On the Wings of Happenstance
Scoping Out the Santiam Birding Loop
Ahhh ... morning coffee, the daily news, and blue skies draw my thoughts out the window. I know that spring is here, not because the month is April, or the sun is making more and more frequent appearances. No. Today, a tiny wren announces the arrival of spring, and a great big season of exploration and adventure.
There are 138 excellent birding spots in the Willamette Valley, where mild winters, fertile grasslands, and blooming trees draw a compelling variety of birds to the area year 'round. A self-guided driving itinerary takes you from urban parks to sprawling wetlands to winding mountain trails.
Announcing: Nesting osprey in the city, dazzling wood ducks in backwater sloughs, and a colony of woodpeckers just off the highway. These are the true heralds of spring and just a tiny sampling of birding opportunities in the Valley.
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