See the map on the Oregon Birding Assn web site.
https://oregonbirding.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/fernridge-map.pdf ;
<https://oregonbirding.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/fernridge-map.pdf>
I go out to Fern Ridge Royal a lot and conditions are not good for a 6-year-old
right now. The reason for this is that the nearest water with any bird action
is over a mile away—the nearer ponds, 5 and the north part of 6, have dried up.
You can get to the platform in a half-mile, but you can’t see anything from it
but dried mud. There is one small pothole-pond near the platform, surrounded by
trees, but it is hard to see into.
Unless your daughter is up for a 2.5 mile roundtrip walk on a somewhat lumpy
surface, I’d suggest going to Perkins Peninsula off Hwy 126 for Acorns and a
view of Western and Clark’s Grebes.
The Acorn Woodpeckers are easy to find at the oak grove between Fisher Rd
corner and the Royal access parking. They are also at the tip of Perkins
Peninsula, a county park with a nice view of the lake.
Alan Contreras
acontrer56@xxxxxxxxx
Eugene, Oregon
www.alanlcontreras.com
Response times to messages may exceed one week.
On Jul 25, 2021, at 4:06 PM, JJ Furuno <j.furuno@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi,
I am visiting Fern Ridge Reservoir this week for the first time with my
6-year old daughter. I have done some research, but I'm still trying to get a
sense of the area. I found directions to the parking area off Royal Ave and
the location of the viewing platform but its not clear where some other areas
are. I read on eBird Noah Stryker reference a "western dike loop" and "pond
6" but I don't see these on a map. We are also hoping to visit the oak grove
where we might find Acorn Woodpeckers. Sorry if these are naive questions
which may be obvious when we get there, but happy for any suggestions, esp.
for this time of year.
Thanks! JJ
