OUR CALENDAR

First Wednesday Bird Walk has resumed at the Denman Wildlife Area. Walks begin at 8:30 am and end before noon. Jim Hostick is the leader. The gate will be open from 8:00 – 8:20 am. Participants need to purchase an ODFW Area Parking Permit at the ODFW Office, Sportsman Warehouse on Delta Waters and Highway 62 in Medford, or at Bi-Mart. We request that all participants be vaccinated for COVID-19.

Directions to meeting spot: We will meet at the entrance off Agate Rd. between 1/4 and 1/2 mile past the fire station on the left side of the road. Coming out Table Rock Rd., turn right on Antelope Rd. and go to the light on Agate Rd. and turn left. The fire station will be on your left at the corner of Ave. G and Agate Rd. Go 1/4 to /12 mile past the fire station and the gate will be on your left. Coming out on Highway 62 to Antelope Rd., turn left and go to the next light. Turn right and continue to the gate on Agate Rd.

May 7, 2022
9:00 am – 11:00 am
Thanks to the efforts of our dedicated stewards at the last couple of events, substantial progress was made in the hand-pulling of Himalayan blackberry at the Suncrest Rest Area. We need your help to build on that progress!

What: Invasive Himalayan blackberry removal
Where: Suncrest Rest Area. You can only access the rest area from the southbound lanes of I-5. It is located just north of exit 21 (the Talent exit)
What to bring: Plenty of water, your favorite gardening gloves (gloves will be provided if necessary), sturdy shoes, clothes for all weather, and snacks.

For questions and to RSVP, please contact 541-423-6185 or cnichols@rogueriverwc.org.
Please register on or before 5/5

Join Klamath Bird Observatory for a bilingual bird walk at Holmes Park in Medford. We will be exploring local parks high-lighting that you do not need to travel far to enjoy birds. For each bird walk, we will cover the basics of birding and introduce you to birds of the Rogue Valley. You will be able to take the skills and knowledge learned to bird watch in your own backyard. KBO will be providing binoculars and bird guides during the event. An adventure for the whole family! A take-home Spanish Bird Brochure is available. Due to COVID- 19 masks are required.
DATE: Saturday, May 7
TIME: 10:00 am – 11:00 am
COST: Free

Bird biologist Frank Lospalluto and Southern Oregon Land Conservancy Stewardship Director and botanist Kristi Mergenthaler will lead hikers on an exploration of Pompadour Bluff with a special focus on birds and flowers. This location hosts raptors and songbirds like Western Bluebird and Western Meadowlark, and special plants like native oaks, grasses, and wildflowers with a view of the valley.
Pre-registration is required for these hikes, which are free, open to the public, and led by local experts. For more information and to register, visit www.landconserve.org/events or call at 541-482-3069.
DATE: Sunday, May 8
TIME: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
COST: Free

Jackson County, in partnership with the cities of Central Point, Medford, Phoenix, Talent, Ashland and the Oregon Department of Transportation continue their efforts to engage local communities in envisioning how the Bear Creek Greenway could connect to residents’ and visitors’ lives, neighborhoods, destinations, and natural experiences.

Throughout the engagement process, the community has been invited to participate in a survey and to attend meetings and events to review project progress and share feedback on the Greenway.

The next opportunity to learn more about the project is on Wednesday, May 11 – with two online open house sessions to be held from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. and 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Live Spanish translation is available at the 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. session.

• • 4:00p.m.-5:00p.m. (Zoom link, Passcode: 212286)
  • 5:30p.m.-6:30p.m. (w/ Live Spanish Translation)
    (Zoom link, Passcode: 679271)

Join Ann Vileisis from Kalmiopsis Audubon, Danielle Moser of Oregon Wild, and Kelli Walker, senior condor keeper at the Oregon Zoo, for an informative program about the California condor recovery effort. We’ll discuss and celebrate these magnificent birds, the incredible effort by the Yurok Tribe to bring them back, their long-awaited release at nearby Redwood National Park, and what it will mean for us bird-lovers in Southwestern Oregon. You can sign up here to get the link: http://oregonwild.org/events/return-flight-california-condor-destination-pnw

May 14, 2022
10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Join us for a day of stewardship and a tour of our Elk Creek project site!
What: Invasive plant species removal and RRWC project site tour.

We will start at the Lower Elk Creek Trailhead and hike on the paved Elk Creek trail for ~2.5 miles stopping at multiple locations along the way to remove invasive plant species. After the invasive plant removal, we will break for lunch, followed by a project site tour of our Elk Creek River Mile 5.6 restoration project. Please note, that this will be a very active event that will involve at least 3.5 miles of hiking as well as crouching and the use of loppers.

Where: Lower Elk Creek Trailhead (also known as Yellow Rock Trailhead). To reach the trailhead take I-5 to OR-62 E. Follow OR-62 E for ~20 miles before turning left onto Elk Creek Rd. Follow Elk Creek Road for ~2.5 miles before turning right at a sign for Elk Creek. There will also be an event-specific sign at the turnoff as well. An event staff person will be waiting at the turnoff to direct you down the paved road to the trailhead. Click the link below for a Google Maps link.

Directions to Elk Creek

What to bring: Plenty of water, your favorite gardening gloves (gloves will be provided if necessary), sturdy shoes, clothes for all weather, lunch, and snacks.

Please register using the link below on or before 5/10. Please contact Crystal Nichols at 541-423-6185 or cnichols@rogueriverwc.org with any questions.