Tag: birds

McDowell Creek Falls and Cheadle Lake – 02/28/2026

Post author By derwoodynck
Post date March 3, 2026
No Comments on McDowell Creek Falls and Cheadle Lake – 02/28/2026

We woke up to the news of military action in Iran, a somber reminder of the state of the world today. Our prayers are with all the families across the globe impacted. We’re thankful to still have the opportunity to step away and enjoy the outdoors.

We had picked a pair of hikes near Lebanon, OR McDowell Creek Falls and Cheadle Lake. We had visited the former in February 2014 (post) while the latter would be new for us as a hike. (We had run part of this route in the early 2010’s as part of the Runaway Pumpkin half marathon races.)

We started our morning at McDowell Creek County Park for the relatively short loop that visits four named waterfalls. We parked in the lower (western most) parking lot which is referred to as the Royal Terrace Falls Trailhead in the Oregon Hikers Field Guide.

There are restrooms and picnic tables available at the trailhead.

After double checking the map, we set off on the trail across McDowell Creek.

After 0.2-miles we came to the start of the loop and opted to go left for a view of Royal Terrace Falls from the footbridge across Fall Creek.

The start of the loop.

Royal Terrace Falls

Bench of the far side of the bridge.

Beyond Royal Terrace Falls the trail recrossed McDowell Creek then crossed McDowell Creek Road before arriving at Crystal Falls aka Crystal Pool a third of a mile from Royal Terrace Falls.

McDowell Creek

McDowell Creek Road from the crossing.

Crystal Falls ahead through the trees.

A use trail led down to the creek for a better view of the falls.

Just over a tenth of a mile past Crystal Falls the trail arrives at an impressive wooden walkway near Majestic Falls.

Majestic Falls

Stairs led up from Majestic Falls to a viewpoint platform at the top of the waterfall.

From the upper viewpoint we faced a choice of going directly uphill to the upper parking lot or taking a slightly longer route by swinging out along the creek for a short distance. We had gone directly up in 2014 so this time we chose to swing out along the creek.

Stairs up to the upper lot.

Robin near the upper lot.

We crossed the road near the upper parking lot and in 0.3-miles
recrossed McDowell Creek Road.

Pointer for Royal Terrace Falls at the crossing of McDowell Creek Road.

In another 0.3-miles we arrived at Fall Creek above Royal Terrace Falls.

Viewing platform above Royal Terrace Falls

Looking down at the bridge below Royal Terrace Falls.

We took a short detour up a use trail along Fall Creek which didn’t lead anywhere of note then headed down the stairs along Fall Creek to complete the loop.

Fall Creek along the use trail.

Royal Terrace Falls from the stairs.

When we were back at the lower parking lot we followed a short trail downstream to a view of Lower McDowell Falls.

The hike here was just 2.2-miles with a little over 200′ of elevation gain leaving us plenty of energy for a second stop.

It was less than a 20-minute drive from McDowell Creek to Cheadle Lake in Lebanon. We had initially planned on parking at Cheadle Lark Park however there was quite a bit of construction equipment present, and it was unclear if the trails at this end of the area were open, so we shifted to “Plan B” and made our way to nearby Riverview Park.

We stopped at the signboard for the Old Mill Trail and studied the map for a moment and downloaded a digital copy then headed right (south) on a paved path. (It was unclear if this was the Old Mill Trail or the West River Trail, nevertheless it would take us to Cheadle Lake.)

The South Santiam River from the trail.

This trail led us into a neighborhood and to Mountain River Drive.

Here the pointers refer to the West River Trail.

We followed the sidewalk for 100 yards to a crosswalk at River Drive then continued another tenth of a mile to Cheadle Lake Park’s boat ramp parking area.

From this parking lot the paved North Shore Trail passes along the northeastern shore of Cheadle Lake between the lake and the Lebanon Santiam Canal. We were on the lookout for waterfowl and other birds as we started off.

Mallards

Geese

Ring-necked duck

American wigeon

Ridgeway Butte beyond a farm across the canal.

American wigeons and domestic ducks on the farm.

After four tenths of a mile we arrived at the Island Loop Trails which are a series of fingers in the middle of the lake.

We hiked out-and-back on the eastern most finger before returning to the North Shore Trail.

Pied-billed grebe

Bench at the end of the finger.

Gadwall

Back on the North Shore Trail we continued SE and spotted a pair of hooded mergansers in the canal.

Spotted towhee

Song sparrow

At the far end of the lake, we arrived at a 4-way junction within sight of the parking lot we had originally planned on starting from.

The park map showed a dashed (proposed) Southshore Trail heading right from this junction. The proposed trail would loop around the lake to the boat ramp. We had not paid attention to the “proposed” verbiage when we decided to turn right and try the loop. Initially the trail was paved with benches but the pavement soon ended and was replaced by a dirt trail through the grass.

California scrub jay.

Oregon grape

The finger that we had hiked out earlier.

The trail lasted a little over half a mile before petering out on the north side of a soccer field at a marsh. It was at this point that we noticed the “proposed” label on the map. Since looping around the lake wasn’t an option, we looped around the soccer field and headed back the way we’d come.

The soccer field is to the left with Ridgeway Butte ahead.

Heading back on the North Shore Trail.

We had discussed being surprised at having not seen a bald eagle on our first pass along the lake. That changed as we passed the Island Loops.

Bald eagle spotted.

Cormorants

From the boat ramp we headed back toward Riverview Park and took the gravel fork at the southern end of the park.

Heather had a blister starting so she headed back to the car while I continued around the park to the Eagle Scout Trail.

I turned on the Eagle Scout Trail and followed this dirt path 0.8-miles to the paved Old Mill Trail near Gill’s Landing

Indian plum

Bewick’s wren

Old Mill Trail near Gill’s Landing.

I returned to Riverview Park on the Old Mill Trail completing a 6.4-mile hike with minimal elevation gain.

Old mill site.

Riverview Park

This was a nice pair of hikes. We knew that McDowell Creek Falls was a great hike, but Cheadle Lake was surprisingly quite for an in-town hike and the birding turned out to be pretty good. Happy Trails!

Flickr: McDowell Creek Falls and Cheadle Lake

Tags birds, Cheadle Lake, Cheadle Lake Park, Crystal Falls, Ducks, Eagle Scout Trail, Gill's Landing, hiking, Lebanon, Lower McDowell Creek Falls, Majestic Falls, McDowell Creek Falls, North Shore Trail, Old Mill Trail, Oregon, Riverview Park, Royal Terrace Falls, West River Trail

Hiking

2025 Wildlife Gallery Part 1 – Feathered Friends

Post author By derwoodynck
Post date January 26, 2026
1 Comment on 2025 Wildlife Gallery Part 1 – Feathered Friends

It’s time again for our annual wrap up of the various critters we encountered over the previous year. Several years ago we split our wildlife post into feathered and featherless friends and have continued with that tradition ever since.

While we really enjoy taking pictures as a way to record what we see on our hikes, we are by no means photographers. We use our phones and a point and shoot camera on the auto setting, so the pictures are far from professional, but we hope you enjoy them. We also practice Leave No Trace Principles including Principle 6: Respect Wildlife which means observing from a distance, never feeding, and respecting any area wildlife closures.

With that being said here is a collection of the various species of birds we were able to get pictures of in 2025.

American bitterns – William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge, 04/30/2025.

American coot – Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, 04/28/2025.

American dipper – June Lake, 09/20/2025.

American goldfinch – Fernhill Wetlands, 05/02/2025.

American kestrel – Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, 05/01/2025.

American pipit – Mt. Jefferson Wilderness, 09/17/2025.

American wigeons (toward the back) – Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, 04/28/2025.

Anna’s hummingbird – Fernhill Wetlands, 05/02/2025.

Black-capped chickadee – E.E. Wilson Wildlife Refuge, 04/27/2025.

Bald eagle – Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, 04/28/2025.

Barred owl – Willamette Mission State Park, 09/01/2025.

Barrow’s goldeneye – Elijah Bristow State Park, 04/19/2025.

Black-backed woodpecker – Mt. Jefferson Wilderness, 07/14/2025.

Blue-winged teal – Fern Ridge Wildlife Refuge, 05/03/2025.

Brown pelicans – Manhattan Beach, 10/11/2025.

Bufflehead – Elijah Bristow State Park, 04/19/2025.

Bullock’s oriole – Deschutes River Criterion Tract, 5/25/2025.

California quail – William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge, 04/30/2025.

California scrub jay – William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge, 04/30/2025.

Canada jay – Mt. Hood Wilderness, 08/31/2025.

Cedar waxwing – Mt. Rainier National Park, 08/08/2025.

Chestnut-backed chickadee – Mt. Rainier National Park, 08/07/2025.

Chipping sparrow? – Mt. Rainier National Park, 08/04/2025.

Cinnamon teals – William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge, 04/30/2025.

Clark’s nutcrackers – Mt. Rainier National Park, 08/05/2025.

Cliff swallow – Criterion Tract, 05/25/2025.

Common loon – Crescent Lake, Olympic National Park, 05/13/2025.

Common mergansers – Milo McIver State Park, 02/22/2025.

Common yellow-throat – Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, 04/28/2025.

Cormorant – Olympic National Park, 05/14/2025.

Crow – Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, 05/01/2025.

Mourning dove – Fanno Creek Trail, 04/26/2025.

Eurasian-collard dove – Wapato Lake National Wildlife Refuge, 05/02/2025.

Prairie flacon? – Mt. Hood Wilderness, 08/31/2025.

Green-winged teals – Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, 04/28/2025.

House finch – Fanno Creek Trail, 04/26/2025.

House sparrow – Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, 04/29/2025.

Gadwall – Jackson Bottom Wetlands, 05/01/2025.

Canada geese – Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, 05/01/2025.

Gold-crowned sparrow – Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, 04/29/2025.

Great blue heron and great egrets – Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, 05/01/2025.

Greater white-fronted geese – Fern Ridge Wildlife Refuge, 05/03/2025.

Greater yellowlegs – Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, 04/28/2025.

Grosbeak? – Rogers Peak, 06/07/2025.

Sooty grouse – William O. Douglas Wilderness, 08/08/2025.

Red-tailed hawk? – Three Sisters Wilderness, 09/13/2025.

Hooded mergansers – Fanno Creek Trail, 04/26/2025.

Rufous hummingbird – Mt. Jefferson Wilderness, 07/17/2025.

Ruffed grouse – Silver Falls State Park, 11/11/2025.

Junco – William O. Douglas Wilderness, 08/08/2025.

Killdeer – Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, 04/28/2025.

Lark sparrow – Criterion Tract, 05/25/2025.

Lazuli bunting – Mt. Washington Wilderness, 07/19/2025.

Least sandpiper – Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, 04/28/2025.

Lesser scaup – Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, 04/29/2025.

Lewis’s woodpecker – Mt. Hood National Forest, 05/24/2025.

Lincoln’s sparrow – Dean Point, 10/11/2025.

Long billed dowitcher – Jackson Bottom Wetlands, 05/01/2025.

Mallard – Jackson Bottom Wetlands, 05/01/2025.

Marsh wren – Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, 04/28/2025.

Mute swan – Fern Ridge Wildlife Refuge, 05/03/2025.

Northern flicker – E.E. Wilson Wildlife Refuge, 04/27/2025.

Northern harrier – William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge, 04/30/2025.

Northern pintail – Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, 04/29/2025.

Northern pygmy owl – McDonald-Dunn Forest, 07/05/2025.

Northern shovelers – Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, 04/29/2025.

Red-breasted nuthatch (juvenile) – Mt. Rainier National Park, 08/04/2025.

Osprey – Wapato Lake National Wildlife Refuge, 05/02/2025.

Oyster catcher – Olympic National Park, 05/14/2025.

Pacific wren – Thurston Hills, 04/19/2025.

Pied billed grebe – E.E. Wilson Wildlife Refuge, 04/27/2025.

Pine siskin – Mt. Rainier National Park, 08/08/2025.

Purple martins – Fernhill Wetlands, 05/02/2025.

Raven – Mt. Rainier National Park, 08/04/2025.

Red-breasted sapsucker – Milo McIver State Park, 02/22/2025.

Red-winged blackbird – Wapato Lake National Wildlife Refuge, 05/02/2025.

Ring-necked ducks – Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, 04/28/2025.

Robin – Mt. Rainier National Park, 08/08/2025.

Ruddy duck – William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge, 04/30/2025.

Savanah sparrow – William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge, 04/30/2025.

Solitary sandpiper – E.E. Wilson Wildlife Refuge, 04/27/2025.

Spotted sandpiper – William O. Douglas Wilderness, 08/08/2025.

Western gull – Driftwood Beach, 01/11/2025.

Semipalmated plovers – Driftwood Beach, 01/11/2025.

Short billed dowitchers – Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, 04/28/2025.

Song sparrow – Metzler County Park, 03/08/2025.

Spotted towhee – Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, 04/28/2025.

Starling – Champoeg State Heritage Area, 06/19/2025.

Stellar’s jay – Olympic National Park, 05/13/2025.

Violet green swallow (bottom right corner) – Olympic National Park, 05/13/2025.

Tree swallows – Jackson Bottom Wetlands, 05/01/2025.

Townsend’s solitaire – Mt. Hood National Forest, 05/26/2025.

Turkeys – William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge, 04/30/2025.

Turkey vulture – William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge, 04/30/2025.

Varied thrush – Mt. Jefferson Wilderness, 10/18/2025.

Western bluebird – Catherine Creek Recreation Area, 03/29/2025.

Western kingbirds – Criterion Tract, 5/25/2025.

Western meadowlark – Criterion Tract, 5/25/2025.

Western tanager – Mt. Hood National Forest, 05/24/2025.

Western wood-pewee – Mt. Hood National Forest, 05/24/2025.

Whimbrel – Olympic National Park, 05/15/2025.

White-crowned sparrow – Olympic National Park, 05/13/2025.

White pelicans – Fern Ridge Wildlife Refuge, 05/03/2025.

Wilson’s warbler – Clatsop State Forest, 05/11/2025.

Wood ducks – William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge, 04/30/2025.

Hairy woodpecker – Olympic National Park, 05/13/2025.

Downy woodpecker – Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, 04/28/2025.

Merlin says Hermit Thrush – Umpqua National Forest, 05/31/2025.

Merlin says Say’s Phoebe – Deschutes River Criterion Tract, 5/25/2025.

Merlin says Purple Finch – Mt. Hood Wilderness, 08/31/2025.

Merlin wouldn’t take a stab at this bird seen on Second Burroughs Mountain in Mt. Rainier National Park, 08/05/2025.

The highlight of the year was the seeing the northern pygmy owl in McDonald-Dunn Forest with its catch which was the first northern pygmy owl that we’d seen. The Say’s phoebe along the Deschutes River was another first (as far as we know), but at the time we weren’t sure what type of bird we were seeing. I believe those are the only two that were new sightings for us.

As always please let us know if we’ve misidentified anything, and happy trails!

Tags American Bittern, birds, Blue-winged teal, Ducks, Northern Pygmy Owl, Oregon, Washington

Bend/Redmond Central Oregon Hiking Oregon Trip report

Crooked River Wetlands – 05/27/2024

Post author By derwoodynck
Post date May 31, 2024
1 Comment on Crooked River Wetlands – 05/27/2024

To wrap up our Memorial Day Weekend trip to Prineville we visited the Crooked River Wetlands Complex

The wetlands were opened in 2017 as a solution to the city’s wastewater needs. The complex has 5.4-miles of trails, over half of which are paved, that loop around 15 ponds of varying sizes. We were the third car to arrive, however, there were numerous raucous birds.

The yellow-headed blackbirds were particularly noisy.

A cinnamon teal in front of two mallards?

With so many loop possibilities this is a choose your own route area. Ours wound up being primarily on the Outer Loop, but we cut back in toward the parking area between ponds 5 & 1 to make sure we passed all 13 interpretive signboards.
This loop was 3.4-miles.

Grizzly Mountain from Pond 4.

Killdeer

One of the interpretive signboards ahead.

Goose family

There were plenty of benches to enjoy the views from.

Mallards

Cinnamon teal

Must be a green-winged teal but the angle of light made the patch on his head look blue.

We’d never seen so many killdeer in one area.

Spotted sandpipers

Brewer’s blackbird

Swallow

Pollinator garden

Ring-necked ducks

Wilson’s phalarope

Yellow-headed blackbirds

American coot

Adolescent geese

Dove

Gadwalls

Female yellow-headed blackbird

Pair of bucks.

Ruddy ducks

Red-winged blackbird harassing an osprey.

Gray Butte

A pair of hawks.

Not birds.

Marsh wren

Great blue heron

Observation deck at Pond 10.

Another marsh wren.

Heading back to the parking area.

We had a lot of fun watching and listening to the birds here, and it was perfect for a morning walk. The distance allowed us to be on our way back to Salem shortly after 8am which was early enough that we avoided most of the holiday traffic.

After this weekend’s hikes we’re down to a dozen Eastern Oregon featured hikes to complete our quest for 500 (post). Happy Trails!

Flickr: Crooked River Wetlands

Tags birds, Cinnamon Teal, Crooked River Wetlands, Crooked River Wetlands Complex, Ducks, gadwall, geese, hiking, marsh wren, Oregon, Osprey, Prineville, Ruddy Duck, Wilson's Phalarope, Yellow headed blackbird

Hiking Year-end wrap up

2022 Wildlife Gallery Part 1 – Feathered Friends

Post author By derwoodynck
Post date January 23, 2023
1 Comment on 2022 Wildlife Gallery Part 1 – Feathered Friends

We thought we’d do something different this year and split our 2022 wildlife gallery into two posts to keep them a little shorter. It made the most sense to us to do a post with the different birds we saw during 2022 and then one of the other wildlife. As with our wildflower post any corrections or additions to our attempts at identifying what we’ve photographed is greatly appreciated. One last note, while we really enjoy taking pictures as a way to record what we see on our hikes, we are by no means photographers. We use our phones and a point and shoot camera on the auto setting, so the pictures are far from professional, but we hope you enjoy them.

We’ll start small which, aside from some of the raptors, is where we have the most difficulty identifying the various species (ducks and sea birds can be tricky too).
Hummingbird at Memaloose Hills in May.

Hummingbird at Upper Table Rock in May.

Black capped chickadee at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.

Yellow-rumped warbler (Audubon’s) at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.

Wren (marsh?) at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.

White-crowned sparrow at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.

Sparrow? at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.

Common yellow throat at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.

Yellow-rumped warbler (Myrtle) at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.

Tree swallows at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.

White-crowned sparrow and a wren at Miller Woods in May.

American goldfinch pair at Miller Woods in May.

Another sparrow at Miller Woods in May.

Hermit warbler? near Kings Mountain in May.

House finch? at Upper Table Rock in May.

Rock wren? at Upper Table Rock in May.

Ash-throated flycatcher at Denman Wildlife Area in May.

Unknown at Denman Wildlife Area in May.

Swallow at Julia Hansen Butler Wildlife Refuge in June.

Some sort of warbler? at Julia Hansen Butler Wildlife Refuge in June.

Purple martins at Julia Hansen Butler Wildlife Refuge in June.

Another wren at Julia Hansen Butler Wildlife Refuge in June.

Unknown at Julia Hansen Butler Wildlife Refuge in June.

Sparrow? at Julia Hansen Butler Wildlife Refuge in June.

Warbler? at Julia Hansen Butler Wildlife Refuge in June.

Black phoebe? at Julia Hansen Butler Wildlife Refuge in June.

Mountain bluebird near Union Peak in September.

Red-breasted nuthatch (best I could get) at Crater Lake in September.

Red crossbilss at Crater Lake in September.

Wren on the Eagle Creek Trail in November.

Dark eyed junco at Waverly Lake in December.

Going up a bit in size now (and a little easier to identify).
Canada jay (grey jay) along the Crown Zellerbach Trail in March.

California scrub jay along the Balfour-Klickitat Trail in April.

Stellar’s jay along the Hood River Pipeline Trail in May.

Female red-winged blackbird at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.

Red-winged blackbird at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.

Spotted towhee at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.

Starlings along the Hood River Pipeline Trail in May.

Brownheaded cowbird at Upper Table Rock in May.

American robin at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.

Tropical kingbird? at Denman Wildlife Area in May.

Black-headed grosbeak (also all I could get) at Applegate Lake in May.

Lazuli bunting at Roxy Ann Peak in May.

Cedar waxwing at Julia Hansen Butler Wildlife Refuge in June.

Western tanagers, Siskiyou Wilderness in July.

American dipper (Ouzel) near South Umpqua Falls in September.

Townsends solitaire at Crater Lake National Park in September.

Clark’s nutcracker at Crater Lake National Park in September.

Varied thrush along the Eagle Creek Trail in November.

Unknown at Cascade Head in October.

We also struggle with a few of the woodpeckers.
Forest Park in January.

Northern flicker at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April. We seem to see flickers on nearly every hike, but they don’t often sit still long enough for us to get a decent picture.

Pileated woodpecker at Chehalem Ridge Nature Park in May. We rarely see these but like the flickers, when we do they are very difficult to get a photo of.

Acorn woodpecker at Denman Wildlife Area in May.

Hairy? woodpecker near Twin Lakes in the Umpqua National Forst in June.

Red breasted sapsucker at E.E. Wilson Wildlife Area in July.

Either a hairy or downy woodpecker along the Eagle Creek Trail in November.

Unknown, Sky Lakes Wilderness in late September.

Next up are scavengers and birds of prey including those pesky hawks.
Crow along the Crown Zellerbach Trail in March.

Raven at Upper Table Rock in May.

Turkey Vulture at Julia Hansen Butler Wildlife Refuge in June.

American kestral along the Crown Zellerbach Trail in March.

Osprey along the Hood River Pipeline Trail in May.

Another osprey at Julia Hansen Butler Wildlife Refuge in June.

Bald eagle at Julia Hansen Butler Wildlife Refuge in June.

Eagle in the Sky Lakes Wilderness in September. Not sure if it is a bald or golden.

A bald eagle and hawk at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.

Pair of hawks at Denman Wildlife Area in May.

Hawk at Denman Wildlife Area in May.

Hawk at Julia Hansen Butler Wildlife Refuge in June.

Hawk along the Pacific Crest Trail near Carter Meadows Summit in August.

Hawk at Crater Lake National Park in September.

Barred owl at Noble Woods in May.

Great horned owl at Denman Wildlife Area in May.

Young great horned owl at Roxy Ann Peak in May.

Moving on to game birds, a few of the species we saw this year were at the E.E. Wilson Wildlife Area at their breeding facility in June.

Ring-necked pheasant

Silver pheasant

Near the breeding facility at E.E. Wilson Wildlife Area.

Mourning dove at Roxy Ann Peak a in May.

Grouse? in the Siskiyou Wilderness in July.

Grouse in the Mt. Adams Wilderness in August.

Grouse in the Sky Lakes Wilderness in September.

Bodies of water attract a lot of birds and provide us with a less obstructed view vs the forest.
Long billed dowitchers? at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge in April.