Still Lots of Birds at Bear River

What do you do when you discover that half of the refuge is dry? First, you spend a lot of time looking at very, very parched ground since there isn’t much else you can do. If you’re lucky, you spot a bird taking advantage of new habitats, like this Curlew,

and, for the first time, see it fish in a stream.

And when you get back to a wet area you can watch a male Ruddy Duck

trying to attract a mate by blowing some impressive bubbles.

You might even chance on an Eastern Kingbird sitting on one of the few branches to be found around what is left of the pond.

Magically, places like Malheur or Bear River manage to attract wildlife even under extreme conditions.