IBA of the Month: Bonney Butte
by Mary Coolidge, Assistant Conservation Director
- Mt Hood from Bonney Butte - Mary Coolidge
September is upon us, and just as we begin to hope for the postponed end to summer weather, fall migration counts are already getting underway. Since the fall of 1994, observers have occupied the bald knoll just southeast of Mt. Hood from August 27th through October 31st, braving everything from withering sun and dust devils to freezes and snowfall before they break camp. Bonney Butte is home to of one of over a dozen long-term fall migration counts conducted by HawkWatch International (HWI) in the United States and Mexico.
- Northern Goshawk in hand - Mary Coolidge
Because raptors are top-level predators, they act as good environmental indicators. They occupy large home ranges in a wide array of ecosystems, and are sensitive to contamination, habitat disturbances, and climate change. HWI monitors their population trends in an effort to assess overall ecosystem condition. The natural history of many raptor species finds them both widespread and remote on the landscape, making monitoring from fixed locations along their migratory routes more efficient and cost-effective than roving surveys. Bonney Butte sits atop Surveyor’s Ridge, which, along with several adjacent ridgelines, effectively funnels a stream of migratory raptors who conserve energy by making use of updrafts along the Pacific Flyway in the Cascade Mountain Range. These virtual wind-highways are conjured up by the combination of topography and weather patterns and occur along multiple routes within the Pacific Flyway.
Bonney Butte meets two of the criteria for selection as an Important Bird Area in the state of Oregon as described by the Technical Advisory Committee. The site may “host” a minimum of 1,000 raptors per season and/or the site may be used for research. Observers at Bonney Butte gather vital scientific data, adding to a database which spans years and is analyzed to ascertain trends in various populations over time. Up to 4,500 migrant raptors have been counted here in a single season, represented by a diversity of up to 18 species. In the last several years, count totals have ranged from a low of 2,269 in 2007 to a high of 3,821 in 2004. Bonney Butte IBA is also among the 127,000 acres in Mt. Hood National Forest (and over 200,000 acres in Oregon) that received permanent wilderness protection when Obama signed the omnibus public lands management act into legislation in March.
- Coopers and Sharp-shinned Hawks in Hand - Paul Beucher
In addition to an unparalleled view of Mt. Hood, and views of Mt. Jefferson and Mt. Adams, a visit to Bonney Butte offers visitors unique education opportunities. HWI staff includes an environmental educator on site 6 days per week in addition to two observers. This educational interpretation component provides a much needed service, raising public awareness about the ecology of many species that most people don’t encounter in their day to day lives. Making this connection between people and wildlife is a key to making conservationists out of enthusiasts. Because HWI runs a banding station at this site, you may be lucky enough to observe a raptor release if you hang around long enough.
Species of Ornithological Significance
Annual counts typically range from 2,500-4,500 migrant raptors of up to 18 species. The most common species include Sharp-shinned Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Turkey Vulture, Golden Eagle, and Merlin. Other species on record include Northern Goshawk, Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Prairie Falcon, American Kestrel, Red-shouldered Hawk, Rough-legged Hawk, Osprey, Northern Harrier, and the occasional Swainson’s Hawk and Broad-winged Hawk. Among non-raptor species, Pileated Woodpecker, Lewis’s Woodpecker, Horned Lark, Townsend’s Solitaire, Gray Jay, and Clark’s Nutcracker have been recorded.
Programs
The public is always welcome to visit Bonney Butte, though the dirt access road is pretty rough-going for the last two miles. While I have seen a foolhardy Prius labor up the road, a high clearance vehicle is preferable, even with recent Forest Service improvements to the worst sections of the road. Audubon Educator and former HWI observer, Steve Engel, will offer a Hawks in Flight class on September 24th from 7-9 pm with a field trip to BB on the 26th. Contact him at 503.292.6855 x119 to find out if there is still space available.
Or go it alone: take Highway 26 East to Highway 35. Follow Hwy 35 for 4.5 miles and turn south on paved Forest Road 48 at the White River East Snow Park. Travel 7 miles and turn left on FR 4890 (unmarked until you turn onto it). Travel 3.75 miles and turn left onto FR 4891. Follow signs to Bonney Meadows Campground. Shortly beyond the campground you will come to a marked gate and a gravel parking area. From here, you’re on foot to the observation post about ¼ mile up the road.
Be prepared for variable weather at an elevation of 5,000 feet: sun, wind, fog, hot or cold temperatures all in the same day! Bring plenty of water and food.
