As with any area of Oregon, birding sites are in Marion County. Many of the most rewarding sites are rivers and wetlands, which host both local and migratory flocks depending on the season. For those interested in an extensive birding loop, the folks at the Oregon Birding Group have created a Willamette Loop Map that takes in much of Marion County. For those wanting a more targeted approach, the parks below include the most significant for birders in the area, as well as a couple of lesser-known sites. Here are some excellent suggestions on where to birdwatch in Marion County.
Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge
2301 Wintel Road, Jefferson
Ankeny Hill Nature Center
??130 Ankeny Hill Road SE, Jefferson
The Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge is a restored wetland located near where the Santiam and Willamette Rivers meet and is a can’t-miss stop for anyone interested in birdwatching. Waterfowl (geese, ducks, and swans) are the focus here, and there are observation blinds along multiple trails within the refuge. Visitors can see both migratory and local birds, and birders have counted more than 230 different species at the site. It is one of the best places in the country to see Dunlin flocks that winter there.
Visitors can access multiple educational nodes created by the volunteers at the Ankeny Hill Nature Center throughout the Wildlife Refuge, which contain interpretive information about the animals and plants in the area. Ankeny Hill Nature Center, adjacent to the National Wildlife Refuge, is a partnership of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with the Salem Audobon Society and the Friends of the Willamette Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex. Open daily from dawn until dusk, the Nature Center has two trails that are paved and accessible to all, as well as a picnic area. At the Nature Center, the main hall has indoor and outdoor classrooms specifically designed for school visits. The Nature Center offers an array of events, most of them free and many aimed at children and families.
The Nature Center is also a science delivery center, and visitors can learn about different ways to engage more with various parts of science during their trip. There is a Pollinator Patch that showcases and teaches visitors about the birds, bats, and insects that act as pollinators and the plants that support them. The Ankeny Hill Nature Center also has a Motus Migration Tracker, which picks up signals from birds and animals that have been tagged. You can also check their precipitation data because it’s part of the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network that has volunteers collecting data for Oregon State University throughout the state. The Ankeny Hill Nature Center shows visitors the ways that we can all help gather and interpret scientific data of various kinds.
Minto Brown Island Park
2200 Minto Island Road SE, Salem
Minto Brown Island Park is popular with many Salemites for its extensive trails (both paved and unpaved) that wind through the park, and along the river to Riverfront Park, its dog park, and the diversity of habitats the park contains, from wetland and river to ponds and oak woodland. Large birds that nest on site include osprey, bald eagles, and great blue herons. Songbirds are also big fans of the park in both spring and summer. Birders report that the area beyond parking area 3 along the Willamette is the best for spotting birds.
Fisherman’s Bend Recreation Site
Hwy 22, 2 miles west of Mill City
One good birding site off the beaten track is Fisherman’s Bend Recreation Site along the Santiam River. Many different species of ducks and five different woodpecker species have been spotted, along with warblers and thrushes. The campground is open from mid-May to mid-October, but the area can be accessed on foot at other times of the year.
Mount Angel Abbey
1 Abbey Drive, Street, Benedict
Mount Angel Abbey is another less-common but worthwhile birding destination in Marion County. Warblers like to stop here during their migration. The oak woodland and native meadow plants and flowers create a suitable habitat for many native birds that stay year-round.
Many of our other popular parks are great for birdwatching, including Silver Falls State Park and Willamette Mission State Park. The Oregon Garden is also a worthwhile stop because of the diversity of plant life in the garden, which attracts an array of birds.
So whether you want a less-common stop to revel in bird life or want to start looking during an annual trip to Silver Falls, hopefully, some of these suggestions will allow you to check out some of the local and migratory birds that are attracted to the biodiverse environments of Marion County.
