Whether you're looking for a solo activity or one to share with the family, birding is a great choice. Our real estate agents take a look at why the area near Klamath Falls homes for sale is a perfect location for this fascinating and rewarding pastime.

Klamath Basin Birding Trail

As home to more than 350 species of our feathered friends, the Klamath Basin has a well-deserved reputation as a bird lover's paradise. Straddling the Oregon-California border, the Klamath Basin Birding Trail runs from just north of Crater Lake to south of Clear Lake and Butte Valley National Grassland.

Plan your outing to include one or more of these top viewing sites along the trail.

• Crater Lake National Park
  Its spectacular natural beauty makes Crater Lake National Park a worthwhile destination in its own right. Watch for mountain birds such as blue grouse, northern goshawks, and various species of woodpeckers. Thanks to birds like the gray-crowned rosy-finch, which nests at some of the highest elevations of any North American bird, Crater Lake offers year-round bird-watching opportunities.
  
  
• Putnam's Point Park
  Located within the Klamath Falls city limits, Putnam's Point Park looks out over the south end of Upper Klamath Lake. Don't miss the chance to watch the springtime mating ritual of Western and Clark's grebes, which usually reaches its peak in mid-May. After calling out to attract potential mates, the birds perform a charming courtship dance that includes the presentation of a "bouquet" of weeds.
  
  
• Klamath Hatchery
  Add fish to your viewing list when you visit the Klamath Hatchery. The site produces about three million fish each year, predominantly legal-sized trout for Klamath and Lake counties. No fishing is allowed on the hatchery grounds, but anglers frequently catch monster wild rainbow trout on nearby Klamath Lake. Birds to look for include great blue herons, osprey, wood ducks, and mountain bluebirds.
  
  
• Bear Valley National Wildlife Refuge
  Many people consider the majestic bald eagle the holy grail of birding. More than 500 bald eagles, the largest concentration in the lower 48 states, spend the winter months at Bear Valley National Wildlife Refuge. Early risers can catch the breathtaking late-winter flyout, which takes place around first light each morning. Ravens and red-tailed hawks are also frequently spotted in the area. The refuge itself is not open to the public, but there are excellent viewpoints along the road into Bear Valley.

Winter Wings Festival

Join newbies and veteran birdwatchers at the annual Winter Wings Festival, celebrating the abundance of birds that spend all or part of the year in the Klamath Basin. In addition to the species that make their home in the area, more than 80 percent of migratory birds traveling the Pacific Flyway between Alaska and Patagonia make a stopover here. 

Activities include workshops, field trips, lectures, and presentations. Festivities kick off with a Thursday evening meet-and-greet, and there will be a buffet dinner on Friday and Saturday nights.

Winter Wings Festival takes place Thursday, February 17 through Saturday, February 20. Pre-registration is open on the website until Sunday, February 13, when last-minute phone registration will become available.

Feather your nest with a wonderful new home in Klamath Falls. Contact us at Fisher Nicholson Realty to speak with one of our friendly and helpful agents.