BIRD-WATCHING The diverse habitats along the Oregon Coast attract a remarkable variety of birds throughout the year. More than 450 species have been recorded here, so keep those binoculars handy! Here are a few recommended spots. Tillamook Bay, Tillamook Pullouts along Highway 101 provide a good view of waterfowl in the winter months. Plovers, sandpipers and dowitchers spend summer and fall along its shores. Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint, Tillamook Steep cliffs and sea stacks attract common murres and pigeon guillemots. Forested park trails access clifftop viewing areas. Cascade Head Preserve, Lincoln City Watch for warblers, owls, raptors and seabirds on trails winding through old-growth groves and grassy meadows high above the Salmon River Estuary. Boiler Bay, Depoe Bay At this wayside, spot black oystercatchers, marbled murrelets and other seabirds that frequent this rockrimmed bay. Hatfield Marine Science Center, Newport An easy 1-mile (1.6-km) trail along Yaquina Bay draws birders year-round. Peak shorebird migration is late April. Caspian and elegant terns show up in summer. South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Charleston Tens of thousands of shorebirds descend on the Coos River Estuary during spring and fall migration. The reserve manages 7,000 acres (2,833 ha) of natural areas, with trails and an interpretive center. Harris Beach State Park, Brookings Just offshore, 21-acre (8.5-ha) Goat Island and surrounding sea stacks provide prime habitat for tufted puffins and other charismatic seabirds. Visit OregonCoastBirding.com for more on Oregon’s birding trails and sites. JEREMY BURKE Great blue heron 18 VISITTHEOREGONCOAST.COM
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