Bird, Wildlife Photography: Lower Klamath, Tule Lake NWR

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We’re scheduling a special overnight photo adventure to the Lower Klamath Lake National Wildlife Refuge: the nation’s first wildlife refuge and the nearby Tule Lake NWR. The Lower Klamath area provides the potential to witness thousands of wintering snow geese and capture images of the large numbers of raptors and other birds in the area. Landscape photography of Mt. Shasta and beautiful sunsets could complement the wildlife viewing. This will be a great photographic opportunity and chance to get to interact at length with fellow photographers.

ITINERARY OVERVIEW

On Saturday, after leaving Klamath Falls, we’ll travel to different vistas as a small group or groups in CARAVANS. We’ll keep these groups small to minimize impeding our wildlife photographing opportunities. We will primarily follow auto-tour routes with limited walking.

On Sunday, cars can choose their own itineraries (catch the sunrise, take a hike, stay in one of the blinds for awhile, etc... See Points of Interest below).

Telephoto zoom lenses, tripods, and binoculars are part of the recommended gear to maximize the photographic opportunities.

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ACCOMMODATIONS

We’ll be staying at the Winema Lodge, adjacent to the Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge. http://www.winemalodge.com/# (http://www.winemalodge.com/)! Here’s an overview of the rustic wilderness lodge.

1. Motel Rooms (10). Combinations of doubles, singles; 1 queen and 1 single. Each has private bathrooms, microwave, and refrigerator.

2. Lodge Rooms (5). Sleep 5. $85 which will be divided up between the number of occupants in the room.

3. Lodge Rooms use one coed bathroom. Private showers and private water closets are found in the one large bathroom. In the past, groups have used pink/blue towels or a sign to show which gender is using the bathroom at the time. This seems to work well.

4. Available to lodge and motel guests is use of the Main Lodge Room: It’s a rustic , comfortable space which provides a large Stone Fireplace, No Host Wet Bar WI-FI, Pool Table, Card Playing Table. This will be available to us to use at the end of the day.

COSTS

1. Accommodations

After signing up for the Meet-up, you must register with the lodge with a credit card to hold either a motel room or a bed in one of the lodge rooms. Unlike a hotel reservation, cancellations need to be 7 days or more before for a full refund.

2. Meals

Saturday Night Dinner

We will have a group dinner to eat a hot meal together after a day of shooting. We will all have the same main entrée, Salad, 2 Sides, Dessert and a Beverage. Everything is served Family Style. Entrée and price to be determined.

Sunday Continental Breakfast (Complimentary)

All other meals, snacks you will need to provide.

3. Transportation Costs

We anticipate vehicle passengers to provide courtesy contributions to those driving to offset their fuel costs.

QUICK VIEW OF THE TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

Day 1 Saturday JANUARY 30

8am Leave Bend Fred Meyer (parking near the gas pumps)

10:30 Arrive at Discover Klamath Visitor Center in Klamath Falls

11:30 Explore Stateline Road vistas near/in Lower Klamath NWR

5:00 Sunset at White Lake, Stateline Road (SUNSET at 5:19pm)

6:30 Motel or Lodge Check-in

7:00 Dinner

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Day 2 Sunday, JANUARY 31

7am Explore Tule Lake NWR on your own (SUNRISE 7:21AM)

Noon Meet-up as a group for lunch at the Tule Lake Visitor Center

1pm More exploring in area and for the return to Bend

NEARBY POINTS OF INTERESTS

Petroglyph Point http://www.nps.gov/labe/learn/historyculture/rockart.htm

An extensive petroglygh collection along the base of a former island in the ancient Tule Lake. Home to a number of birds of prey

Tule Lake Segregation Center/Camp http://www.nps.gov/tule/index.htm

Home of the largest World War II segregation/internment Camp

Lava Beds National Monument http://www.nps.gov/labe/index.htm

Tule Lake NWR Visitor Center http://www.fws.gov/refuge/tule_lake/

Enjoy early morning or sunrise at one of the blinds along the trails in Discovery Marsh or look for the Barn and Great Horned Owls on the ridge above the visitor center.

Early Morning Raptor Flyouts Bear Valley http://www.klamathbirdingtrails.com/sites/34bearvalley.shtml

View the flyout of dozens of bald eagles near the restricted access refuge as they leave the nesting area for their feeding areas.