Copyright © 1995, Don Baccus
All images copyright © 1995, Don Baccus
White-faced ibis, once quite rare on the refuge, have increased greatly in number since the the flood years in the early 1980s, apparently benefitting from the reduction of vegetation in Malheur Lake. At present, a couple of thousand pair nest in the lake each year.
They can be found in great numbers in the flooded fields near Diamond, along Diamond Lane near its intersection with State Highway 205, and in the marshy fields just south of the Malheur Field Station.
White-faced ibis are wary and flightly birds, and usually fly away quickly even if you remain quietly in your car. In overcast conditions the birds appear to be black, yet in sunlight their glossy irridescence makes exposure tricky due to the contrast.
In most years, by the time I arrive the vegetation has grown to the point where it hides most of these surprisingly tiny birds, making photography difficult.
However, if you get lucky and find one close, when the vegetation is not too high, and the light just right, they make beautiful subjects.
Or so I've been told...
Though the greatest numbers are generally seen in the fields near Diamond, these tend to be too far away from the road to be photographed. My best luck has been along the Center Patrol Road just south of the field station. Here, ibis are often found foraging in vegetation bordering the roadside ditch.
