celebration

Annual event celebrates birds of prey

9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9

Explore Sauvie Island in search of magnificent bald eagles, hawks and falcons that spend the winter on the island. On this special day devoted to raptors, experienced naturalists and hawk experts host activities and answer questions at four locations around the island. Enjoy guided bird viewing, meet live raptors up close and sharpen hawk identification skills. Hot drinks and doughnuts are available in the morning. Have breakfast with the birds!

How does the road trip work?

Begin at Kruger's Farm Market and pick up an event map and raptor identification guide. The event fee is $10 per vehicle, cash only, and includes a Sauvie Island Wildlife Area parking permit, which is needed to park at the sites. To reach Kruger's, take Highway 30 to the Sauvie Island Bridge and go straight on Sauvie Island Road 1.5 miles (past Howell Territorial Park). Kruger's Farm Market is located on the right. Carpooling is encouraged. Three of the four event locations offer wheelchair access.

Spotting scopes help with raptor identification and are provided, with naturalists on hand to point out the birds. Field guides are available. Bring binoculars and dress for the weather. This event takes place rain or shine. The road trip is suitable for birders of all ages and skill levels, and families are welcome. While you don't have to be an early bird and get up at the crack of dawn to see these birds of prey, allow approximately three hours to visit all four locations.

What will you see?

It all depends on what nature has in store. Regularly sighted raptors include bald eagles, red-tailed hawks, American kestrels and Northern harriers. With a little luck, you might spot a rough-legged hawk, Cooper's hawk, merlin or peregrine falcon. Beautiful snow geese, sandhill cranes and great blue herons are commonly seen at this time of year, as well as abundant waterfowl.

Sponsored by Metro, Audubon Society of Portland, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and HawkWatch International. For more information, www.oregonmetro.gov/calendar.

The annual Old Apple Tree Festival is a celebration centered on the oldest living apple tree in the Northwest, planted at Fort Vancouver in 1826.

Old Apple Tree Park, located on Columbia Way just east of Interstate 5 Bridge, hosts the festival on the first Saturday of each October.

Providing family fun, food and history of Vancouver's Old Apple Tree, the festival celebrates our community's legacy. Throughout the day Urban Forestry Commissioners give away cuttings from the Old Apple Tree; cuttings are limited and will be given out until they are gone. This is a free, family friendly event with activities for children, fruit tree pruning workshops, food, live music, apple cider pressing, tours of Fort Vancouver, and a scarecrow contest.

View the CVTV coverage of the 2012 Old Apple Tree Festival.

ECO Trivia Fundraiser

Join us for our 5th Annual ECO Trivia Fundraiser! 

• When?   Saturday, October 13th from 7-10pm
• Where? MacTarnahan's Taproom, 2730 NW 31st Ave
• Why?   ECO works to "Connect students to the world around them through exploration  of their local ecology." In meeting our mission, we send Scientists in Residence into individual elementary school classrooms to present hands-on ecology lessons. Your support will help us to continue bringing these lessons to young students in Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington & Clark counties. 
• How Much? Tickets are just $10 a piece, which includes a beer and some snacky food.

Buy Tickets at the Door, or SKIP THE LINE and buy tickets online: http://eco.givezooks.com/events/eco-trivia-fundraiser

Join The Forest Park Conservancy for our biggest volunteer event of the season on Saturday, October 20th from 9 am - 12:30 pm. We will be hosting habitat restoration projects at multiple sites in and around Forest Park. In keeping with tradition, the work will be followed by a rousing volunteer appreciation party, complete with a raffle, food and beverages for all. Registration is required. Click here to reserve your spot today!

Tired of seeing English Ivy take over natural areas and push out native plants? Wish it could be used to make something both beautiful and useful? You’re in luck! Rewild Portland will be holding a special ivy pull and ivy basketry workshop during Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge's annual celebration, BirdFest. The restoration event will be on the Saturday, October 13th, on the Carty Unit of the Refuge. From 9am to 11am, join the folks from Rewild Portland as they pull English Ivy and help restore refuge habitat. From 12 - 4, they will be teaching workshop participants how to turn the ivy pulled into artful and utilitarian baskets. Both the pull and the workshop are on a drop in basis, so feel free to join for the pull, the workshop, or both!