harney county migratory bird festival speaker

I will be linking birds of wild forests to wetlands as the opening speaker for the 2027 Harney County Migratory Bird Festival, celebrating the great flocks of snow geese, tundra swans, white-faced ibis, and sandhill cranes that depend on the flooded fields around Burns, Oregon. The festival extends to the nearby Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, one of the great havens for migratory birds in the world. From the old cottonwoods sheltering owls and songbirds within the refuge to the last ancient ponderosas of the nearby Malheur National Forest, all are entwined with birds and water. Marina’s presentation will weave the birds of Malheur with the story of the feathered forests–taking people aloft with birds in ancient trees.

Below is a photo from my 2024 presentation at the same festival–featuring my book, Halcyon Journey: In Search of the Belted Kingfisher, right after the awards ceremony in New York City for the John Burroughs Medal.