About the Double 00 Llama Birding and Photography Hikes
On Friday and Saturday of the festival, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge managers give Burns Llama Trailblazers special permission to escort a small group into restricted areas. We will visit hidden lakes and explore the uplands of the famous Double O Ranch.
This year we are offering two very different experiences. On Friday we will hike the marshlands to visit Mary and Derrick Lakes. On Saturday we will climb the bluff, above the marshes to experience the upland habitat of the refuge and partake of the astounding views. This is the only time this area is open to the public and is very special treat. Six of our best pack llamas accompany participants one-on-one as they enjoy the views and great birding.
 The llamas are happy to be out on an easy hike after a long winter plowing through snowdrifts to stay in condition. Birds are always present. From swallows to ducks to swans and eagles, the list can often reach twenty-five species.
This is an uncommon opportunity to have llamas carry your gear whole you watch the birds. Each participant chooses a llama to be theirs for the day. They are encouraged to work with the llama as much as they like. This can include saddling and unsaddling, loading, and leading.  All necessary aspects of handling the llamas are clearly demonstrated and carefully supervised. At midday we stop to take our lunch in a location well chosen for viewing and photography. Well away from roads, the hikes offer excellent opportunities for these activities. It is also an exceptional chance to see an arid country rich in water. It is an area that has changed little in centuries. Your guides, besides helping with bird identification, will describe the geological and historical features you see.
Weather can be very changeable on these outings. We can experience everything from warm sun to blowing snow in one trip. Fortunately all the locations we choose provide some cover, whether it be a rocky ridge or bank of sheltering willows. The hiking distance is about four miles over gentle terrain.
About the Bird Festival
Every year as winter turns to spring, the birds return to Harney Basin in SE Oregon and Burns Llama Trailblazers leads tours to see them. The tours provides an excellent opportunity view and photograph the birds while experiencing a unique landscape. Our tour is a part of the annual Harney County Migratory Bird Festival in honor of John Scharff that is hosted by the Harney County Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with the Malheur Wildlife Refuge. The four day festival includes many types of tours, lectures, and special activities. It is an exciting time for the local population as well as visitors who arrive from near and far. (Detailed information and registration for tours can be found at http://www.migratorybirdfestival.com)
|
Tucked away deep in the marshlands, intimate Martha Lake keeps the birds close to you. As we sneak around the enclosing bluff, the birds have little time to notice our presence. Dabblers and divers, maybe even swans, paddle along the lake margins close at hand.
After birding along the Goulding Canal, an old jeep track leads us up the sheltering bluff to the top of the world. There is no better view to be had of the Harney Basin. Below us the Warm Springs Valley stretches out in all its watery glory. Steens mountain graces the southwest horizon while the distant white cap of Snow Mountain anchors the north. The basin and range geology that created this extraordinary country is on full view.
