Whitaker Ponds Natural Area

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Seasons

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Location

From I-5, take exit 305A.  Turn right on Lombard St. and go 2.7 miles, turn right on NE 42nd, turn left at the first cross street to stay on NE 42nd, cross Columbia Blvd and continue on NE 47th and in 0.2 miles the parking lot will be on the right.

Go to the Oregon Birding Trails Website. Choose the Willamette Valley Birding Trail. Click on the Trail Guide and choose the Portland Loop Guide. Section P-4.

Directions

Habitat and Birds

This delightful park involves a loop trail around a lake, with a second lake visible from the back side, surrounded by cottonwoods.  It is a good spot to get a decent number of species in a relatively short period of time.  The water gets a good variety of ducks with Hooded Merganser, Wood Duck and Pied-billed Grebe.  Black-capped Chickadee, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Bewick’s Wren, and Western Wood-Pewee are among the birds frequenting the trees.  Black Phoebe has nested there many times and Belted Kingfisher are fairly common.  Great Horned Owls have nested there in the past and often roost there during the day.

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