Locals learn to identify estuary birds

A group of binocular-toting community members came together to spot, and identify, a variety of birds found in the local estuary.

The group had signed up for a “Birds of the Estuary” community class led by South Slough Estuary Education Specialist Eric Dean.

The sun was out, but the group braved a chilly north breeze for the occasion, and managed to see quite a few birds during the event on Wednesday, April 10.

“The estuary is such a rich habitat and environment. There's so much food and such a plethora of life here. It supports this amazing situation,” Dean said during the event.

Estuaries and their surrounding wetlands are bodies of water usually found where rivers meet the sea. They are home to unique plant and animal communities that have adapted to brackish water—a mixture of fresh water draining from the land and salty seawater.

The group of about a dozen community members stopped at three different locations in Charleston to find birds such as the Pigeon Guillemot, Surf Scoter, Pelagic Cormorant and more.

They started at a dock near the Charleston Visitors Center, before heading over to Englund Marine to check out a Great Egret rookery, and then to a beach and walkway near the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology.

Many of the participants already had a good knowledge of the local birds, while others were eager to learn.

The community classes offered through the South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve give adults and children the opportunity to learn, recreate, and marvel at the curiosities of life around the Reserve.

The South Slough Reserve is one of 30 estuary reserve areas that are nationally protected. The local reserve is managed by the Oregon Department of State Lands and is used for long-term research, education, and coastal stewardship.

Reservations are required for the community programs, which often fill up fast.

Community members who are interested in taking a class, can check their website, southsloughestuary.org or follow them on social media to keep up-to-date with activities. Those who sign up for the online newsletter will be notified about upcoming events first.

The South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve is located at 61907 Seven Devils Road in Charleston. They can be reached at 541-888-5558.