Early August trip up the Columbia River

Headed out kind of late and worked my way out to the coast.  Instead of my usual stops in Scappoose at the Water Works, and St. Helens at Scappoose Bay i drove straight to Carr Slough.

From there it was a bee line to Astoria.  The Sewage Ponds and associated inlet first and Fort Stevens for the high tide and ending at the Hammond Boat Basin.

Note to self: Trestle Bay is best 3-4 hours before high tide!  High tide is too late and the birds have moved on.  So i got there about 4 hours before high tide and the birds were way too far out for observation except for the bigger and boldly patterned birds.

I figured a trip back into Astoria and St. George for a quick lunch was in order and i’d come back at high tide.

By the time the tide is fully in all of the best mud flats are completely covered.  Disappointed, i went to the ponds behind the jetty.

The Hammond Boat Basin was the last stop for the day to check out the roost rocks on the arms of the harbor’s break water.

Ecoregions:

Level IV: (1f) Willapa Hills

Level IV: (1a) Coastal Lowlands

eBird Reports:

Carr Slough

Astoria Sewage Ponds

Fort Stevens

Hammond Boat Basin