Jarod Opperman / The BulletinTurkey vultures fly overhead the visitor center at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

Dozens of new and longtime birders have descended upon Harney County for an annual festival celebrating and observing the northern spring migration of many species.

The Harney County Migratory Bird Festival began Thursday night and runs through Sunday. This year’s event has generated more interest and demand than past festivals, which may be because of the recent occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

Most of the scheduled bird-watching tours sold out earlier this week. The tours include opportunities to view sage grouse mating rituals and to bird-watch by horseback, and they also allow new birders to learn from longtime aficionados.

“This has definitely been way more popular than past years and probably the busiest year we’ve had,” said Chrissi Carpentier , a coordinator with the Harney County Chamber of Commerce.

Many of the guided tours take place within the Malheur refuge, where armed occupiers took control for 41 days and demanded changes to federal land management as well as the release of two local ranchers from federal prison.

More than 20 occupiers have been charged with crimes related to seizing the refuge.

Gary Ivey, president of Friends of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, an independent nonprofit, said the occupation likely made the 187,757-acre refuge more well known.

“We expect a lot more visitors this year, and we’re trying to accommodate more visitors this year,” Ivey said Wednesday.

Buildings at the refuge, including the headquarters and visitor center, remain off-limits since the occupation, which ended Feb. 11 when the last occupiers surrendered to FBI agents. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has tallied $1.7 million in damages to the refuge.

“We’re trying to help the refuge move forward,” Ivey said.

The Friends of Malheur organization has received about $75,000 in new memberships and donations since January, according to Ivey. He said most of the money will be used to help with the trapping of invasive carp, which have flourished in Malheur Lake since the occupation.

“It was a curse for the refuge and the Friends group, and it was kind of dark days,” Ivey said of the occupation. “It’s also a blessing because there’s been a lot more broad support and (the refuge is) more well known now.”

Many of the tours this weekend are guided by members of Friends of Malheur. The festival offers opportunities to see more than 100 different bird species over the course of the weekend.

Ivey said as of this week there are about 80,000 geese, 3,000 sandhill cranes and 40,000 ducks in the Harney County area.

“Most of these birds are moving north,” he said.

A single seat remained for some tours and workshops as of earlier this week. The Saturday tours for watching sage grouse and sandhill cranes were sold out, according to the festival’s website.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service expects to reopen the refuge headquarters and visitor center this summer.

Ivey said he hopes the increased interest in the refuge will bring more tourism to Harney County and more money to local businesses.

— Reporter: 541-617-7820, tshorack@bendbulletin.com