Dean Hale Woodpecker Festival

The Dean Hale Woodpecker Festival was started in 2011 to provide an opportunity for birders to visit a beautiful area and enjoy our local birds. Centered in Sisters, Oregon, the festival is usually held the first weekend in June. The 2024 Festival will take place from May 30th to June 2nd. There are 11 nesting species of woodpeckers that exist in the area and there is a good chance to see them all,  as well as lots of other cool birds.

The festival is focused on field trips and meeting other birders. The environment is fun, low key, and casual. Local birders lead the tours and group size is limited to 10 or fewer participants, plus two guides. We follow the ABA’s Code of Birding Ethics, minimize play backs, and have strict protocols about approaching nests.

The festival will host a keynote dinner on Saturday, June 1st at the Belfry in Sisters, Oregon.  Paul Bannick will be the keynote speaker and share a talk entitled The Owl and the Woodpecker Revisited.  Paul will also be leading two photography workshops on Saturday afternoon.

Read More about Paul Bannick

The festival is hosted by East Cascades Audubon Society and is entirely organized and run by its volunteers. Named after Dean Hale who was tragically killed in a car accident in 2012, the festival is part of Dean’s legacy as a birder par excellence and consummate conservationist and teacher. In his spirit, we want to share our enthusiasm, help you to see great birds, and have a fun time.

Logistics
Bird Lists & Maps

Registration targeted for 8am on April 2nd.
Field trip information coming soon.