Wrap Up Your Birding Year At Whitaker Ponds

Like any respectable Portland birding hotspot, Whitaker Ponds was once a dump. In 1995 volunteers cleaned it up and planted natives and now it has one of the biggest metro bird lists for anything its size. And it really shines in winter due to the water.

Whitaker is one of the best spots to easily and consistently see 7 or more species of ducks, not including Pied-billed Grebe (which isn’t a duck), pictured above. Black Phoebe is found on most trips. The deciduous and conifer woods multiply the chickadee and kinglet contingent. And Golden-crowned and sometimes Lincoln’s Sparrows are seen in the field and edge habitat.

Join me and fellow birders to see what’s going on there this Saturday! Everyone is welcome! I’ve an extra pair of binoculars if you don’t have them.

We’ll meet in the gazebo next to the parking lot.

Distance: 1 mile round trip
Trail: paved, dirt, gravel
Elevation: flat
Pacing: slow, frequent stops
Restrooms: There is an ADA-accessible porta potty by the parking lot
Public Transit: TriMet Bus #75. Bike racks are located inside the entrance near the west pond