What we’re about
This group is for nature lovers and photographers who like to soak in the moment, ID plants, birds, and wildflowers, pick up rocks, commune with waterfalls, meet wildlife, practice mindfulness, or just feel like taking it easy today. Our hikes are short and sweet and we incorporate a lot of pauses.
We take full advantage of full moons, eclipses, meteor showers, sunrises, sunsets, meteorological phenomena, low tides, king tides, bird migrations, whale migrations, salmon runs, elk ruts, wildlife viewing, peak wildflower blooms, fall colors, plant and tree ID, prime rockhounding spots, unique natural features, waterfalls, nature instruction, meditation, gardens and gardening, and weird stuff around the Portland periphery.
Membership denotes agreement to:
Be 18 years or older, leave all pets at home, be vaccinated for COVID, and refrain from smoking/vaping, alcohol, and/or any recreational drugs during our time together.
Always check your email and the event page of the hike you've signed up for to see if there are any last minute changes. Sudden weather developments are often a factor, especially in winter.
Update your RSVP if your plans change. Be advised: 3 No Shows and you will be asked to find another hiking Meetup.
Get there early. Events start at the time posted, so give yourself plenty of time to find a parking spot, gear up, use the restroom, pay your fee, and be ready to go. Leave at least 15 minutes early for nearby events and 30 minutes early if the drive is going to be over an hour. Don't rely on GPS, a lot of our meeting spots are remote and/or unnamed, so read the directions in the event description, too.
Read the WHOLE event description.
Let the Organizer know if you prefer not to have your photograph posted or tagged online. Privacy is important, so if you find your image has made it into the photo albums, contact the Organizer and it will be removed, no questions asked.
Take responsibility for your own safety, comfort, and enjoyment and understand that the Organizer is not liable for any incidents that may befall you leading up to, during, or following the event.
Understand that all proceeds go to the Organizer's expenses, including Meetup subscription, parking passes, park entrance fees, and gas. The end of summer picnic at the Oregon Donkey Sanctuary donates half the proceeds of that event to the sanctuary.
Refund Policy: If you are attending an event and it is unable to proceed as planned due to unforeseen events beyond the Organizer's control, a refund will be offered during that event. Refunds will not be issued after the conclusion of the event.
See you out there!
Upcoming events
4
- $10.00
Fall Migration Birding Tour: Sauvie Island
Location not specified yet(LOCATION DIRECTIONS AT BOTTOM)
The sandhill cranes are back! These lovely creatures have the most recognizable call of all winter waterfowl--a loud, almost wooden-sounding sort of rattling bugle that you can hear up to 2.5 miles away! It's more like Africa than Oregon.
Sauvie Island is the holy land for Portland birders, 250 separate species have been spotted in its varied habitats and much of the island has been designated a wildlife area. It's famous for migrating waterfowl and resident raptors, so now's the time to polish up the binoculars and get out there.
We'll meet at the Sauvie Island Wildlife Area Eastside Viewing Platform (LOCATION DIRECTIONS AT BOTTOM) and set up our scopes to see who's out on the lake. There's usually sandhills, ducks, coots, mergansers, herons, egrets, swans, geese, and harriers at this spot. Restroom on site.
Then, we'll drive 0.5 mi. further down to gravel Rentenaar Road (look for white building on left) and form a slow caravan to the end, pausing at sloughs and fields along the way for sightings. We'll get out at the terminus and walk up the steep little gravel berm to look out over the fields from a great vantage point. Here, I've spotted rare sparrows, California quail, snow geese, swans, ospreys, white pelicans, eagles, and owls. Unconfirmed restrooms on site.
Then, we'll get back on NW Reeder Road north to a gravel access road and parking area among tall cottonwoods that I know about. We'll walk the road a little ways to check out the otter pond and see who's home and scan the trees for woodpeckers and owls. No restroom on site (but lots of cover, if you know what I mean.)
ATTENTION: You'll need an ODFW Wildlife Area Parking Permit ($10). Lots of stores carry them, too.
Bring $10 cash, your parking permit, water/snacks, binoculars/spotting scope, camera, birding books/apps, and WEATHER appropriate clothing. Adults only, please, and no pets, thanks.
DIRECTIONS: From the Sauvie Island Bridge, stay left to curve around under the bridge onto NW Gillihan Road. Follow it all the way around the right (east) side of the island for about 6.2 mi. Turn right on NW Reeder Road and go about 2.75 mi. to the gravel parking lot of the Sauvie Island Wildlife Area Eastside Viewing Platform on your left. Look for my deep blue Honda CRV.
6 attendees - $5.00
Full Moon Rising Over Killin Wetlands
Killin Wetlands Nature Park, 46280 NW Cedar Canyon Rd, Banks, or, USThe full Beaver Moon will rise at 4:38 PM on what will hopefully be a clear Wednesday evening in November. From Killin's parking lot, you can get a pretty tasty view with a telephoto when the sunset often dresses Mt. Hood in a pink negligee for the evening--Ooo, la, la!
First, we'll walk very slowly about 1 mi. total out and back down paved NW Cedar Canyon Road to the west slough to photograph waterfowl, nutria, and maybe an elk or otter. Swans, geese, and winter migrants will be here so it should be good birding. I'll provide plant, animal, and bird ID. If time allows, you can explore the little 0.7 mi. trail loop through the park, itself, before it gets too dark, there are good mushrooms there. Then we'll return to the parking lot, set up our tripods, snuggle into our chairs and blankets, and watch for the moon to become visible over the hills around 5 PM at 57° azimuth. I'll set up my scope.
Bring $5 cash, water, headlamp/light source, binoculars/scope, camping chair with blankets, WEATHER appropriate clothing, and all your photography gear. Restroom on site. Adults only, please, and no pets, thanks.
1 attendee - $5.00
Full Moon Rising Over Killin Wetlands
Killin Wetlands Nature Park, 46280 NW Cedar Canyon Rd, Banks, or, USThe full Cold Moon will rise at 3:54 PM on what will hopefully be a clear Thursday afternoon in December. From Killin's parking lot, you can get a pretty tasty view with a telephoto when the sunset often dresses Mt. Hood in a pink negligee for the evening--Ooo, la, la!
First, we'll walk very slowly about 1 mi. total out and back down paved NW Cedar Canyon Road to the west slough to photograph waterfowl, nutria, and maybe an elk or otter. Swans, geese, and winter species have settled in so it should be good birding. If time allows, you can explore the little 0.7 mi. trail loop through the park, itself, before it gets too dark. Then we'll return to the parking lot, set up our tripods, snuggle into our chairs and blankets, and watch for the moon to become visible over the hills around 3:15 PM at 49° azimuth.
Bring $5 cash, water, headlamp/light source, binoculars/scope, camping chair with lots of blankets, WEATHER appropriate clothing, and all your photography gear. Restroom on site. Adults only, please, and no pets, please.
2 attendees - $10.00
Christmas Ships on Sauvie Island
Wapato Access Greenway State Park, 18846 NW Sauvie Island Rd, Portland, OR, US***This event is free of charge to those who attended last year, see bottom***
Christmas Ships is a Portland tradition since 1954. If you've never seen them...Wait, what do you mean you've never seen them?
Dozens of local boaters (and the Coast Guard!) decorate their vessels, large and small, with festive lights and music and slowly parade down various routes along the Columbia and Willamette Rivers while crazed fans gather in crowds to hoot and holler at them from the shore. There's quite a bit of drunken shenanigans among the rows of floating houses.
Happily, I've found a more intimate location far from the hordes where each glowing ship slips across the glassy black surface of the Multnomah Channel in perfect peace. Leaves rustle, owls hoot, and the water laps gently on the muddy banks of Sauvie Island while an electric rainbow glides silently by. Ahhhh.
We'll gather in the Wapato Access Greenway State Park parking lot by 4:45 PM (get there early!) and carpool and caravan to a secret location about 15 minutes away. The viewing area is small, so we'll arrive early to stake out a spot. We'll have half an hour or so for birding in the dark down the country road (hopefully, owls!) before the ships appear around the bend. If the weather is dry, there is plenty of room for camping chairs. If it's raining, we'll open umbrellas. The colors are even prettier in the rain.
An added bonus to this location is that, since the road parallels the river, you can watch the ships all over again, even from atop the Sauvie Island Bridge, because you'll pass them again on the way back.
Bring $10 cash, water/hot beverage/snacks, camp chair, blankets, headlamp/light source, binoculars, umbrella, WEATHER appropriate clothing, and your photography/video gear. Wear LOTS of layers of warm clothing, way more than you think you'll need, because we'll be standing a while. I'm talking long underwear, woolen socks, fuzzy hat, the works. There's no restroom on site but, you know, darkness and shrubbery. (There is a large, handicapped accessible portapotty at the Sauvie Island Wildlife Area Offices at 18330 NW Sauvie Island Rd, Portland, OR 97231 on the way to the carpool meeting spot.) You'll be settin' up the tripod on uneven gravel or squishy dirt. Adults only, please, and no pets, thanks.
***Due to last year's disappointing scheduling glitch with the Christmas Ships organization, I'm extending a free repeat to everyone who attended that event as well as their +1s who came along. You better believe THIS year, I'll be hounding Christmas Ships right up until the start time to make sure they're actually sailing. ***
9 attendees
Past events
535
