Umpqua Estuary Paddle: Sunday, May 3--Spring Shorebird Migration
Looking for paddlers and a land team (or a shuttle volunteer).
Description: The Umpqua River Estuary is an Oregon Important Bird Area (
http://audubonportland.org/local-birding/iba/iba-map/umpqua) located in
coastal Douglas County. We will take an 8-mile journey from Salmon Harbor,
riding the tide upstream, taking out at the Gardner boat ramp in the
afternoon. In the river channel we expect to see plenty of ducks, loons,
grebes, gulls, and cormorants, as well as Caspian Terns, Ospreys, and
perhaps a Bald Eagle overhead. As we move upstream we will encounter narrow
strips of mudflat along the river edge, then two larger expanses of
mudflat. On these mudflats we expect to see Western Sandpipers, Least
Sandpipers, Semipalmated Plover, Black-bellied Plover, Greater Yellowlegs,
Dunlin, Whimbrel, and perhaps other shorebirds and waterfowl. Large groups
of Harbor Seals, with their varied colors and patterns, are typically
observed. You can see photos from a 2013 spring trip here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthewghunter/sets/72157633361295235/, and a
complete checklist with notes here:
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S13934416.
Logistics: This trip is done with your own canoe or kayak (but sometimes
someone needs a partner in their canoe, so let me know if you want to go
but don't have a watercraft). On the day of the trip we will meet at the
Salmon Harbor west basin boat ramp at 0730 (launch fee is $5 per
craft)(also be sure to have your invasive species permit). Those of us
coming from central Douglas County can meet near Dakota Street Pizza (west
of I-5 at Sutherlin) at about 0600 to caravan. Hopefully we will have a
"land team" as well, that can pick us up when we reach Gardener. Otherwise
we will have to shuttle vehicles before launching. We expect to take out at
the Gardner boat ramp between about 3 pm and 4 pm, but river and bird
conditions and decisions of the participants will dictate timing. Bring
lunch and/or snacks and water. Life jackets and a whistle are required by
Oregon law and I recommend you wear your life jacket on this trip. There
are no restrooms on this stretch of river but we can access some "cover" if
need be.
NOTE: Last year all attempts to canoe the estuary were cancelled or
abandoned due to wind. I hope we have better luck this year (I did nine
trips in 2013 without a problem!). If conditions are unfavorable, we may
canoe a different area or do some land-based birding.
If you are interested in this trip, please call or email Matt Hunter,
541-670-1984, matthewghunter@xxxxxxxxx. No charge for this trip. If
participants are interested, we can have some dinner afterwards in
Reedsport or Winchester Bay.
