Audubon Birding Day: Sauvie Island in Early Summer FULL

Name: Audubon Birding Day: Sauvie Island in Early Summer *FULL*
Start: 2022-06-24T08:00:00-07:00
End: 2022-06-24T14:00:00-07:00

Oak Island, well really a peninsula, features a unique array of habitats hard to find in the north Willamette Valley: mature White Oak Forest, open grassland, and tidal lakefront. Wapato Greenway Access consists of dense wapato (or broadleaf arrowhead) marshland surrounded by a mixed forest of ash, willow, and cottonwood abutting the Multnomah Channel. We’ll spend the morning and early afternoon searching these locales for oak savanna and mixed woodland breeders such as Bullock’s Oriole, House Wren, White-breasted Nuthatch, Yellow Warbler, and Red-eyed Vireo. We may also have a chance to see any late spring migrants.

Please remember to bring binoculars, appropriate clothing, and boots for occasional wet grass or mud. Also, don’t forget water and snacks/lunch for the duration of the trip!

Limited to 12 participants.

Meeting Location

We will meet at the Oak Island parking lot. Unfortunately, no public transportation is available. An ODFW Wildlife Area parking permit will be required for Oak Island, no permit required for Wapato Greenway SP. Ross will reach out with further details ahead of the trip.

Masks are optional on this outdoor program.

Pacing: Slow, with frequent stops to view and listen for birds; combination of mostly trail walking and some car caravan stops.
Amenities: No restrooms
Public Transit: None available
Rest Stops: There are no rest stops or benches.

Accessibility

Distance: 3-mile; then 2-mile hikes on mostly flat ground and single-track packed earth trails. Occasional wet, muddy spots at Wapato.
Elevation Changes: Very minimal to none
Trail Tread and Width: Mostly paved road, some gravel and some flat grassy trails.
Exposure: Full sun exposure in the first half, and partial sun exposure in the second half.

Yellow Warbler, photo by Scott Carpenter

Join Ross on this early summer tour of two Sauvie Island gems, Oak Island and Wapato Access Greenway State Park, each offering unique lowland habitats for breeding and fledgling songbirds and swallows.

Audubon Birding Day Details

Date: June 24, 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 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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