SCHIESS: Birds, Bugles and Brunch
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Crouched behind a sagebrush watching one bull elk trying to control his harem of cows while satellite bulls tried to steal them was quite comical for me. Nearby, other bulls were bugling and trying to keep their herds together.
If you want a chance to experience these types of sights and sounds, along with other fall experiences, the Friends of Camas is hosting their Third Annual Birds, Bugles and Brunch activity on Saturday, September 17, at Camas National Wildlife Refuge. Bird walks, youth activities, live music and a free brunch will take place from 8 a.m. until noon to encourage visitors to “discover Camas NWR.”
Before the festivities begin, there will be an early morning hayride starting at 7:30, taking about 20 people around Sandhole Pond and back again. To book a spot on this ride, you will have to contact Brian at brian_wehausen@tws.gov. There will also be short hayrides around the auto-tour route.
Some of the bird walks around the headquarters will also be guided by expert birders for those who would like that experience.
“The brunch will begin about 9 a.m. and will last until we run out of food,” Brian Wehausen, manager of Camas NWR, said. “To get an approximate number of guests wanting brunch, we are asking those planning to enjoy brunch to contact Taylor at tputman13@gmail.com.
The timing for this event coincides with the traditional time for the bugling of elk during the annual rutt. A large resident herd of elk of over 100 live all year on the refuge, rarely leaving and then only to raid neighboring farmer’s crops. The bulls of this herd are very vocal during the middle of the breeding season.
“We try to locate the elk every week,” Wehausen said. “Sometimes even a herd that large is hard to find if the weather is hot and they are holed up.”
This is also an exciting time for those not interested in the elk. It is also the time for migrating songbirds, shore birds, raptors and waterfowl. Hundreds of Canada geese and sandhill cranes are staging on the refuge for their long flight south. Songbirds gather in the thickets around the headquarters, feeding on seeds and berries to gain weight for their migration. Last year the B, B and B, coincided with the migration of Swainson’s hawks as over 100 of them filled local trees for their fall trip to winter in Costa Rica.
Owls are always a draw for people to the refuge. Short-eared, barn, Great-horned, Saw Whet and burrowing owls can sometimes be found by being observant while walking or traveling the open roads.
It is also an exciting time to watch the other animals that call Camas home. Porcupines are in their breeding time and if you find a couple of them flirting, it will beat any soap opera on the TV. White-tailed deer, coyotes, mule deer and moose are all a possibility to see. Mule deer and moose have been rarely seen this year, but last week a muley was observed on the south side of the auto-route.
The recent rain and cool weather has started the elk talking and battling each other. The Birds, Bugling and Brunch activity is a great time to get a chance to experience fall at its finest.