Visit Sauvie Island for Raptor Road Trip
With dedicated volunteers, Metro, Audubon Society of Portland, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and HawkWatch International are hosting the eighth annual Raptor Road Trip on Sauvie Island, home to bald eagles, hawks and falcons that spend the winter just 10 miles northwest of Portland.
From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Feb. 4, experienced naturalists and hawk experts will host activities at four locations around the island. For only $10 per vehicle – carpooling is encouraged – a map and the required wildlife area parking permit are provided, then you choose where to go to enjoy guided bird viewing. In the morning, two of the sites offer coffee, hot chocolate and donuts for snacking while they last.
Spotting scopes are provided for up-close viewing of the frequently sighted raptors: bald eagles, red-tailed hawks, American kestrels and Northern harriers. Metro naturalists and local expert birders will be on hand to point out and identify these magnificent birds at each of the four locations. With a little luck, you might spot a rough-legged hawk, Cooper's hawk, merlin or peregrine falcon. Beautiful sandhill cranes, snow geese and great blue herons often are seen at this time of year as well. Sauvie Island’s watery habitat draws huge flocks of waterfowl – roughly 150,000 on any given day – to spend the winter. It's all those ducks and geese that attract the predators; the birds of prey.
At Metro’s Howell Territorial Park you can meet live raptors up close; Finnegan, the peregrine falcon and Hazel, the spotted owl from Audubon’s education birds program. Learn what the presence of raptors tells us about the health of local natural areas and how you can help keep wild birds living in your neighborhood. The event starts at Kruger's Farm Market, 17100 NW Sauvie Island Road. Three of the four event locations offer wheelchair access.
