The Millers, while doing some hikin'
Took numerous pictures of lichen,
And lava and rocks
And eagles in flocks,
And lofty Mount Shasta was strikin'.
- Tony Abell
Thanks, Tony!
Note: Steve's text looks like this. Terrie's looks like this.
Happy Valentine's! We load up the car and head out. The Klamath Basin is reportedly a major winter nesting area for bald eagles, numerous other raptors, and large numbers of other birds. We don't really know much else about it, except that it is the destination for one of the GGRO's off-season trips, it's at or near the Oregon border, and it's probably pretty cold.
Standard route for heading north out of the Bay Area at highest possible speed: From Sonoma County down 116 to 37 to I-80 to 505 (possibly the most effective city-bypass route in the US) to 5.
Lots of red-tails, kestrels, harriers, and turkey vultures on roadside poles and wires and flying around. I would reckon we saw 40-60 raptors on the way up to Klamath.
There's an unvoiced question in both of our minds (we find later) about whether this trip might not be worth the trouble. Will we really see ANY eagles, let alone LOTS? We can always ditch and come home if it's a bust.
Still, the scenery is appealing even while the overcast threatens to drop snow on our escape route. Interstate 5 north of Sacramento goes at 70mph from wide-open flat farmland to olive and other orchards to rolling hills to moountain pass.
I have made several new tapes recently; they serve us well on this trip. My favorite song from this trip, I think, is the Austin Lounge Lizards' "Big Rio Grande River."
We stop at Weed for latte -- so 90s, we are -- 20 years ago, I'd've stopped late for weed <g>. It tastes good and rejuvenates us for the remainder of the roughly 5-hour drive.
We see several osprey nests along the way as well. (At least we think they're osprey nests -- they look and are placed just like the one we know on Tomales Bay).
Steve and I volunteer as hawk-watchers with the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory, whose annual publication "Pacific Raptor Report" features a "Peregrinations!" column that outlines raptor hot-spots in California. We had great success in the fall with the article that described how to see Swainson's hawks gathering for migration near Davis California, and for this trip we are armed with the excellent "Klamath Basin in Winter" article by Allen Fish. So our hopes are high, but we are a little worried about bad weather and the unavoidable uncertainty that goes with any kind of wildlife viewing.
Mount Lassen and Mount Shasta are visible from I-5 on a clear day, but this isn't one of those days. Still, you can tell where they are because they attract their own weather systems. Shasta, especially, appears to be in the eye of a hurricane. On the flanks of these mountains we can see smaller, perfectly conical, "cinder cones." If any of these things blows right now, we're in big trouble.
We cross a pass at 5101 ft and another at 5202. Always with the numbers, me.
Then we cut off on state highway 97 and descend into the Klamath Basin. There's a lot of farmland, with mountains on either side, and quite a lot of water everywhere. We turn right on 161, which parallels the state line, and it's pretty remarkable.
In about ten miles, this stretch of highway crosses a huge shallow basin, intersected by dirt levees and small roads. It is an ornithologist's wet dream - literally very wet and dreamy. Ducks, geese, swans, herons, seagulls, and all other manner of flying creature are in evidence, often in uncountable flocks that form moving impressionistic swathes of color against the distant mountain backdrop. We stop and marvel at utter silence but for the sounds of this and that flock here and there in the sky.
Route 161 passes directly thru the Lower Klamath Wildlife Refuge, and this stretch of highway is unforgettable. Fortunately, we find that the road isn't too busy and we find pull-outs in the places we want to stop.
On one of those farmer's watering things that consists of a long row of large wheels carrying a long row of sprinklers in a big field, Terrie spots it. Just sitting perched on the sprinkler, an adult bald eagle! We have our binocs out in no time, and are staring at our first self-ID'd live adult bald eagle in the wild, who certainly can see us without aid of binocs.
This bird is so iconic, it's hard at first to comprehend it as a living breathing creature. It is a BIG bird, the size of a pretty big dog. Its head and tail feathers are exactly as snow-white as you've seen in any picture. When it takes off, it makes a big arc out to the east of us, across the road, and continuing out of side over the marshes, still all full of ducks, geese, etc.
We have time to do the auto tour through the Tule Lake Wildlife Preserve on the way to our motel in the town of Tulelake. Towards the end of 161, Sheepy Ridge, about 100-300 feet high, crosses the basin north to south.
We have reservations at the Ellis Hotel near Tule Lake, a small locally operated motel, and find it easily. What it may lack in modern or posh amenities it more than makes up for in value ($45/night, with a kitchenette) and it is absolutely spotless.
There is, apparently, some friction between the locals and anyone considered "environmental." I'm not sure what all of the issues are, but I find myself a little uneasy about it at times during the trip.
I've often wondered if the word "varmint" somehow is rooted in "environment." It predates "environmentalists," I daresay, by quite a few decades, but still. I'm not sure what the deal is either; of course it's about water. We get mostly good vibes from people, but at least one farmer has big signs on his highway frontage saying things like "Another Endangered Species -- the Tulelake Farmer."
We get an unmemorable (charitably speaking) dinner in Tule Lake.
Yeah, that was not a great dinner. Tough and dry meat (and for both of us ordering it done medium, Terrie's was MUCH rarer than mine), soggy overcooked vegetables, and large tubs of butter, sour cream, and chives for the potatoes that we doubt they used only once. Or even only ten times. Me no feel too good.
Flyout
Out to the west of highway 97 is the Bear Valley Wildlife Refuge. It's inaccessible by vehicle. I hear that over 1000 bald eagles nest there, and if you get to a certain place just to the west of the refuge, just before dawn, you can see them all flying out to go about their daily day.
We know we've found the right place when we see a line of cars parked on the dirt road, people meandering about with binocs, cameras, spotting scopes, small dogs (bait?), etc. We see eagles, lots, but you couldn't prove it by me -- they are flying very high and far away. Still, there ARE large numbers of them, and we overhear people saying they are bald eagles. I mean, it was exciting and interesting, but even with my binocs, for all I could tell they might've been vultures. Terrie has better eyes and better binocs, so might have more to say on this...
When told I'm seeing Eagles, I see...eagles. But in truth, once I spend some time watching the dark silhouettes passing overhead, I get a good fix on what a Bald Eagle glide looks like. It is quite windy, and the eagles are heading mostly into the wind, so they sometimes have a tippy-tippy motion like we're used to seeing for Turkey Vultures. But their heads are much bigger and overall they have a more robust shape.
The eagle flyout is what I thought would be most exciting about this trip, but I found myself a tad disappointed that we didn't get closer views. Still, knowing that the scores of birds you're seeing pass overhead are Bald Eagles is quite impressive.
Breakfast at Worden
Nice breakfast. We overhear a woman who is also breakfasting there, talking about how she has a little table set up next to one of her fields with free coffee. They are going to flood their field (which will flush the ground squirrels and whatever other rodents and attract bald eagles and other raptors). On the way out, I ask her where her "booth" is. It's the first left heading south on 97 after Worden (Township Road). We'll check back later.
This is a nice little stop -- really a truck stop, but your basic two-eggs-with-toast-and-hash-browns are done to perfection and the coffee is plentiful. I was never sure what relationship the field-flooders have to any of this--are they property owners or refuge employees? And I'm not sure I want to ask. I think they are trying to encourage tourism and eagle watching, but if all the ground squirrels die this year and the raptors come back next year looking for something to eat...uhm...
Butte Valley Wildlife Area
After breakfast, we head south to the Butte Valley Wildlife area, which we had passed on our way in the day before. This is one of the drives outlined in the article, probably about 6 miles altogether. The route takes you on gravel roads through the wildlife area (which is also available for hunting during specific days and parts of the year). We have the entire place to ourselves during the hour or more we spend there. Vast numbers of ducks and similar birds, and large numbers of Bald Eagles and Northern Harriers as well.
We watch several Bald Eagles standing in the water eating or looking for snack, and we get numerous looks at juveniles here. Bald Eagles go through about three plumage changes before they reach adulthood after 4 years. I especially like the just-before-adulthood version, which to me looks very much like a rebellious teenage eagle.
I'm a bit surprised by the fact that we're seeing most of the eagles on the ground -- not perched, and not often flying (though admittedly, once I notice that they're on the ground I tend to quit scanning the air as much). I've read that a large portion of a Bald Eagle's diet tends to actually be carrion, so this makes sense. But it takes the morning to adjust so that my eyes know that "large dog-sized thing in field" is probably an eagle.
I'm not a "bald eagle person" by nature -- they don't really mean anything more or less to me than any other raptor. They have been so over-iconized that I tend to take images of them for granted. But they are truly incredible animals, and after this trip I understood why they become such an icon. To see one in flight is to see power visualized. They have heavy wingbeats that move them rapidly across the horizon. They don't have the speedy diving flight of a falcon, and I didn't see them doing the easy soar of a redtail; the way they fly is completely different from any of the other raptors I know.
In any case, we get our first good views of multiple eagles at Butte Valley. But there was more to come.
Klamath Falls
We decide to check out the road that we'd learned about at breakfast. We take Township Road and soon see the booth, but we're past it by the time we start to decide whether to stop. Further on, there's a dirt road to the right with an auto tour sign. We decide to check it out, and almost immediately notice several bald eagles just sitting on small shoals in the water. This road runs north-south, and is unnamed, but crosses the "Straits Unit" of the Lower Klamath Refuge, and will come out on 161 just east of one of the big refuge signs.
I really love this road -- many eagles, many red tails, many harriers, many various raptors to keep us wondering. I'm wanting especially to see a Rough-Legged Hawk, which we had never seen (for sure). I hoping to also get a good look at a Ferruginous Hawk. In any case, the eagles are unmistakable and they (along with the Harriers and Red Tails) keep us sighing and wow'ing in raptor-induced ecstasy for some time.
Klamath Basin Refuge HQ/Visitors' Center
I am quite eager to get to the visitor center and see what books or information they might have. The visitor center has good displays about the area, and the woman at the desk was very helpful. In addition to a small field guide about ducks, I pick out a sweatshirt and Steve gets a t-shirt. I ask about a photo of a small dark bird with a bright head, and am informed that it's a "yellow-headed blackbird" and suddenly this birding thing seems easier. We stuff as many bills as we can into the donation box and happily start back out for more eye candy when I hear Steve greeting someone...it's our buddy, Angelo, and his wife, also visiting with the official GGRO tour that happens to be the same weekend. They spotted a Golden Eagle on their drive up, and we all buzzed excitedly about various things we've seen. We are raptor geeks.
Lower Klamath NWR car tour
The next car tour we take, south of 161 thru the refuge, is full of deeper-water areas. There are higher concentrations of water fowl here, and fewer raptors -- though we get some wonderful views of Northern Harriers in particular. Still, the Buffleheads and Tundra Swans and geese and...well, they're all interesting to look at. This is one of our favorite types of vacation -- drive-around-and-look-at-stuff.
On the way to dinner, we notice Proghorn Antelope in a field near the road. During the rest of the trip, they are usually hanging out in the same spot, with their weird wide-set eyes and strange markings. I've always wanted to see them in the wild, and am a bit disconcerted by the fact that they're just hanging out in a field with the cows like this.
Dining in the Klamath Basin
We're not making the same mistake twice for dinner. We'll try Captain Jack's Stronghold Restaurant, which may or may not be better than last night's. They have a valentine's day special through the weekend - five-course meal for two for $34.95. It is excellent... okay, perhaps a tiny bit of that is by comparison with last night's swill, but no, it really is pretty good. We get shrimp cocktails, choice of (small) salad bar or baby greens with spiced pecans, seafood chowder or gumbo, and a variety of potato choices but we go with the yummy red roasted w/garlic, entree of filet mignon with crab and bearnaise, hazelnut halibut, their famous prime rib, or chicken monterey with asparagus and cheese. Plus a choice of chocolate mousse or raspberry cheesecake for dessert. Everything is really good, and we pig out.
Snow!
About an inch of snow fell overnight. The motel driveway is icy, but the sky is sunny, so we'll wait it out, and we spend a lazy morning eating breakfast-brought-from-home, and then reading.
I go out early to retrieve some things from the car, and nearly landed on my butt sliding around the parking lot. I'm glad we didn't pick this morning to watch the pre-dawn eagle flyout!
You could camp out here -- there are campgrounds around -- but we chose the relative ease of a motel for this trip. The motel room is nice. Not luxurious by any means, but relatively inexpensive and functional. With a (very [very {very}]) small kitchenette, we have Peet's french roast coffee, and food that would've been good at a campsite too.
I'm reading the George Harrison book "I Me Mine" - "edu-lightening" and entertaining, while it lasts.
I'm back on a Steinbeck kick with the wonderful "Cannery Row". I can't believe I've never read this story before. Very entertaining!
Eventually, we bestir ourselves and head out to see how the birds are doing. The eagle road again delivers, and we get more "looks," mostly at adults. That white-brown-white pattern, once you've seen it a couple of times, is almost instantly identifiable at pretty large distances. The juveniles are tougher to see - we only ID a few positively.
Lava Beds
We've expected rain or snow the whole weekend, and have seen it coming down, but almost always in the distance, away from where we are. It's cold, but mostly dry. We've saved the Lava Beds National Monument, 20 or so miles south of Tulelake, for the rainy day that never really came.
Caving 101
At the Visitor Center, you can get a free flashlight by giving 'em your license number. You can rent a helmet or, like us, bring your bike helmets (you DO have bike helmets, don't you?). Then you can drive the cave loop road, and explore any of about 15 caves and/or tunnels there. We start at Golden Dome, which is listed as a "Moderate Challenge." However, the flashlights themselves are a "moderate challenge," throwing a paltry two-inch-diameter circle of sickly light on the opposite wall. The footing is not great, and it's a steady downhill grade, to a "figure eight" cave in which I envision myself defining eternity, endlessly, as the flashlight sputters and dies. We turn back and go for the also "Moderately Challenging" Sunshine Cave, which includes two collapses, where you can look up and out from 20-30 foot sinkholes along the cave's path.
The loop road generally has a little wide spot and a sign for which cave is there. A paved path leads to the opening, where usually a metal ladder with handrails leads down into the cave.
Our final cave, Sentinel (graded "Least Challenging"), has lower and upper entrances. We park at the lower entrance, and successfully traverse the entire 1000 meters to emerge at the upper entrance. It's just the right amount (for me) of "scary" and "easy." There are steps and handrails on the difficult or dangerous parts (hence they are no longer dangerous, but you can shine the light over the edge of the handrail at some drop-offs and not see where it ends... But there is no stooping and no difficult footing, and we come out triumphant at the upper end.
The ranger at Lava Beds is great. We are disappointed to find the visitor's center closed for lunch, with a half-hour to go. But the ranger sees us from another building and comes over to open things up, saying that he doesn't really need a full hour to eat his lunch. (Steve rightly pointed out that that kind of attitude might not go over well with the Bush administration). The ranger gives us the basic information quickly and pointed out the "must-sees."
Our national parks, and the people who work in them, are an incredible resource. Steve pays the entrance fee at the kiosk here...I think it was $5, but he reported that he put in a $20 and wrote something nasty about our anti-environment president on the envelope.
I get confirmation that I am not much of a spelunker. Probably the less said about it, the better. On a brighter note, however, this is where I finally start taking photos. See them here
Symbol Bridge
Who knows when we'll get back here (maybe next Feb!), so we figure to get a little bit of everything. There are petroglyphs at a place called Symbol Bridge - it looks like a reasonable hike, though no mileage is given (it turns out to be about a 3-mile round trip). It's basically an up-and-back hike, though the elevation change is scarcely noticeable. We pass a couple of large craters filled with big chunks of volcanic debris. At the end of the trail is Symbol Bridge, a crater with an odd rock-and-land bridge across its center. Down on the sheared-off rock of the bridge, there are petroglyphs made by the locals, some large number of years ago. They are very cool petroglyphs, and no Kokopelli! I recommend this hike.
Back in the car, just before turning around to head out, we spot another hawk in the sky; its head is light-colored and as it flies over, we very clearly see the dark rectangles at the center of each wing -- our first independently ID'd Rough-Legged Hawk!
Fleener Chimneys
I would like to say that these provided a view into the molten core of the earth, but I looked into one of them and saw two discarded soda cans on the floor, about 15 feet down.
Sometimes, you have to use your imagination to be impressed.
It's true, they aren't really "chimneys". They're formed by falling lava, not spurting lava. Still, over the years people have completely filled them up, and only by the work of the Park Service were they subsequently emptied again. Still, it seems that stupid tourists are still trying...
We bypass sad chapters of United States history. (See Captain Jack's Stronghold.)
Petroglyphs
There is a small separate chunk of Lava Beds N.M. where there are lightly-sc ratched petroglyphs on the side of a clay "island" that rises a few hundred feet from the parking lot. The petroglyphs are hard to see, and hard to confirm as more than a day or two old. However, a pair of red-tails pops out from above the cliff, and give us a brief show. We head for the north end of the scarp, finding a generous sprinkling of raptor litter and a "path" that leads to the top.
For me, the raptor litter is a big highlight -- thousands of tiny rodent bones that have been kicked off the cliff above. Much more interesting than fast food wrappers! We also hear the hoo-hooing of an owl while we're here (a visitor tries to answer, so I don't think Steve ever believes that that was really an owl that started -- but I do!)
We climb to within sight of the highest point, and decide it's not appropriate or worthwhile to go there. Maybe another time.
Fine Dining in the Basin
What the hey, we eat again at Captain Jack's, varying our orders a bit. The prime rib is not as good as the filet mignon, nor is the chicken as good as the halibut, but everything overall is pretty darn good, and I get through four Sierra Nevada Pale Ales while lazily shovelling food into my mouth.
The Simpsons' 300th- zzzzzz
Ten Eagles at-a-glance
We see so many raptors and pull over so many times on our way out that I'm not sure we'll ever leave. From "Vista Point" on 161 we can easily see up to ten adult Bald Eagles on the ground, while literally thousands of birds wheel about in the sky and Mt. Shasta glows in the distance. And eventually, slowly, we make our way back home.