Spring is overtaking Central Oregon. Two events mark its start, the opening of the Oregon fishing season and arrival of desert blooms. Fishing opens the next month. So this week we take to the roads in search of native fauna. Some research pointed out two really good locations to find desert blooms. We’re regular walkers at the closest location, Bad Land’s Wilderness just east of Bend, but with such a gorgeous spring day we opted for a trip much farther north.
Spring Basin Wilderness along the John Day River is highlighted as an excellent place to find wildflowers. East along Hwy 218, through Antelope at Clarno Road, you head south for three miles on a hard packed dirt road.
The BLM’s wilderness is nearly 7,000 acres with a network of rustic trails on hills covered in sage, native bunchgrasses and juniper.
The thing about desert flowers is they’re not all that easy to spot, it’s not like those showy blue stocks of Lupin. These tiny blossoms are tucked away among the sage and rock. making it more of a treasure hunt.
The museum’s curated projects go beyond the boundaries of their exhibit space set on 135 acres south of Bend. One of these events is a lecture series held at McMenamins Old St. Francis School.
This past week we learned about “First Foods Management with a River Vision.” Eric Quaempts, Director of Natural Resources for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, spoke about a unique approach to water management and natural resource development. His department makes decisions based on the concept of water being a First Food; water, fish, game, roots and berries.
There are an abundance of birds and water fowl taking advantage of the expanded flood plain. Ducks, mostly mallard pairs, and of course flocks of Canada geese. To the year round residents there is a marked increase in song birds, particularly robins and red-winged black birds. The black birds are aggressively staking claim to territory with red flashes from their shoulders and loud calls. There are also small birds that flit too fast for easy identification, but are adding their voices to the choir.
The day begins with coffee, 
We opt for the Summer Lake Wildlife Refuge, offering a perfect location, just off Highway 31 near the the town of Summer Lake and to the north end of the town’s namesake.
Weather wise it has been a very odd start to our spring. There was the late winter snow fall. Then…this week, within one single day, it started with snow, ended with warm sunshine, and included thunder and lightning with freezing pellets.
The Crooked is a very fishable stream, easy enough to wade and small enough to get to any spot a fish might be holding. There are quite a few people on the river, but you rarely bump into anyone and at most see another fisher up or down stream a few hundred yards.
