wildlife watching

The mild climate of our area attracts birds of prey that spend the winter here. It's warm, there's food, why go further south? On a good day you can find ten species of raptor in Washington County, if you know where and what to look for.  Transportation is provided for this outing in search of eagles, falcons, hawks and harriers. We depart from the Hillsboro Civic Center Plaza, 150 E Main Street, where you can arrive by MAX, bus or park your vehicle in the nearby free parking garage. This trip is limited to 7 participants so don't wait to register!

Ducks, geese, swans! Diving ducks, puddle ducks, cackling geese! Canada geese, tundra swans, trumpeter swans!  Trying to figure them all out can drive you crazy! Come to this class to get started on identifying a mallard from a wigeon and a teal from a merganser, or from another teal for that matter! After an indoor presentation of informative slides we venture out to view wild waterfowl and practice what we learned.

Explore Sauvie Island in search of magnificent eagles, hawks and falcons that spend the winter here. On this special day devoted to raptors, naturalists and hawk experts host activities at four locations around the island. Enjoy guided bird viewing, meet live raptors up close and see hawk identification displays. Free hot drinks and donuts will be available in the morning.

Check in at Kruger's Farm Market, and receive a one-day Sauvie Island Wildlife Area parking permit, event guide, birding map, checklist, and picture handouts to help identify birds of prey. Allow about three hours to visit all the stations. Bring binoculars and dress for the weather. Sponsored by the Audubon Society of Portland, Metro, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and HawkWatch International.   No advance registration is required. $10/vehicle upon arrival, cash only please.

Amphibians and reptiles can tell us a lot about the health of our community. Both rare and common species can be found in Gresham.

• Gain a basic understanding of amphibian life history and identification.
• Understand the impacts of restoration, invasive plant species and development.
• Learn how your backyard landscape can support these species and many more.

Join us for an evening of speakers and discussion.

Speakers:
Laura Guderyahn, City of Gresham Natural Resources Program
Katie Holzer, PhD Conservation Biology, Portland Parks and Recreation
Ashley Smithers, Graduate Student Natural Resource Management PSU
Gaylen Beatty, Columbia Land Trust Backyard Habitat Program

RSVP to The Wetlands Conservancy at 503-227-0778 or megangarvey@wetlandsconservancy.org

See flyer. 

Join us for a day of fun and learning at Family Fun on the Farm day, brought to you by Metro. School is out for the day and you're invited to Sauvie Island Center's first-ever Family Farm Day on Tuesday, November 11th from 10 am to 1 pm. We'll explore the 16-acre Sauvie Island Organics farm and the grounds of Howell Territorial Park while learning about food, farming and the land. Our staff will guide you and your family through an exploration of our curriculum, designed for elementary school-aged children, including:

-Soil Exploration. Dig in and learn about healthy soil.
-Seed to Harvest. Plant, tend and harvest the Grow Lunch Garden.
-Healthy Snacks. Harvest fresh veggies and use them to create yummy snacks!
-Plant Parts Investigation. Explore the farm and plants we can eat.
-Wildlife & Food web. Who else has been foraging on the farm?
-Pollination Station. Meet these hard-working farm friends.

The event is free but pre-registration is required here.