Bird watching
Fernhill is an important stopover area for wintering waterfowl and migrating birds traveling the Pacific Flyway. Designated as an Important Bird Area by Oregon Bird Alliance, Fernhill is widely known as a premier bird watching and photography destination in Oregon. Depending on the season, visitors may see a variety of waterfowl species, flocks of migrating songbirds, herons and egrets, bald eagles nesting in the trees, or shorebirds foraging on the mudflats.
Interested in collecting bird information at Fernhill? Volunteer with Oregon Bird Alliance or explore the Fernhill Bird List and contribute to the eBird database for the Fernhill site. In eBird search for the “Fernhill Wetlands (general)” Hotspot.
Natural Treatment Systems & Bird Habitat
One of the benefits of transforming Fernhill from sewage ponds into Natural Treatment Systems is increased habitat for birds and wildlife. The addition of native wetland plants, logs and snags has the added advantage of providing critical habitat for a variety of bird species from secretive marsh birds such as Sora and Virginia Rail to wetland and riparian songbirds including Common Yellowthroat, Marsh Wren, and Red-winged Blackbird, as well as a variety of wintering waterfowl. The greater Fernhill site also supports a variety of raptors including Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, and the occasional Northern Harrier.
In 2015, CWS began working with Oregon Bird Alliance to understand how birds have responded to habitat restoration at Fernhill. Audubon conducted formal bird surveys for five years from 2015-20, examining historic eBird data collected before restoration, and engaging local birders in community science to monitor bird activity. Read the report summary or the detailed findings to learn more.
