Originally I had planned to do my hike at Finley Wildlife Refuge (post) on the Friday of Wildlife Week, but going into the week the forecast called for rain showers. I rearranged the order to move Wapato Lake National Wildlife Refuge and Fernhill Wetlands to Friday morning feeling in hopes that I could finish these hikes before 11am when the showers were forecasted to start. By the end of the week the chance of showers had been replaced by mostly sunny skies.
We visited Wapato Lake in February 2024 (post) and had enjoyed the short hike. Located in Gaston, OR the trailhead is just under an hour from Salem. A paved path leads to a footbridge over Wapato Creek and then dikes lead right for 2 miles and left for 0.6. We hadn’t done the full 2-miles to the right in 2024, so I started with that section then hiked to the end of the 0.6-mile section before returning to the car for a total of 5.6-miles with virtually no elevation gain.
All trails are open from February 1st through September 30th, then from October 1st through November 30th the final 1.3-mile stretch to the right (south) is closed, and there is no hiking allowed during hunting season from December 1st to January 31st.
There were a lot of ducks, geese, and herons at the lake along with smaller birds in the surrounding trees.
Geese
Osprey
Killdeer
Meadow checker-mallow
Wood ducks
Northern shovelers
Ducks, geese, and a heron.
Scrunched heron
Stretched heron (same heron)
Sparrow
A different heron and a duck.
Yep, it’s a nutria.
Spotted sandpiper
One of several benches located along the dikes.
American coot
Gadwall
Dove
Crow
American kestrel
Swallow
Cinnamon teals having a disagreement.
End of the trail to the south.
View from the end of the trail.
Wood ducks
Robin
Short billed dowitchers
Green winged teal
Hooded merganser and a gadwall
Ring-necked ducks
Heading to the left (NNE) now.
Red-winged blackbird
Egrets, herons, and ducks.
Great blue heron and egret
Cinnamon teal and northern shoveler
Hooded mergansers and a cinnamon teal
Northern shovelers and a northern pintail on the right.
California quail
End of the trail in this direction.
One thing to note is that the bathroom is currently closed due to budget shortages. Other than that, this was a great hike with a nice variety of wildlife and no other people.
From Gaston it was just a ten-minute drive to Fernhill Wetlands.
We had also been here in February 2024 (post), but not on the same day as Wapato Lake. I did virtually the same route today as on that trip which is described in detail in that trip report.
My 3.3-mile track with minimal elevation gain.
The wildlife was sparser here than it had been on our previous visit, but there were a few species about. I also saw my fourth and fifth Bullock’s oriole of the week. Every one of these I’ve spotted have been while flying past me with their bright orange feathers flashing momentarily only to disappear into a tree or bush. I did have some more cooperative subjects though including the first hummingbird of the week.
Swallow
Osprey
Killdeer
American coot
Mallard
Anna’s hummingbird
A bit of the pink on it’s throat.
Ring-necked ducks
Bald eagle
Gadwalls
Song sparrow
Purple martins
Pied billed grebe
Mallard and ducklings
Mallards
Fringecup
Rabbit
Sandpipers
Ground squirrel
American goldfinch. I’d seen a number of these this week but had only managed a picture of the back of one at Finley Wildlife Refuge.
This was another fun morning of looking for wildlife, but my feet and legs are more than happy that there is only one day of Wildlife Week left. The plan is for Heather to join me on the last hike, and we are hoping to check out a couple of waterfalls before stopping at Fern Ridge Wildlife Area west of Eugene. Happy Trails!
wanderingyuncks 