Ridgefield NWR, Carty Unit, Oaks to Wetlands Trail w/ RoseCityBirdCollective

Date & Time: Sunday, November 22 · 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Location: We'll meet near the visitors center at the trailhead.
1071 S Hillhurst Rd, Ridgefield, WA 98675

Accessibility Information
Parking: Parking lot (plentiful) $3 parking fee, cash is easiest
Restroom Access: Standard restrooms
Pace: Easy
Distance: Approximately 2-3 Miles
Trail Conditions: Mostly flat, paved and well-maintained gravel paths with minimal elevation change.

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Join Kim for a late-fall morning bird walk along the Oaks to Wetlands Trail at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge's Carty Unit, a beautiful natural area featuring oak woodlands, seasonal wetlands, open grasslands, and forested habitats along the Columbia River floodplain. This diverse landscape provides excellent opportunities to observe a wide variety of birds as the refuge transitions into the winter season.

By late November, winter birding is well underway at Ridgefield, with large numbers of ducks, geese, and other waterfowl gathering in the refuge's wetlands and surrounding fields. Northern Pintails, American Wigeons, Green-winged Teals, and other wintering ducks may be seen in flooded areas, while sparrows, kinglets, chickadees, and woodpeckers remain active throughout the oak woodlands and forest edges. Raptors such as Red-tailed Hawks, Northern Harriers, and Bald Eagles are also frequently encountered, and visitors may hear the calls of Sandhill Cranes moving through the surrounding refuge.

This beginner-friendly walk will follow the Oaks to Wetlands Trail at a relaxed pace, with frequent stops to observe birds, practice identification, and explore how the refuge's wetlands and oak habitats provide important food and shelter for resident and wintering birds during the colder months.