Coombs Canyon Road
Seasons
Checklists
Location
From Pendleton, take Hwy 395 south for 5 miles. Directly across from the entrance to McKay Creek Reservoir, turn right (west) onto Coombs (rhymes with “blooms”) Canyon Road. This road continues west for ~10.5 miles to its intersection with Mud Springs Canyon Road.
DirectionsHabitat and Birds
Dry grasslands and dryland wheat croplands and minimal sagebrush. The habitat between mile 1 and 4.5 is good for grassland birds from Apr. to Sep. Some years, Grasshopper Sparrows breed along the road. Reinhart Road, which intersects Coombs Canyon Road from the south at mile 3.7, is reliable every year for breeding Grasshopper Sparrows from May to mid-Jul. In Feb. and Mar., keep an eye out for Sagebrush Sparrow, a very rare transient here. Formerly, Ferruginous Hawk nested along the road, but has been hard to find the past few years. Loggerhead Shrike may be year-round and has recently nested near the western terminus of the road. Northern Shrikes may be present from Nov. to Mar.
Discussion