Herons of The Intertwine ~ May 27 to June 7, 2015
Each year since 1986, the Audubon Society of Portland has collaborated with NGOs, private businesses and government agencies throughout The Intertwine to celebrate the Great Blue Heron. Portland’s official city bird, the Great Blue Heron is an iconic species that represents the rich diversity of bird and other animal life native to the Portland-Vancouver region.
Great Blue Heron Week is an opportunity to celebrate our collective efforts to expand and protect natural areas that are home to herons and to the plants and animals that make our region a special place to live.
You are invited to participate by planning a kayak, bicycle ride, hike or other field experience or special activity to engage the public in appreciation of the Great Blue Heron and other species that share the region’s special natural areas with us. Below are brief descriptions of many trips that Portland Audubon Society and other Intertwine Alliance partners will be offering. The full lists of trips is available here.
EVENTS
- Wednesday, May 27, 10 a.m. Great Blue Heron Week Proclamation, Portland City Council
Wednesday, May 27, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Tadpole Tales. Leader: Monica McAllister, Columbia Slough Watershed Council. Children aged 3-5 with their parents are invited to a short story and guided nature walk with the Columbia Slough Watershed Council and Friends of Nadaka Park. Watch birds fly overhead, search for hidden animal homes, and learn about local trees and flowers. Event runs rain or shine. $3 admission/donation per child, no charge for adults. RSVPs appreciated. Meet at Nadaka Park: Parking at St Aidan's Episcopal Church, 17405 NE Glisan St., Portland, OR 97230. (Nadaka Park is adjacent to the church.) Dress for the weather; families are welcome to bring a snack. Click here for more information and to RSVP, or call 503-281-1132.
Thursday, May 28, 8 to 11 a.m. Birding The Intertwine: Birds of Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge. Mike Houck, Director of the Urban Greenspaces Institute will lead this two-mile loop stroll around the Bottoms. It's appropriate for families and will provide a great opportunity to learn new bird calls and songs and to see osprey, bald eagles and songbirds in the Bottoms and along the Springwater on the Willamette trail. Meet Mike Houck at the parking lot at the north end of Sellwood Park, SE Sellwood Boulevard and SE 7th Avenue, at 8 a.m. sharp. Bring binoculars and, if you have one, a spotting scope.
- Friday, May 29, 8 to 9:30 a.m. Exploring The Intertwine: Birding The Willamette Greenway at South Waterfront. Meet Mike Houck for an early morning bird song walk along the temporary greenway trail at South Waterfront for residents and the public. Mike will point out the Great Blue Heron nesting colony on nearby Ross Island and identify birds by sight and song along the greenway. Meet on the greenway trail on the Willamette River side of the Meriwether any time between 8 and 9:30 am. Bring your binoculars and spotting scopes, and dress for the weather. Directions: Take the Portland streetcar, bike or drive to SW Moody and SW Curry Street, and walk to the eastern end of SW Curry and onto the temporary greenway in front of the Meriwether condominiums.
Friday, May 29, 4 to 6 p.m. Vanport Flood Commemorative Tour. Leader: Susan Barthel, City of Portland/Columbia Slough Watershed Council. On May 30, 1948, at 4:17 p.m., a levee burst and the Columbia River flooded Vanport City, once the second-largest city in Oregon. This tour features speakers, three sites with public art, and informational signs and sharing by Vanport families and historians. A World War II housing project, Vanport was home to nearly 100,000 people during its existence, hosted Vanport College (now PSU) and many innovative educational and social programs. This outdoor tour begins at the Delta Park/Vanport Park & Ride and continues by carpool. Suitable for adults and children aged 10+; registration required. Meet atDelta Park/Vanport Park & Ride, 1940 N Victory Blvd. Dress for the weather; this is an outdoor tour. Click here for information and to RSVP, or call 503-281-1132.
- Saturday, May 30, 9 .am. to noon. Exploring The Intertwine: Birds and Indigenous Plants of Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge. Leaders: Mike Houck and Judy BlueHorse Skelton, Herbalist and Educator and PSU Indigenous Nations Studies Program. This two-mile loop stroll around the Bottoms is appropriate for families and will provide a great opportunity to learn new bird calls and songs and about native plants and their importance to Native American culture. Meet Mike and Judy at the parking lot at the north end of Sellwood Park at SE Sellwood Boulevard and SE 7th Avenue at 9 a.m. sharp. Bring binoculars and, if you have one, a hand lens will be handy for plant identification.
Saturday, May 30, 8:45 a.m. to 1:30 pm. Cycle the Well Field. Leaders: Portland Water Bureau/Columbia Slough Watershed Council. Bring your bike and your friends for a tour of Portland’s Columbia South Shore Well Field. Experts from the Portland Water Bureau and the Columbia Slough Watershed Council will lead this 16-mile trip on easy terrain. Learn about the safety, functionality and history of Portland’s underground drinking water system, which supplements the main supply from Bull Run. Helmets required; light refreshments provided; recommended for ages 12+. FREE. Pre-registration required. Ride start and finish at: Aloft Portland Airport at Cascade Station, 9920 NE Cascades Pkwy, Portland. Bring a packed lunch and dress for the weather. Click here for information and to RSVP, or call 503-281-1132.
- Saturday, May 30, 9 a.m. to 12 pm. Great Blue Heron Rookery Outing, Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve. Join bird expert Rick Balazs to view the Owl Woods heron colony. Thirty to 50 pairs of herons nest in this stand of Douglas fir trees. Rick has spent hundreds of hours monitoring the birds over the years, and knows the behaviors and antics of nesting herons very well. A variety of other birds, including bald eagles, osprey and songbirds, may be seen. Free (donations to the Education Center welcomed). Adults and children over 10 years. Group size limited to 15. Call 503-681-6283 to reserve a spot. Meet at the Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve Education Center, 2600 SW Hillsboro Highway, Hillsboro, OR 97123. Be prepared for a two mile (round-trip) leisurely walk over mostly flat terrain. Dress for the weather, the trails may be muddy. Bring binoculars. For more information, click here or contact Steve Engel, 503-681-6283, steve.engel@hillsboro-oregon.gov.
- Sunday, May 31, 9 to 11a.m. Springwater Trail Restoration Tour. Leader: Amy Lodholz. The Johnson Creek Watershed Council has seen blue heron at several recently constructed park locations in the Johnson Creek Watershed. Bikers of all ages and skill levels are invited to join a short tour of these locations. The ride will begin at Westmoreland Park and continue onto the Springwater Trail to see Tideman Johnson Park, Errol Heights, Luther Road Habitat Project and Foster Floodplain, all within a 12-mile round-trip. Pre-registration is required by emailing Amy at amy@jcwc.org. The Council has two adult bicycles available for use, as well. Meet at the corner of SE 22nd and Bybee in Westmoreland Park. Bring water. Questions? Call 503-652-7477 or text 541-968-3530. Event details can also be found on the Council website; type ‘bike’ in the search box.
Sunday, May 31, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sauvie Island "Johnson Unit" Rookery Heron Watch. Leaders: Willow Elliott and Jackie Petersen. See one of the heron hot spots of Portland on Sauvie Island to view a large rookery actively nesting and flying to and from the Columbia River. No pre-pregistration necessary, just show up! Meet at the pull-out on Reeder Road just across from the Marshall Beach Mobile Home park. Search Google Maps with "27000 NW Reeder Road, Portland OR 97231" address. Look for a large rookery in the cottonwood trees to the West on the other side of an agricultural field. Travel a total of 8 miles from the Sauvie Island Bridge. Continue on Sauvie Island Road coming off the bridge, then right on Reeder Road. Park on the West side of the road at the ODFW gate entrance to the Johnson Unit, 2 miles North of the Gillihan Road intersection. No parking inside the mobile home park or access to the river through the private property is allowed. Bring binoculars and a scope if you have one; rain and wind gear based on the conditions of the day. For more information or landmarks to find us, text Willow Elliott at 503-358-5848 or email salixsky@hotmail.com.
- Sunday, May 31, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Great Blue Heron Rookery Outing, Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve. Join bird expert Rick Balazs to view the Owl Woods heron colony. Thirty to 50 pairs of herons nest in this stand of Douglas fir trees. Rick has spent hundreds of hours monitoring the birds over the years and knows the behaviors and antics of nesting herons very well. A variety of other birds, including bald eagles, osprey and songbirds, may be seen. Free (donations to the Education Center welcomed). Adults and children over 10 years. Group size limited to 15. Call 503-681-6283 to reserve a spot. Meet at the Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve Education Center, 2600 SW Hillsboro Highway, Hillsboro, OR 97123. Be prepared for a two mile (round-trip) leisurely walk over mostly flat terrain. Dress for the weather, the trails may be muddy. Bring binoculars. For more information, click here, or contact Steve Engel, 503-681-6283, steve.engel@hillsboro-oregon.gov.
- Tuesday, June 2, 5 to 8 p.m. Birding The Intertwine: Birds of Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge. Mike Houck, Director of the Urban Greenspaces Institute, will lead this two-mile loop stroll around the Bottoms. It's appropriate for families and will provide a great opportunity to learn new bird calls and songs and to see osprey, bald eagles and songbirds in the Bottoms and along the Springwater on the Willamette trail. Meet Mike Houck at the parking lot at the north end of Sellwood Park, SE Sellwood Boulevard and SE 7th Avenue. Bring binoculars and, if you have one, a spotting scope.
- Tuesday, June 2, 7 p.m. Great Blue Herons: Their life history and conservation in the Portland Metro Area, followed by walk to Goat Island heron rookery. Co-led by Friends of Maddox Woods and Joe Liebezeit, Avian Conservation Program Manager at the Audubon Society of Portland. Joe will present a lecture on the life history of Great Blue Herons, conservation challenges for this species, and things you can do to help protect this bird. He'll also report on findings from a 6-year citizen science effort monitoring these majestic birds at over 30 rookeries in the Portland Metro region. Free event, no registration required. Lecture will be held in the Community Room at West Linn Library (1595 Burns Street, West Linn, OR 97068). For those interested, after the lecture, at 8 p.m., Joe will visit the Maddox Woods Goat Island heron rookery, which is a 10-minute walk from the library, for a sunset view of the herons. Wear sturdy footwear and dress appropriate to weather conditions. Bring binoculars. For more information, contact Joe at jliebezeit@audubonportland.org or go to the Audubon website.
Wednesday, June 3, 4 to 5:30 pm. Exploring The Intertwine: Birding The Willamette Greenway at South Waterfront. Meet Mike Houck for an early morning bird song walk along the temporary greenway trail at South Waterfront for residents and the public. Mike will point out the Great Blue Heron nesting colony on nearby Ross Island and identify birds by sight and song along the greenway. Meet on the greenway trail on the Willamette River side of the Meriwether anytime between 4 and 5:30 p.m. Bring your binoculars and spotting scopes, and dress for the weather. Directions: Take the Portland streetcar, bike or drive to SW Moody and SW Curry Street, and walk to the eastern end of SW Curry and onto the temporary greenway in front of the Meriwether condominiums.
- Saturday, June 6, 8 to 11 am. Birding The Intertwine: Birds of Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge. Mike Houck, Director of the Urban Greenspaces Institute, will lead this two-mile loop stroll around the Bottoms. It's appropriate for families and will provide a great opportunity to learn new bird calls and songs and see osprey, bald eagles and songbirds in the Bottoms and along the Springwater on the Willamette trail. Meet Mike Houck at the parking lot at the north end of Sellwood Park, SE Sellwood Boulevard and SE 7th Avenue, at 5 p.m. sharp. Bring binoculars and, if you have one, a spotting scope.
- Saturday, June 6, starts 9 a.m, all-day event. Ridgefield Fourth Annual Big Paddle. The day begins in the Big Event Tent with a Chinook Drumming and Blessing ceremony. Activities for the whole family continue with a two-hour canoe, kayak or paddleboard adventure on the Lake River; vendors and festivities at Paddler’s Village during and after the paddle; and a Totally Awesome Scavenger Challenge around the Port and historic downtown Ridgefield. There will be hot food choices, a Chicamarimba Band, a beer garden and an anniversary celebration. Location: Port of Ridgefield at the Public Boat Launch, 5 West Mill Street, in downtown Ridgefield. Bring your own canoe or kayak ,or rent one from Ridgefield Kayak, 360-727-4520. For more information, contact Lee Knottnerus, City of Ridgefield, 360-857-5001or lee.knottnerus@ci.ridgefield.wa.us.
Sunday, June 7, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Ross Island Regatta, Paddling Ross Island. Leaders: Mike Houck, Urban Greenspaces Institute and Bob Sallinger, Audubon Society of Portland. In honor of the 29th Annual Great Blue Heron Week, the Ross Island Regatta is an opportunity to enjoy a morning on the Willamette River, paddling through the slow-no wake zone on the Holgate Channel and Ross Island lagoon, around Ross Island and back to Willamette Park. We will be looking at the Bald Eagle nest and heron nesting colony on Ross Island, listening for birds and looking for river otter along the route. Meet trip leaders no later than 9:30 am at Willamette Park Boat Ramp to unload your canoe or kayak and get into the water by launch time. Directions: If you are renting a canoe or kayak from Alder Creek Kayak and Canoe or the nearby Portland Kayak Company, make sure you leave plenty of time to get your craft and be at Willamette Park at 9:30 a.m. sharp to put in. Alder Creek Kayak, 503-285-1819. Portland Kayak Company, 503-459-4050. After unloading your craft at the boat ramp, be sure to park in a CAR parking space. You will be ticketed if you park in a trailer space. Be sure to pay for parking. There are two machines near the restroom at the south end of the main parking lot. For more information, contact Mike Houck at mikehouck@urbangreenspaces.org. The paddle is a leisurely 2.5 to 3 hours and is suitable for beginning paddlers and families. Life jackets required.