Birding the Oregon Coast
Bird watching on the Oregon Coast is an experience for birders of all expertise. From novice to pro, birding the scenic coastline is fun, enjoyable, and educational. Each time can seem like a first. This is thanks to the impressive breadth of the Oregon Coast Birding Trail, comprising 173 viewing sites with over 450 bird species to possibly find. Along the trail, one can explore sandy beaches, tidal estuaries, dense forests, rocky shores: each a unique habitat for hundreds of different birds.
A Birding Haven
To help birding enthusiasts in their pursuit of bird observation, the Oregon Coast Birding Trail was created. This self-guided driving tour will take you up and down the coastline and pinpoint where the finest bird-watching opportunities can be found. Produced with the help of local birders, wildlife professionals, and tourism specialists, the guide offers a terrific primer for anyone wishing to take on the Oregon Coast, a true birding haven.
The best way to experience the trail is to plan your trip before setting out. That is, know what you’re looking for. This will give you a better chance at recognizing it when you do. Along with this readiness, also bring along a field guide (and the Oregon Coast Birding Trail guide), a pair of binoculars, and a camera (for most of us these days, it’s our phone, which you should also have with you always).
In a day, you can literally see an entire guidebook’s fill of birds: blue herons, kingfishers, loons, pelicans, geese, warblers, puffins, sanderlings, eagles, the list goes on. If you’re new to bird watching, a visit to the Oregon Coast could easily turn you into an enthusiast. The appeal of birding is in the observation and the identification of species. With over 450 different birds, the Oregon Coast presents an endless (and rewarding) challenge for all.
Do Not Disturb
When you first set out on the Oregon Coast Birding Trail, a few things to keep in mind: be safe, leave no trace, and do not disturb. As a birdwatcher, it’s your responsibility to observe without interference and with minimal impact. Also, keep to the trail. Remember the Oregon Coast Birding Trail was developed by experts in birding, geography, and tourism. Follow the guide and you won’t be lost. Indeed, much of bird watching is reciprocal: a rewarding activity with strong R.O.I. The only real investment is time.
And yet, there, too, it’s accommodating. Birding the Oregon Coast can be done in a day, a weekend, a week, or a month. However long you choose. Though there are peak seasons (spring and summer), bird watching is truly open year-round. In regards to the season though, you should be aware of the weather, which can impact tides, road conditions, and surface stability. The beauty of the coastline and all the birds you’ll see can be distracting, thus making it even more important to be aware of your surroundings.
Always keep in mind the time of year, dress for every situation, and use caution, such as with sneaker waves, cliff ledges, and jetties. Finally, follow birding ethics, etiquette, and safety, and you should have a wonderful time: one you’ll want to return to before too long. That’s the thing about the Oregon Coast: it pulls the visitor back, beguiling with its beauty and all that it holds within its limits. Like its incredible birds.
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