While reading through Tim Blount's website (HarneyBirder.com) last February, I came across his reprint of Birding the Migrant Traps of Southeastern Oregon, by Alan Contreras and Tim Rodenkirk; since then I've been anxious to go to Fields to bird the oasis.

The prime time to bird the oasis is late May to early June, nevertheless we enjoyed our first visit to this remote Oregon location which Contreras and Rodenkirk describe in their article as " . . . the single best place to find vagrants in Oregon".

Fields Station is world famous, not only for the variety of birds that stop here to refuel and rest during migration, but also for their hamburgers and milkshakes. They proudly display the number of burgers and shakes sold annually. The cafe served 3,064 hamburgers last year. The same tally, at the time of our visit but before we consumed our burgers was 747. Impressive numbers, especially when you consider this isolated, unincorporated community consists of just 86 souls. The proprietor of the Fields Station explained "we get a lot of people coming through here". I hope the "A" in the interactive map above gives you a sense of Fields Station's remote location. Mouse-over, then click-on the "A" for directions and mileage to Fields Station from the jump-off point of your choice.

Highlights of our trip to Harney County include finding four species of grebe, two in bright breeding plumage, close encounters with two Forster's Tern foraging for fish at the Narrows, the soft "hoot" of a juvenile Great Horned Owl alerting us to its nest on the back-side of the Fields Oasis, and the many kind people we met on this trip.

The Four Grebe (from left to right), Clark's, Western, Eared, and Horned:

Clark's Grebe Western Grebe

Eared Grebe

Horned Grebe

Baby Great Horned Owl slideshow:

Find the cavity located in the far tree in the center of the first frame. Then if you look closely at the third and final frame, you will see the mother sitting behind the nestling on the right. Click-on the slideshow to pop-up the viewing options.

Forster's Tern:

Forster's Tern

Lazuli Bunting:

Lazuli Bunting

Another slideshow about owls - this time four frames of Burrowing Owls a few miles n. of Malheur NWR 

Loggerhead Shrike:

Loggerhead Shrikie

Ring-necked Pheasant:

Ring-necked Pheasant

And one more look at our favorite photo of the trip - a Horned Grebe in breeding plumage!

Horned Grebe

Full-sized images of these and other birds, and the area can be found at this link

We hope you enjoyed this post.