The Crown Zellerbach Trail holds numerous unique habitats along its 26 miles. In particular the lower section beginning at Chapman Landing heading towards Scappoose has many wildlife viewing opportunities that change throughout the seasons. A series of fields, assorted trees, sloughs and ponds attract many a bird, mammal, reptile and amphibian. Today I wanted toContinue reading “Wildlife of the CZ Trail – Scappoose Bottoms”
Tag Archives: wildlife viewing
Birdwatching at Carr Slough and Prescott Beach
Whenever I’m driving back from the Rainier area, I stop to check out the birds at Carr Slough. This waterway next to Trojan Park is one of the best local spots to birdwatch any time of year. But in winter the waterfowl really start to fill it. I park just off the highway at theContinue reading “Birdwatching at Carr Slough and Prescott Beach”
Squirrels of Northwest Oregon
Folk often ask me what kinds of squirrels live in our area. I figured it was time for a post. In Columbia County we have: 1 chipmunk 1 ground squirrel 2 native tree squirrels (one little and one big) 2 introduced tree squirrels 1 flying squirrel Without further ado, here they are! There are severalContinue reading “Squirrels of Northwest Oregon”
Stumbling upon Wilark Pioneer Cemetery
It’s not as easy to hike logging company land as it once was. But if you get access there are gems to be discovered. One Friday morning I drove Sophia up Pittsburg Road for a walk in the woods. Way up the ridge (long after the road goes to gravel) we turned left onto CampContinue reading “Stumbling upon Wilark Pioneer Cemetery”
The Hidden Carcus Creek Falls
Oregon is a state laden with beautiful waterfalls and Columbia County is no exception. While some of our county waterfalls are Instagram-famous roadside attractions like Bonnie Falls or Beaver Creek, others take a trek to get to and are little more than GPS points online. A few years back, Jon and I decided to searchContinue reading “The Hidden Carcus Creek Falls”
How to enter data for Columbia County Reptiles and Amphibians
You may have seen our booth at the Columbia County Fair. (We’ll be in front of Brad’s World Reptiles every day through July 18th.) Here’s how you can take part in our research. Why this project? Columbia County has received little attention from wildlife biologists, thus we don’t know how our wildlife is faring. MattContinue reading “How to enter data for Columbia County Reptiles and Amphibians”
New possibilities for Salmonberry Lake
I’m excited to learn that Columbia County’s new parks and facilities director, Riley Baker, is looking to work with the city of St. Helens to set up Salmonberry Lake as a county park. County hires new leader for parks and facilities Salmonberry Lake (also called Salmonberry Reservoir) is one of the best birdwatching spots inContinue reading “New possibilities for Salmonberry Lake”
Unsettling Encounter with a Young Elk
I was hesitant to write this post. My hope is that people can learn from my mistakes just as much as from the positive experiences. I set off at 6:30am to avoid the predicted high temps. The early start brought me to a coyote sauntering along the logging road. As I descended a switchback IContinue reading “Unsettling Encounter with a Young Elk”
4-H outing to Trojan Park and Welter Cemetery
Last week my sister invited Matt and I to lead a 4-H herpetology and conservation event. For the site we chose Trojan Park and the area surrounding Welter Cemetery. The Welter Family Cemetery is a century-old cemetery perched on the Old Columbia River Highway, across from Trojan Park. The Welter family moved here from LuxemburgContinue reading “4-H outing to Trojan Park and Welter Cemetery”
The Elusive Columbia Torrent Salamander
The only salamander that shares Columbia County’s namesake, the Columbia Torrent salamander, had never been officially recorded in the county and that just didn’t seem right. These “Torrents” were one of the first salamanders I ever searched for as their habitat niche is in the spray zones of the waterfalls I love. Years ago theContinue reading “The Elusive Columbia Torrent Salamander”
Wild Columbia County 