New Bridge/Eagle Creek Road/Sparta Road

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Seasons

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Location

From Richland, travel west on Hwy 86 for .3 miles to New Bridge Road. A half mile north on this road is a good pond that can have waterfowl. Bird along this road including the tiny town of New Bridge. For further adventure, cross the bridge and take the road uphill to Sparta. There is a nice pond on the flat top east of Sparta which attracts warblers and waterfowl. Sparta hosts hummingbirds and bluebirds. The road drops down to connect with Hwy 86, about 21 miles from I-84. Take along a National Forest map and explore some of the creeks accessible from Sparta.

Directions

Habitat and Birds

Ornamental vegetation provides good hummingbird habitat and fruiting trees often have waxwings and orioles. The hillsides will have Lazuli Bunting and possibly Yellow-breasted Chat. The town of New Bridge is known to be a good place to find Western Screech-Owl. Just north of New Bridge, there are large cottonwoods which attract Lewis’s Woodpecker among other species. Red-eyed Vireo has been spotted here more than once. Eventually, Eagle Creek Road enters timber and a variety of forest birds will greet you. This is the favorite Baker County location for at least one of the authors of this document.

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