June 2016 Newsletter

Ridgefield First Saturday:
Big Paddle Festival  

Date: Saturday, June 4, 2016
Events starting from 7:00am- 3:00pm

Join the flotilla of kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddleboards for a two-hour interpretive tour or a relaxing recreational one-hour tour; celebrate the excitement of outdoor recreation on the waterfront with vendor booths, live music, beer garden, food trucks and live marimba music; challenge yourself with the amazing race style scavenger hunt or jump & climb your way through the obstacle course, or take a stroll on the paved path along the waterfront! End the day with a closing ceremony with a bonfire and s'mores.

For the full schedule, how to rent kayaks, where the food will be and when, and so much more, follow these links below!

Check out the City of Ridgefield Page HERE

Or the Facebook Event HERE 
for more information!

Parking is free! No entrance fee! Activities are free! The ONLY cost is boat rental (if needed) and a $5 registration fee for the two hour interpretive paddle. You can register online at Eventbrite or on the day of the event.

National Trails Day  

June 4th is also National Trails Day!

June 4, 2016 is American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day^®, the country’s largest celebration of trails. It "first began in 1993 to highlight the importance of the National Trails System, and to enhance its quality and accessibility for the general public. By encouraging partnerships with outdoor organizations, agencies, and trail groups, National Trails Day succeeds in uniting the larger trail community behind the common cause of demonstrating the tremendous value in America’s trails. National Trails Day events will take place in every state across the country and will include hikes, biking and horseback rides, paddling trips, birdwatching, geocaching, gear demonstrations, stewardship projects and more."

So come on down to the Refuge (after attending some Big Paddle activities) and take a walk to show your support of our country's wonderful and beautiful trails!

For more information on what National Trails Day is about and how to get involved, check out the National Trails Day Website

Content credit courtesy of: http://nationaltrailsday.americanhiking.org/ and http://www.americanhiking.org/ntd/national-trails-day-part-of-something-bigger/

BirdFest & Bluegrass Planning Committee Seeks New Coordinator!  

Help Represent the Friends and the Refuge at Community Outreach events! 

We are looking for a few dedicated volunteers who love the refuge and would like to help others discover what makes this place special. Outreach volunteers are needed to help staff Friends and Refuge booths at events in our community from Ridgefield to Portland. Outreach volunteers work alongside Refuge and Friends staff to answer questions about the Refuge, provide information about what visitors can do at this Refuge, and act as ambassadors for one of our region's best kept secrets. Interested in learning how to get involved? Contact Park Ranger Josie Finley at Josie_Finley@fws.gov or call (360) 887-4106. 

From the River 'S' Contact Station 

By late April, there is a palpable buildup of energy and excitement on the River 'S' unit of the refuge.  People are eager to get out of their cars and explore along the road and on the Kiwa Trail. The resident wildlife and new migrants begin gearing up to find mates and settle into newly made nests. We had a beautiful day on opening day May 1^st this year. By 7:30am, the parking area at the Kiwa trail entrance was already filled. One of the first visitors on the trail, later reported to the contact station volunteer, had seen a recently elusive Great Horned Owl. “He looked very nervous,” reported a birder from Seattle. The owl wasn’t there long as he had moved away when the Vancouver Audubon Group walked through the area. There were two birding groups eager to be out first thing on the opening day.  Ron Escano lead a FWS birding tour also. He will be doing several birding trips, listed on the refuge website, both at Ridgefield and Steigerwald this spring and summer for those who might want a good introduction to birds of the refuges. 

All around the refuge the birds have been in full song. Since you can get out of your car on the road, it is much easier to hear their calls and songs if you spend a few minutes standing quietly. With the water levels being rather high this year, the often sought American Bitterns have been calling from many sections of the auto tour. They were frequently reported on the Kiwa trail and have been calling around the blind overlooking rest lake. The deep, resonant ooooohnk-A-doonk call is always a thrill to hear.  Soras and Virginia Rails appear to be plentiful and can be heard calling from many sections of the refuge. If you stand on the first wetlands bridge to the left on the Kiwa Trail, you can be surrounded by them.  And yet, you may never see them. But it is fun to try and spot one passing under the bridge. 

Mother’s Day, May 8^th, was a very, very busy day. Well-dressed High Schooler's brought their mom's to the refuge. One 4th grader brought his mom and four siblings for the day using his Everykidinapark Pass. If you have a fourth grader in your family, you can get a pass good until August 31^st for free entrance to all national parks and refuges. Google it online for more information about this great program. Several Moms came for a walk on the refuge, including walking the whole auto route, as it was THEIR day. A few left the kids at home! There were people coming in their Sunday best who were changing in the rest rooms. One woman brought her 99-year-old mother with her to see the beautiful refuge. In six hours, we tallied 415 visitors to the River 'S' unit. It was such a beautiful day and everyone was enjoying the outdoors. 

Visitors have reported a few lingering Sandhill cranes seen from the Kiwa Trail. Last year, we had a crane stay through the summer, so if we are lucky, a few might be around for good viewing.  In the shadows of the forested area as you first walk into the Kiwa Trail, you might spot the albino Nutria munching grass. Later reports indicate there may be baby albino Nutria too. Keep a sharp eye out for this all white animal. They show up periodically in the population. It has been known to bump into people as it appears it doesn’t see well. Watch your fingers though, this is not an animal to pet. They can be aggressive. As with all wildlife on the refuge, it is best to watch and observe, but not touch. We need to be good guests in their refuge home.

When you visit the refuge do stop and talk to the volunteer at the contact station. The volunteer crew staffs the contact station for a few hours almost every day. We are looking for more volunteers for this rewarding activity so we can expand our hours of operation. Everyone comes with their own expertise and it varies widely. It is our goal to assist you in having a great experience on the refuge. We enjoy learning from our visitors also. It is an amazing place. 

Reporting from the River 'S' Contact Station-  Susan Setterberg, Volunteer 

Photo By: Virigina Scott

Ridgefield Refuge Complex

News & Events

 

 

 

Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge  

 

Naturalist Led Hikes

The following listings are for Steigerwald Lake, Pierce, and Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuges.  Limited space is available.  Sign up by calling (360) 887-4106 or emailing Josie_Finley@fws.gov.

Other groups that may be offering guided hikes are; Backyard Birdshop, Vancouver Audubon, Portland Audubon, and the Friends of the Columbia River Gorge.

 

Birding the Kiwa Trail at Ridgefield NWR

Leader: Ron Escano

• Saturday June 11th

All walks meet at the trail head at 8:00 am and last about 3 hours.  The Kiwa trail is half way around the Auto Tour Route so please allow yourself an extra 15 minutes to pay your entrance fee and make your way to the trail head.

 

There is no charge for this walk, however the Refuge does have an entrance fee of $3 per vehicle or the use of an applicable federal lands pass. For more information about the fee program, and what passes are eligible, see our Entrance Fee and Passes page.

 

Birding the Gibbons Creek Wildlife Art Trail at Steigerwald Lake NWR

Leader: Ron Escano

• Saturday June 4th

All walks meet at the trail head at 8:00 am and last about 3 hours.  There is no entrance fee at Steigerwald Lake NWR.

 

Learn More

 

Thank you for visiting the refuge and supporting conservation. If you have any questions regarding activities and regulations on the refuge, call the office Monday through Friday 7:30am to 3:30 pm at 360-887-4106.

Habitat Restoration 

Updates & Events

Spring has sprung on the refuge. Red Elderberries (Sambucus racemosa) are heavy with fruit, rose bushes (Rosa nutkana) are full of blooms, and the cottonwoods (Populus balsamifera) are shedding their tiny tuffs. Meanwhile staff and volunteers continue to search for invaders while the biomowers (cows) are busy prepping and fertilizing the ground for next year’s crop of waterfowl.

If you haven’t had the chance yet, now is a good time to take a stroll around the River 'S' and the Kiwa Trail, and if you’re lucky you might happen to see one or two members of the new generation recently born on the refuge.

As we heat up and somewhat dry out, it is also time to start thinking about bulrush. June marks the start of the bulrush removal season. We are starting to put together Wednesday and Saturday volunteer crews to search out and pull Ricefield Bulrush (Scirpus mucronatus) from mid-June through early September.  

For more information or to sign up please contact: keith_rutz@fws.gov

Help the Friends and the Refuge When You Shop Online 

 

Header Photo Credit: Javier Urquizu 2007 Photo Contest Honorable Mention