Audubon Birding Day: Broughton Beach & West Delta Park Wetlands

Name: Audubon Birding Day: Broughton Beach & West Delta Park Wetlands
Start: 2023-05-03T08:00:00-07:00
End: 2023-05-03T12:00:00-07:00

Join Ross as we bird the popular Columbia River sandy beach with some of the few locally remaining patches of short-grass habitat crucial for birds like Horned Lark, Western Meadowlark, and American Pipit. We’ll also explore the nearby wetlands and riparian habitat of West Delta Park, which provide havens for waterfowl, shorebirds, and songbirds as they migrate through the surrounding highly developed cityscape.

Notes on this Audubon Birding Day

*Please remember to bring binoculars and appropriate layered clothing. Remember drinks and snacks/lunch for the duration of the trip!

*Parking Fee at Broughton Beach is $5 per day, or Metro Parking Pass is $40 per year:
https://www.oregonmetro.gov/buy-parks-pass

Rest stops: No seating available
Sun exposure: mostly full sun for duration of hike
Amenities (bathrooms and parking): ADA vault toilet/porta-potty at Broughton Beach parking lot. Ample parking at both locations.

Accessibility

Walking Distance: Up to 2.5 miles at Broughton Beach. Up to 1.5 miles at West Delta Park West Wetlands
Elevation Changes: mostly flat with slight elevation change at initial beach-to-dike trail transition.
Trail: sandy beach (some loose and some wet packed), narrow grassy and/or small rocky trails; asphalt or paved roads in parking areas and west delta park area.
Pacing: Slow

Streaked Horned Lark, photo by Scott Carpenter

Enjoy peak spring migration at this birdy Columbia River beach and the always productive wetlands of West Delta Park.

Audubon Birding Day Details

Date: May 3, 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Fee: $65 members / $85 non-members

Trip Leader

Ross Barnes-Rickett

Ross caught the birding bug in the spring of 2011, while living in the Piney Woods of Northeast Texas. Since then, he has lived in Texas' High Plains, conducted breeding bird and environmental impact surveys in the region, as well as birded extensively throughout the Lone Star State and led trips for local Audubon chapters. He and his partner moved to the Portland area in 2016, and he has thoroughly enjoyed getting to experience Oregon's rich diversity of habitats, while becoming intimately familiar with its unique birdlife. Ross has birding experience in the UK, Costa Rica, and Australia, and delights in camping and traveling with family whenever possible. He has a keen interest in birding by ear, encouraging his toddler to identify flyover calls while on local hikes. Ross also has interests in birding equity and inclusion, particularly at the intersection of disability and universal design/access, and looks to promote birding opportunities for all.

Questions? Email us

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