Sauvie Island - Oak Island w/ Rose City Bird Collective

Location: Oak Island Nature Trail trailhead
Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/8kD2KLB3CRWWm7Wg6
Leader: Kim

• Permit Required: An ODFW Wildlife Area Parking Permit to park at the Oak Island trailhead.
• Cost: Permits cost $10 for a daily pass or $30 for an annual/seasonal pass.
• Where to Buy: You can purchase permits online via the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife or at local island stops like the Cracker Barrel Grocery Mart. If you print a digital receipt or write the permit info on paper, display it clearly on your vehicle dashboard.

Overview
Join Kim for an early-evening bird walk at Oak Island on Sauvie Island, a beautiful area of wetlands, open fields, oak woodland, and shoreline habitat surrounding Sturgeon Lake. September is an especially exciting time to visit Sauvie Island, as fall migration brings increasing numbers of waterfowl, shorebirds, raptors, and other migrants through the lower Columbia River floodplain. Oak Island and the nearby wetlands are particularly well positioned for watching this seasonal movement.

With a 6:00 PM start, we’ll be birding during one of the most active times of day. As daylight begins to fade, ducks and geese may move between feeding and roosting areas, raptors can still be hunting over the fields, and songbirds may become more active before settling in for the night. Late September is also when the first substantial waves of Cackling Geese and Greater White-fronted Geese begin reaching the region, while Sandhill Cranes and other fall migrants become increasingly possible.

This beginner-friendly walk will move at a relaxed pace with frequent stops to scan Sturgeon Lake, surrounding wetlands, fields, and wooded edges. We’ll talk about fall migration, evening bird behavior, and how Sauvie Island changes as thousands of birds begin arriving for the colder months.

Accessibility & What to Expect
Parking:

• Permit Required: An ODFW Wildlife Area Parking Permit to park at the Oak Island trailhead.
• Cost: Permits cost $10 for a daily pass or $30 for an annual/seasonal pass.
• Where to Buy: You can purchase permits online via the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife or at local island stops like the Cracker Barrel Grocery Mart. If you print a digital receipt or write the permit info on paper, display it clearly on your vehicle dashboard.

Restroom Access: Porta-Poty
Pace: Easy
Distance: Approximately 2-3 miles
Terrain: Mostly flat gravel and natural-surface trails with a few uneven sections. Grass may be tall, so prepare for the additional possibility of bugs.

This walk is open to birders of all experience levels and is especially well suited for beginners. We'll move at an easy pace with frequent stops for viewing, photography, and identification.

Habitat & What We’ll See
By late September, fall migration is in full swing on Sauvie Island. The Oak Island Nature Trail passes through a mix of Oregon white oak woodland, open fields, brushy edges, and shoreline habitat around Sturgeon Lake, creating a great variety of places for birds to stop, feed, and rest. Sauvie Island is an especially important migration stopover in the Pacific Flyway, so this time of year can bring a changing mix of waterfowl, shorebirds, raptors, and songbirds.

Some of the birds we'll be looking for include:
• Sandhill Crane
• Wood Duck
• Mallard
• Northern Pintail
• Great Blue Heron
• Great Egret
• Killdeer
• Northern Harrier
• Red-tailed Hawk
• American Kestrel
• Belted Kingfisher
• Northern Flicker
• Black-capped Chickadee
• Yellow-rumped Warbler
• Savannah Sparrow
• White-crowned Sparrow

As migration continues, mixed flocks of songbirds may move through the oak woodland and brushy edges, while Sturgeon Lake and the surrounding wetlands can begin attracting increasing numbers of ducks and other waterbirds. Sandhill Cranes are always a target species this time of year, and late September always offers the possibility of other unexpected migrants passing through.

What to Bring
• Binoculars or Scope (if you have them)
• Water
• Sun protection
• Comfortable shoes
• A light jacket or hoodie, as temperatures often cool near sunset