| Update 3/20/2026: Unfortunately, registration for this event has filled up! Waitlist spots are available, and we encourage you to sign up for one if you are still interested. Waitlist signups also provide us with useful information about which events have significant interest from the public, which guides our future programming decisions.
Event Basics: Join Willamette Riverkeeper and the Salem Audubon Society for a guided bird walk through the Gail Achterman Wildlife Area, an ODFW-owned conservation property along the Willamette River. This riparian forest serves as critical stopover habitat for migrating birds, making it an excellent location to spot species rarely seen elsewhere in the Willamette Valley. Staff from Willamette Riverkeeper will provide a presentation about our ongoing restoration efforts at Gail Achterman, and experienced birding guides from Salem Audubon will lead our group walk.
When & Where: Sunday, May 31st, 2026 | 8:30am - 11:00am Because there are no public access roads into Gail Achterman Wildlife Area, we will meet at nearby Mark Lloyd Park (5360 Halls Ferry Road, Independence, OR 97351). This property is also referred to on some maps as the Emil Marx-Lloyd Strange Fishing Hole Park. We will leave personal vehicles at this lot, then shuttle into Gail Achterman via an agricultural easement road using Willamette Riverkeeper's passenger vans and trucks. If you are running late to the meetup location, please call event coordinator Luke Stuntz (617-834-8727).
What to Bring:
- Sturdy shoes suitable for walking across uneven ground that you are comfortable getting a bit muddy.
- Binoculars suitable for birding – we may be able to provide loaner binoculars for a limited number of participants.
- Birding scopes and cameras are welcome, but please be prepared to carry any gear you bring along our roughly two mile walk.
- Sunscreen, a water bottle, and a snack – with some luck, we should get a beautiful day in the morning sun!
Additional Details:
- Gail Achterman Wildlife Area is managed as a conservation property, not as a public park – meaning that there are no paved, graded, or graveled trails. We won't be bushwhacking, but attendees should be prepared to walk across uneven and occasionally muddy ground.
- There are no restroom facilities available at Gail Achterman Wildlife Area, although there are restrooms at the meetup location at Mark Lloyd Park.
- We want this event to be accessible to novice birders! Our event leaders and community members will be happy to teach the basics of bird identification to anyone who is interested in joining.
Questions? Reach out to event coordinator Luke Stuntz at lukestuntz@willametteriverkeeper.org or 617-834-8727.
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Willamette Riverkeeper thanks our partners at the Salem Audubon Society for their support of this event! |
