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The Friends of Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge
The latest updates | October, 2021
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From the Friends
It's the most wonderful time of the year...
Because it's BirdFest & Bluegrass of course! You'll find all the information you need to participate virtually or in-person below. We hope you laugh, learn, and enjoy!
We also want to say a huge thank you to everyone who participated in GiveMore24! on September 23rd. With your help, we raised $6,324 to help us support the Refuge. We are so grateful for your support.
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-Anna Wilde, Executive Director
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Ridgefield Refuge Complex News & Events
Gate Times for Both Units: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM
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SEASONAL TRAIL UPDATES:
The Kiwa Trail closes for the season on September 30th, as does the Carty Lake Trail. These trails will NOT be open for BirdFest & Bluegrass, October 2nd.
Don't forget that the Oaks-to-Wetlands Trail, within the Oak Restoration area, is generally closed Thursdays for trail maintenance, watch for signs.
NOTE: The Washington State Discover Pass is not valid on Federally managed public lands, including National Wildlife Refuges.
Check the Refuge2020.info website for project updates, like the Steigerwald Lake reconnection project, Carty Unit Oaks-to-Wetlands Trail developments, and more!
To feel more connected to nature and the Refuge while staying home, stay tuned to the Friends Social Media streams on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram - we are working to share activities, videos of nature on and off the Refuge, and more. Social links can be found at the bottom of this newsletter.
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BirdFest & Bluegrass 2021
You may be wondering what the schedule is going to be for the BirdFest part of BirdFest & Bluegrass? We will have all our videos available all at once on October 2nd, all in one simple link!
We will have a variety of nostalgically-themed videos that resemble the activities you know and love from in-person BirdFest events, like the Cathlapotle Plankhouse hike, the Night Hike, birding workshops, Refuge info, and so much more.
Of course, there will be tons going on in downtown Ridgefield for you to check out, which is why we wanted the videos to be easy to find. While you’re downtown, you can view the videos in the City of Ridgefield's "Previews" booth, right alongside the vendors, family activities, and Bluegrass pickers and bands. And of course, don’t forget that the Refuge will be free!
Saturday, October 2nd, we are taking you, Back to the Refuge!
Things to Note:
1. The Refuge will be fee-free, but the seasonal trails won't be open. Take a self-guided hike on the Oaks-to-Wetlands Trail on the Carty Unit, following along with our "Lower Columbia River Timeline" hike!
2. Bluegrass Music, Bluegrass Pickers, vendors, and family crafts and activities will be going on in Downtown Ridgefield.
3. BirdFest videos, featuring your typical Refuge-centered events, will all be available at once, online in one place! And, you can view the videos in the City of Ridgefield's "Previews" booth.
4. If you purchased a t-shirt or sweatshirt, they will be available to pick up in the marketplace 9am-2pm - you will receive an email to the address you paid with if this changes.
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BirdFest & Bluegrass 2021 Commemorative Buttons
Find the 2020 BirdFest & Bluegrass commemorative buttons featuring the Bird of the Year, the American Crow at local Vancouver and Ridgefield Businesses, find the list HERE!
Scroll to the bottom of our BirdFest page for details and facts about Crows with videos, links, and more!
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From the Contact Station
Migration and Trending Bird Populations
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This is always an exciting time of the year. You never know what might come flying by. We're in the middle of migration. The storm that came through in September dropped enough water to create good-sized puddles and muddy areas and bring up some green. For those who were driving around the River S a couple days after the storm there were some cool finds. Unsurprisingly there were Wilson’s Snipe everywhere along with their companion Killdeer, both of which like to probe around the mud. Both Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs were noted as were Least Sandpiper and many Long-billed Dowitchers...Keep Reading...
-Susan Setterberg, Contact Station Volunteer
- Photos by Susan Setterberg
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Preserve America is a national initiative in cooperation with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation; the U.S. Departments of Defense, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, and Education; the National Endowment for the Humanities; the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities; and the President's Council on Environmental Quality. RNWR Page here.
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Habitat Restoration Updates & Events
September 2021 Habitat Recap
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The month of September finally brought us some cooler temperatures, along with the much-needed first rains of the season! We have started to shift focus to fall-season projects such as gathering high tunnel propagations for this year’s planting season, and the treatment of Himalayan Blackberry/Tansy rosettes with herbicide on the days without rain. The search for Bulrush has come to a close, as four re-flooded wetlands were searched and sprayed via tractor for bulrush re-growth. Volunteer work parties continue on an as-needed basis for essential tasks that our Habitat Restoration team needs extra help with. This month there have been a number of brush-blade work parties at the Port site in Ridgefield to help with the Removal of blackberry and Reed Canary Grass that surrounds Carty Lake. Since Bulrush work parties have tapered off, these volunteers have been recruited to help with gathering seeds to be planted in the high tunnel along with propagations.
-Emily Lane, Friends of RNWR Habitat Restoration Technician
Photo caption: Emily Lane in the High Tunnel
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Refuge Volunteering
Tiny but Mighty
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The Friends are so thankful for our small but dedicated group of volunteers that have been working behind the scenes and on the land! Here are some highlights from the last month.
Habitat volunteers have been limited to 6 volunteers per work party this season as part of the Friend’s COVID-19 Safety Procedures and we have not been able to invite volunteers from the public. Our most experienced volunteers have been around to help with mission-critical projects such as brush blading blackberry from the port, planting maintenance, and Ricefield Bulrush searching. In the photo above you can see one of the habitat volunteers, Dave, clearing a blackberry that was blocking views toward Carty Lake. This will be a good landing space for the dusky geese coming in and potentially a future planting site!
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Want a Canoe and a great way to support the Friends volunteer programs? We are just about ready to put one on the market! Thanks to a donation, the Friends have a Wenonah Sundowner Canoe that we will be selling. The picture here gives you a sneak peek of the canoe, and shows the volunteers that helped clean it up!
-Elena Tinoco, Friends of RNWR Volunteer Coordinator
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Check out what species are being seen on the Refuge here.
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Ridgefield First Saturdays -
BirdFest & Bluegrass
October 2, 2021
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Enjoy the annual Friends of the Refuge festival complete with bird watching and bluegrass music.
Family activities and crafts, Bluegrass bands and pickers, and vendors will all be happening in Downtown Ridgefield!
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Species Spotlight - BirdFest & Bluegrass Bird of the Year
American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos
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Crows may seem like a common sight to many of you, but it may surprise you to find out that the crows we are used to aren’t found in some southern states, and not at all in Mexico. The American Crow specifically, the most prolific of the North American crows, is a short-distance migrant or resident. Most of the crows that breed in Canada winter in the United States, and these crows can be found from coast to coast with the exception of the northern part of Washington state up through the British Columbia Coast (and the northern parts of Canada), the most southern parts of California, southern Nevada, most of Arizona, the southern part of New Mexico, the west side of Texas, and Mexico.
-Samantha Zeiner, Friends of RNWR Administrative Coordinator
-Photo by Scott Carpenter
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Walk for the Wild 5k Challenge |
PRESENTED BY THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM & PUBLIC LANDS ALLIANCE
OCTOBER 9–16, 2021
"ABOUT WALK FOR THE WILD
Did you know that humans spend 95% of their time indoors?! We’re becoming more and more of an indoor species.
A growing body of evidence supports the idea that spending time in nature promotes mental and physical well-being. We all need a little more of that, right?
This October – to celebrate National Wildlife Refuge Week – join us to help wildlife and humans to thrive by taking a walk, stroll, saunter, hike, prance, trot, amble, ramble or roll for the wild.
The Challenge
We're on a mission to empower wildlife and humans to thrive. The challenge is to get people moving a distance of 5K in nature on behalf of as many national wildlife refuges as possible; there are 568 to choose from."
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Friends Photo Contest Merchandise |
Check out our store items, with more being added all the time! We have mugs that change colors, tote bags, sweatshirts, and more, all featuring our 2019 and 2020 Refuge Photo Contest winning photos. Get your friends and family (or yourself!) a gift that will remind them of nature's beauty and support a wonderful cause!
If there isn't something you like, you can always donate, or buy a membership to the Friends in someone's name - an annual gift program that supports wildlife, habitat, volunteers, education, and more.
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Become a Business Alliance Member!
As a member of the Friends of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge Business Alliance, you invest in one of our urban metropolitan area’s most unique and diverse natural and cultural resources. Click here to find out more
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Board Seeking New Members
Or, Join a Committee
The Friends of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge is a non-profit dedicated to promoting educational and cultural programs of the Ridgefield NWR, and protecting and enhancing its wildlife habitat. We are currently seeking candidates to serve on our board of directors. We are recruiting candidates with diverse backgrounds and skills for several open board positions, in addition to candidates interested in serving on a committee (board membership not required).
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Join the Friends of Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge Board for their monthly meeting. Meetings start at 5pm every second Monday of the month and will be on Zoom until further notice, contact us to join in!
October 18th (moved for Indigenous Peoples Day), November 8th, December 13th
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When you link your Fred Meyer Rewards Card to the Friends, you help us earn donations from Fred Meyer Community Rewards. It doesn't change your regular personal shopping and fuel rewards, but it does make a meaningful contribution to our work on the Refuge. It's easy to sign up. Just click here. You can search for us by our name, Friends of Ridgefield NWR, or by our non-profit number, PK822. Then, every time you shop and use your Rewards Card, you are helping earn a donation to support the Friends and Ridgefield NWR. If you do not have a Rewards Card, ask at the Customer Service desk of any FM store.
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Log on to smile.amazon.com and shop as you usually would - .5% of your purchase will be donated directly to the Friends! Use the link with your existing user name and password. When prompted to select a charity, choose the Friends of Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge. |
Giving Assistant makes it easy to donate to Friends of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge! Simply shop online, earn cash back, and donate as much as 30% of your purchase price - Giving Assistant facilitates the whole process. Now, you can help change the world for free while saving money at over 3,000 popular online retailers like Home Depot, ULTA, and Macy’s! Start HERE! Thanks for being an EcoShopper and helping the Refuge!
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Would you like to enjoy a cup of coffee from Ridgefield's Seasons Coffee after a morning hike on the Refuge? Lunch at Vinnie's Pizza in-between the River 'S' and Carty Units? Dinner and drinks at the Historic Sportsman's Restaurant and Lounge after a busy day of wildlife viewing (5% off a meal with member card!)? Or maybe you would like to get a discount on some supplies at Shovel & Thumb or Backyard Bird Shop? How about a night out at Ilani?
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The Friends of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge promote the enjoyment, understanding, and protection of native and endangered birds, other wildlife, and their habitats. We focus on our local community and the Pacific Northwest. |
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Business Alliance Members: |
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Granting Organizations & Partners: |
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Header Photo Credit: Gary Grossman, 2018, 1st place Landscape Category, Refuge Photo Contest |
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Want regular updates on Refuge events and happenings? Follow the Friends on your favorite social media by clicking the logos below to stay connected even when you are off the Refuge.
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