 117 19’ 13” W
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Location Twenty three miles east of the interpretive center and 11 miles west of Richland is Hole-in-the-Wall Gulch. Look for the Interpretive sign. The birding area is below the sign on the Powder River. You can drive down to this area by using the old highway that runs a short distance before stopping at a landslide.
Habitat and Birds: Upland sage and riparian vegetation. Yellow-breasted Chats like this area as do Gray Catbirds and Bullock's Orioles.
New Bridge/Eagle Creek Roadreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-8 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 B-10 geographic coordinates 44 48’ 06” N 117 11’ 22” W
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Location: From Richland, travel west on Hwy 86 for .3 miles to New Bridge Road. A half mile north on this road is a good pond that can have waterfowl. Bird along this road including the tiny town of New Bridge.
Habitat and Birds: Ornamental vegetation provides good hummingbird habitat and fruiting trees often have waxwings and orioles. The hillsides will have Lazuli Bunting and possibly Yellow-breasted Chat. The town of New Bridge is known to be a good place to find Western Screech-Owl. Just north of New Bridge, there are large cottonwoods which attract Lewis's Woodpeckers among other species. Red-eyed Vireo has been spotted here more than once. Eventually, Eagle Creek Road enters timber and a variety of forest birds will greet you. This is the favorite Baker County location for at least one of the authors of this document.
Eagle Cap Wilderness Areareturn to the top
National Forest Website
Location: (Trails require a NW Forest Pass) East Eagle Trailhead- Located approximately 34 miles northwest of Richland, OR, on Forest Road #7735. Take a left on Forest Road #77 and then a right on Forest Road #7745 which leads to the trailhead. Primitive camping. Fish Lake Trailhead- Approximately 21 miles north of Halfway, OR, on County Road #1005, travel approximately 3 miles and then onto County Road #999 which leads to Forest Road #66. The trailhead has a loading ramp, hitch rails, and one picnic table. Fish Lake Campground is approximately 0.5 miles from the trailhead.
Habitat and Birds: This wilderness if famous in birding circles as the best place in Oregon to find Spruce Grouse, White-winged Crossbill, and Pine Grosbeak. Though the wilderness proper does not extend far into Baker County, it is possible to access the forest on the southern edge of the wilderness area and find terrific forest birding. At lower elevations, check riparian areas for Gray Catbird and Veery. Just about any location will yield plenty of Mt. Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatches, and Brown Creepers. Cassin's Vireos and Cassin's Finches inhabit the open forested areas. Evening Grosbeaks in the forest and Black-headed Grosbeaks near the riparian areas may be abundant in some years. Though Ruffed Grouse and Dusky Grouse outnumber the Spruce Grouse, the latter is still present here in small numbers. Owls include Northern Pygmy, Northern Saw-whet, Flammulated (mid-elevation forests with open patches), Western Screech, and Great Horned (with Great Gray and Long-eared always a possibility). Cooper's Hawks and Northern Goshawks are found here as are Rufous and Calliope Hummingbirds. Woodpeckers include Pileated and White-headed along with the ubiquitous Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers. Williamson's and Red-naped Sapsuckers are here as well. Empids include Hammond's, Dusky, Gray, Cordilleran, and Willow. Western-Wood Pewee can be here as well. Gray Jays and Clark's Nutcrackers are easy to find and Western Tanager are common. Townsend's Solitaire are often found nesting in this region as are Hermit and Swainson's Thrushes. Western and Mt. Bluebirds are present. Warblers include Yellow, Yellow-rumped, Common Yellowthroat, Nashville, Wilson's, MacGillivray's, Orange-crowned, and Townsend's. Both kinglets are here as are Pine Siskins and Red Crossbills.
Snake RiverOxbow Reservoir/Hwy 71 return to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 88 D-1 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 88 F-1 geographic coordinates 44 58’ 18” N 116 51’ 29” W
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Location: From Richland, take Hwy 86 NW for 28 miles to the Snake River. Bird the area just north of the junction between Hwy 86 and the Brownlee-Oxbow Hwy (Hwy 71). This is the tiny town of Copperfield. Then take, the Brownlee-Oxbow Hwy south for 10 miles before it crosses into Idaho. Keep in mind the eastern half of the river is in Idaho.
Habitat and Birds: There are three attractions here: the river, the rocky canyon, and the green seeps that are scattered among the canyons. Birds you might expect to see along this stretch would include Snow Goose, Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, Tundra Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, a dozen other duck species, Chukar, Gray Partridge, Ruffed Grouse, Dusky Grouse, Wild Turkey, Pied-billed Grebe, Great Egret, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Northern Goshawk, Golden Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Spotted Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, California Gull, Herring Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Western Screech-Owl, Great-horned Owl, Long-eared Owl, Common Nighthawk, Vaux's and White-throated Swift, Lewis's Woodpecker, Say's Phoebe, Eastern Kingbird, Western Kingbird, Loggerhead Shrike, Red-eyed Vireo, Horned Lark, swallows, House Wren, Canyon Wren, Rock Wren, Sage Thrasher, Mountain Bluebird, migrating warblers, Lazuli Bunting, and Bullock's Oriole.
Halfwayreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-8 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 A-10 geographic coordinates 44 52’ 50” N 117 06’ 52” W
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Location: From Richland, take Hwy 86 NW for 11 miles and look for Hwy 12 and the sign to Halfway.
Habitat and Birds: This is a small town that exists at the edge of the Whitman National Forest. Though a Prothonotary Warbler was found here in 2001, the more standard fare will likely be birds that wander down from the forest. Winter specialties here include Bohemian Waxwing, Common Redpoll, and Pine Siskin is possible.
Brownlee Reservoir & Hewitt Memorial Park return to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-8 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 B-10 geographic coordinates 44 45’ 20” N 117 07’ 53” W
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Location: From Richland, travel east on Hwy 86 to the point at which the road begins to bend north (less than a mile from Richmond). Robinette Road goes straight instead of bending north. Take Robinette for 1.1 miles to a fork. Take the right fork which is Hewitt Road to the boat ramp and scan the lake. Return back to the fork in the road and take the left fork to another boat ramp and scan here. To access the less developed south side of the reservoir, take 1st Street out of Richland south for .75 miles and the road will take a right angle turn to the right. Follow this turn and stay on this road for a short distance until it takes another right angle turn and heads south. Take this road (still 1st St.) south until it crosses the Powder River. At the bridge, reset your odometer and travel south and then east for 2 miles. Look for a dirt road that will follow the south bank of the reservoir.
Habitat and Birds: Open water and riparian areas mixed with dry sage and rocky areas. Look for phalaropes, gulls, terns, waterfowl, herons, and shorebirds along the lake. The few trees that line the river can produce migrants and might yield a Gray Catbird on occasion.
Snake RiverHomestead Road return to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 88 D-1 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 88 F-1 geographic coordinates 44 58’ 37” N 116 51’ 36” W
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Location: From Richland, take Hwy 86 NW for 28 miles to the Snake River. Bird the area just north of the junction between Hwy 86 and the Brownlee-Oxbow Hwy (Hwy 71). This is the tiny town of Copperfield. Then proceed north on Homestead Road for 6.5 miles. At this point, the road forks. You can take the right fork (closest to the river) and continue north along the river before the road runs out after another 2 miles or you can take the left fork and follow it 4 miles to a "T" in the road at the edge of the forest. The Baker-Wallowa county line is only about 100 yards north of this junction.
Habitat and Birds: Birds you might expect to see along this stretch would include Snow Goose, Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, Tundra Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, a dozen other duck species, Chukar, Gray Partridge, Ruffed Grouse, Dusky Grouse, Wild Turkey, Pied-billed Grebe, Great Egret, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Northern Goshawk, Golden Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Spotted Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, California Gull, Herring Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Western Screech-Owl, Great Horned Owl, Long-eared Owl, Common Nighthawk, Vaux's and White-throated Swift, Lewis's Woodpecker, Say's Phoebe, Eastern Kingbird, Western Kingbird, Loggerhead Shrike, Red-eyed Vireo, Horned Lark, swallows, House Wren, Canyon Wren, Rock Wren, Sage Thrasher, Mountain Bluebird, migrating warblers, Lazuli Bunting, and Bullock's Oriole.
Snake River Road/Brownlee Reservoirreturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 A-8 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 B-10 Pg 79 geographic coordinates 44 38’ 36” N 117 06’ 20” W
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Location: Take 1st Street out of Richland south for .75 miles and the road will take a right angle turn to the right. Follow this turn and stay on this road for a short distance until it takes another right angle turn and heads south. Take this road (still 1st St.) south until it crosses the Powder River. At the bridge, reset your odometer and travel south and then east for 2 miles. The road (still 1st St.) then turns south for 5 miles as it makes its way to the reservoir. The road changes names to Snake River Road just before it reaches the reservoir (1st St. turns and goes north). If you are inclined to do so, you can drive south for 30 miles along the river to Huntington in Southern Baker County.
Habitat and Birds: Like the other roads that follow the Snake River, extreme canyons are bordered by open water. Birds you might expect to see along this stretch would include Snow Goose, Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, Tundra Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, a dozen other duck species, Chukar, Gray Partridge, Ruffed Grouse, Dusky Grouse, Wild Turkey, Pied-billed Grebe, Great Egret, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Northern Goshawk, Golden Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Spotted Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, California Gull, Herring Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Western Screech-Owl, Great-horned Owl, Long-eared Owl, Common Nighthawk, Vaux's and White-throated Swift, Lewis's Woodpecker, Say's Phoebe, Eastern Kingbird, Western Kingbird, Loggerhead Shrike, Red-eyed Vireo, Horned Lark, swallows, House Wren, Canyon Wren, Rock Wren, Sage Thrasher, Mountain Bluebird, migrating warblers, Lazuli Bunting, and Bullock's Oriole.
Basser Diggins CG Big Lookout Mt. return to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 B-7 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 C-9 geographic coordinates 44 38’ 05” N 117 15’ 00” W
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Location: From I-84 at Durkee cross under I-84 onto the Manning Basin Rd. heading east , northeast 13 miles to Basser Diggins Campground. This BLM campground is atop Big Lookout Mountain (7120') and the view is spectacular!
Habitat and Birds: The habitat is a mix of Western Juniper, Douglas Fir, Aspen and bitter brush. This is a real isolated birding experience as there are very few folks in this area. The birding is never dull as there are very unique plant communities in this area. Green-tailed Towhees, Gray Flycatchers, Red-naped Sapsucker, Dusky Flycatchers, Brewers Sparrows and Cassin's Vireo have been seen here along with Cassin's Finch. The area is seldom birded and should be looked over in late spring through October. Looks like an outstanding fall raptor passage site. This is a fair weather road and should never be attempted in winter with snow on the ground. Because this is a high elevation site be prepared for unexpected weather in the summer.
Farewell Bend State Recreational Areareturn to the top
DeLorme (copyright 2001) Pg 83 C-8 DeLorme (copyright 2008) Pg 79 D-9 geographic coordinates 44 18’ 24” N 117 13’ 29” W
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Location: Farewell Bend is south of Huntington near the confluence of Hwy 30 and I-84. Take exit 353 on I-84 and travel north on Hwy 30 for one mile to the park.
Habitat and Birds: Large trees bordering the Snake River. Gulls will often loaf here and the trees in the park offer migrants a good resting location near the river. Good views of the river proper are offered here and just about any waterfowl known to visit Baker County could be found here.