SAS Ankeny NWR Field Trip Report
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SAS ANKENY NWR FIELD TRIP SUMMARY
October 22, 2025
Tim, Paul, and I led today’s Salem Audubon birding field trip to Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, accompanied by 18 enthusiastic birders. The morning was pleasant, with mostly clear skies and temperatures ranging from 45 to 61 degrees Fahrenheit. A gentle breeze blowing up to 13 mph brought a refreshing coolness at times. We gathered at the nature center before exploring Eagle Marsh and the Rail Trail, covering approximately 1.25 miles on foot. Throughout the trip, we identified 51 bird species by sight or sound, surpassing the 49 species recorded in 2023.
Most notable sightings:
· At the nature center, we headed down to Peregrine Marsh in hopes of spotting Lewis’s Woodpecker that had been seen nearby earlier. As we approached Buena Vista Road, some members of our group spotted the woodpecker perched on a pole across the road. Everyone had the chance to see this striking bird before it flew off to the oak trees opposite the nature center. Near the main building, Cedar Waxwings and Yellow-rumped Warblers swarmed the area in lively flocks. To the west, in the trees and adjacent field, we observed a Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Northern Harrier, Great Blue Heron, and a couple of American Crows. Three Anna’s Hummingbirds flitted busily around, joined by a few Lesser Goldfinches among the teasels. We also heard the distinctive call of a Western Bluebird.
· At Eagle Marsh, we observed 23 bird species. Just in front of the kiosk, the blackberry vines held four Lincoln’s Sparrows and about two dozen Barn Swallows. The island across from the kiosk was surrounded by Mallards, with a few Pied-billed Grebes floating nearby. At the eastern tip of the island, we spotted a couple of Long-billed Dowitchers, several Dunlin, and a single Least Sandpiper among the ducks. Besides Mallards, we identified four other duck species: Northern Pintail, Gadwall, American Wigeon, and Green-winged Teal. Other notable sightings included Greater Yellowlegs, Black Phoebe, and a Red-shouldered Hawk.
· The highlight of our trip was the Rail Trail, where we observed 28 bird species. We enjoyed close views of both Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers and spotted a couple of Ruby-crowned Kinglets busily foraging. Near the photo blind, a small flock of Bushtits gathered, while American Robins and Cedar Waxwings were abundant—the robins notably vocal throughout the area. Several birds flew overhead, including an American White Pelican, Cooper’s Hawk, Northern Harrier, and Turkey Vulture. As we approached the parking lot at the end of our walk, eight Dark-eyed Juncos were seen on the gravel, and the call of a nearby Red-shouldered Hawk echoed through the air.
A few eBird checklist links are provided below along with a Trip Report link to see all the observed species. Our next two SAS bird walks are at Keizer Rapids Park on Thursday, October 30th at 9:00 AM. Meet at the far parking lot near the boat ramp. The second bird walk is at Minto-Brown Island Park on Sunday, November 9th at 9:00 AM. Meet in parking lot #3 at the end of Minto Island Road S. See our Kestrel newsletter for additional details.
Please join us if you can.
Mike Unger
Keizer, Oregon
Ankeny NWR Checklists for October 22, 2025
Number of Species: 51
Checklists included in this summary:
(1): Ankeny NWR--Ankeny Hill Nature Center @ 8:54 AM
(2): Ankeny NWR—Eagle Marsh @ 10:23 AM
(3) Ankeny NWR—Rail Trail @ 11:22 AM
eBird checklist links:
Ankeny Hill Nature Center - https://ebird.org/checklist/S280823174
Eagle Marsh - https://ebird.org/checklist/S280821975
Rail Trail - https://ebird.org/checklist/S280832458
Trip Report link: https://ebird.org/tripreport/425336
October Kestrel link: https://files.elfsightcdn.com/eafe4a4d-3436-495d-b748-5bdce62d911d/032250c8-1cc5-457f-ab48-2fe950d96cfb/Kestrel-October-2025-Final.pdf