We'll begin from Portland and drive directly to Fort Stevens State Park, unless there is a rare bird being reported that is within our range. We'll make a full round of the birding stops at Fort Stevens, including the South Jetty, Coffenbury Lake, and a few other nice beaches and trails. We should be able to find Wrentit and Northwestern Crow, two area specialties. We'll try to be at the ponds near the South Jetty parking lot at high tide for our best chance to find a variety of shorebirds, both regulars and rarities. Please consider knee-high boots for the best coverage of these ponds. We'll spend our first of three nights in nearby Astoria.

The most likely scenario is that we will pick up exactly where we left off yesterday, at Fort Stevens State Park. This is not only a prime birding area, but also has a great reputation for rarities, much like Cape May on the Atlantic Coast. Some of the more likely species that we will see include Red-throated Loon, Western Grebe, Pelagic Cormorant, Heerman's Gull, Bald Eagle, Orange-crowned Warbler, and Golden-crowned Sparrow. After a full round of all the prime spots, we'll drive south to Del Ray, the Seaside sewage ponds, and Ecola State Park. We should find a number of new seabirds, waterfowl, and songbirds, and search the gull flocks for rarities. We'll do our best to be at Saddle Mountain State Park between 5 and 6 PM for a multitude of Varied Thrushes, Ruffed Grouse, and hopefully Sooty Grouse. Western Screech-Owl is also reasonable.

Depending upon the tides and weather, we'll spend at least part of the day at Fort Stevens and the South Jetty. But, with Washington State just a short two-mile bridge crossing away, it seems a shame not to pay a visit to Oregon's neighboring state. We'll make stops at Fort Columbia State Park and Chinook Park, still on the Columbia River. Then we'll make our way to Cape Disappointment, Fort Canby State Park, and the North Jetty of the Columbia River. So we'll be right across the Columbia from the South Jetty, looking for birds before they cross the mouth of the river. It will be a fun day of exploring extreme coastal southwestern Washington.

We have about a two-hour drive back to the Portland Airport. If everyone will make their departure flights for noon or later, we'll have a couple of hours to check some coastal spots, or perhaps return to Saddle Mountain for another try at Sooty Grouse and some high altitude birds. The tour will end in Portland by mid-day.

We may see Sooty Shearwaters and other pelagic species from shore.

--John Puschock

The Oregon Extension to Fort Stevens and Clatsop Spit will be led by either Bob Schutsky or John Puschock. Both leaders are quite familiar with the birds of Oregon and will give you a wonderful tour of this incredibly beautiful area of the Pacific Northwest.

$995 per person, double occupancy. Single accommodations are available at an extra charge of $165. See our separate itinerary for the details and price of the full Oregon Tour.

Expert guide service, lodging for 3 nights, ALL meals for the entire tour, entrance fees, and ground transportation within Oregon and Washington. ALL tips are also included in the tour fee, except for anything that you may wish to give to your tour leader(s).
Does not include the cost of airfare to and from Portland, Oregon. BIRD TREKS will, upon request, gladly help you obtain the best possible airfare. Also not included are the costs of alcoholic beverages and items of a personal nature.

A $250 deposit will assure your reservation on the regular tour. The balance is due 1 Aug 2008.

We offer the services of our exclusive BIRD TREKS travel agent, Lori Heathcote, in arranging your air travel. Lori has 22 years of experience in the travel industry and is a veteran birder. Contact her through Bailey Travel at 1-800-224-5399, or you can e-mail lori@baileytravel.com. By dealing with Lori you have the security of a 24-hour toll-free telephone number in case of any travel emergency. She can also assist you with all pre- and post-tour travel plans.

With written notice more than 60 days prior to the first day of the tour, 100% of your deposit will be refunded, minus a $75 service fee. With 30-60 days notice, you will receive a 50% refund of the full cost of the tour. No refund can be made with less than 30 days notice. You will receive a full refund if you provide a replacement for your spot on the tour. No partial refund can be given once a tour begins. We strongly recommend that you purchase trip cancellation insurance to protect your investment in case of injury or illness to you or your family prior to or during a tour. Click on the following link to Access America or contact BIRD TREKS for information on obtaining this coverage.