Where is the “Like” button? Sounds like fun. Today would not have been a good
day to do that.
Sent from Windows Mail
From: Matthew G Hunter
Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2015 8:32 PM
To: umpquabirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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.
