Morning event in North Mountain Park offers information about millions of birds migrating north for the summer

By James Sloan, Rogue Valley Times

Southern Oregon is celebrating World Migratory Bird Day with an activity-filled morning of observation and appreciation for the avians as they migrate in mass northward for the summer.

Rogue Valley Bird Day will celebrate that mass migration with multiple bird-themed activities such as bird walks, education booths, bird-calling contests and more hosted by multiple organizations in the community.

Set from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 11, the free event will celebrate all aspects of avians at the North Mountain Park Nature Center, 620 N. Mountain Ave. in Ashland.

“The Rogue Valley Bird Day event is one of more than 600 local celebrations of World Migratory Bird Day that happen around the globe,” said Jennifer Aguayo, coordinator for the North Mountain Park Nature Center. “These events shine a spotlight on the millions of birds migrating each spring and their vulnerability as they move around our planet to find food, raise young and provide balance in our ecosystems.”

Rogue Valley Bird Day has been going on since approximately 2005, with the event in its 17th iteration following a hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The day will be chock-full of activities to participate in, with organizers offering bird walks every 15 to 30 minutes from the nature center pavilion. Adult’s and children’s binoculars will be available for loan.

“The bird walks are my favorite activity and take place throughout the morning, led by expert volunteers from the Rogue Valley Audubon Society,” Aguayo said. “They bring so much enthusiasm and knowledge, which makes it fun for both novice birders and experienced birders alike.”

Bird watchers will have the opportunity to see a diverse range of local avians, such as red-shouldered hawks, acorn woodpeckers, quail, songbirds and even other animals such as frogs, bobcats and foxes at North Mountain Park.

There will also be an all-ages bird calling contest, challenging participants to showcase their best “hoot,” “tweet” and “caw.”

“Who doesn’t love a 6-year-old doing their best wild turkey impression?” Aguayo said.

Rogue Valley Bird Day will also include a name-that-bird contest, with competitors going head to head to see who can recognize the most avians.

“There is a kid version and an adult version, which can get pretty competitive,” Aguayo said.”Visitors can register in the pavilion to compete for cool bird-related prizes such as bird feeders, guidebooks and toys.”

The prizes will be provided by Northwest Nature Shop and Wild Birds Unlimited with a donation from the Rogue Valley Audubon Society.

Other organizations involved with Rogue Valley Bird Day are: Ashland Parks & Recreation Commission, the Klamath Bird Observatory, Jackson County Library Services, Pollinator Project Rogue Valley and other community volunteers.

“Our partners play a huge role in the event; we couldn’t do it without them,” Aguayo said.

The theme for this year’s event is “Protect Insects, Protect Birds,” highlighting the significance of insects to a bird’s life cycle, especially during migration.

“For birds, insects are key to their survival and reproduction. Even the birds that we may not think of as insect eaters, such as hummingbirds or hawks, supplement their diets with high-protein bugs,” Aguayo said. “Habitats that produce a lot of insects, such as lakes and wetlands, provide ideal stopover and resting spots where birds can refuel for their migratory journey.”

Insects also play a crucial role as pollinators as well, with bugs like butterflies and beetles pollinating flowers for millions of years.

All in all, organizers want to not only provide an event centered on enjoying the Rogue Valley’s bountiful avians and natural world, but to invigorate a sense of awareness and stewardship for the lands that locals reside in.

“We hope to raise awareness first, about how cool birds really are and how interconnected we are in our environment, and we’d also like to offer a closer look at the ways we can help support bird populations and healthy ecosystems,” Aguayo said. “This event is really an opportunity to meet and better understand a species that we need, and who needs us.”

“I love this event because it’s a touchstone that reminds me each year to look up from my computer and be present with the changes of season, to acknowledge the return of animals and birds to their breeding habitat and to honor the incredible journey and struggle of life,” Aguayo added.

For more information on Rogue Valley Bird Day, visit roguevalleybirdday.net.

Reach reporter James Sloan at [email protected]. This story first appeared in the Rogue Valley Times.