2025 Oregon – Klamath Basin & the Coast – Extension

from $2,144
  • Reviews 0 Reviews
    0/5
  • Vacation Style Holiday Type
    • Binoculars
    • Hiking
    Bird Watching, Wildlife
  • Activity Level Moderate
    3/8
  • Group Size Medium Group
    8
All about the 2025 Oregon – Klamath Basin & the Coast – Extension Tour.

Clatsop Spit and the extreme northwestern portion of Oregon lie at the mouth of the Columbia River. Birding areas include Coffenbury Lake for Wrentit and migrant songbirds. The South Jetty of the Columbia River has produced some of the most remarkable records in the state, including Yellow-billed Loon, Lesser Sand-Plover, Spotted Redshank, Long-toed Stint, and McKay’s Bunting.

This is THE best spot in Oregon to look for Sharp-tailed Sandpiper and Ruff. Isolated brushy areas create a haven for migrant songbirds. Rarities have included Ash-throated Flycatcher, Mountain Bluebird, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and a number of Eastern warblers. We will make short jaunts along the coast to look for new pelagic species and seek out any newly reported rarities.

The extension will begin 10 October, immediately following the regular Oregon Tour, and end mid-day on 13 October. We will stay all three nights at the same motel in Astoria.

This tour is limited to seven participants. See the separate itinerary for the regular Oregon Tour that includes one terrific pelagic trip!

Duration: 4 days
Limit: 4 – 8
Date: 12 October – 15 October 2023
Start: Portland, OR
End: Portland, OR

Price:
US$2144 per person sharing assuming 4 – 8 participants
Single supplement: US$265

We can run the same trip at a price similar to the larger group price for 2 tour participants, if they rent their own vehicle and pay for fuel – please e-mail [email protected] for details.

The tour package inclusions and exclusions at a glance
What is included in this tour?Items that are included in the cost of tour price.
  • Meals
  • Accommodation
  • Guiding fees
  • Entrance fees
  • All transport while on tour
  • Tolls
Whats not included in this tour.Items that are not included in the cost of tour price.
  • Domestic and International flights
  • Items of a personal nature, e.g. gifts
  • Alcoholic drinks
  • Personal insurance
  • Laundry Service
  • Gratuities
  1. Day 1 Fort Stevens State Park

    We’ll begin from Portland immediately after the Coastal Oregon Tour (see separate itinerary), and drive directly to Fort Stevens State Park, unless there is a rare bird being reported that is within reasonable driving range.

    We’ll make a full round of the birding stops at Fort Stevens, including the South Jetty, Coffenbury Lake, and a few other nice beaches and trails. We should be able to find Wrentit, an area specialty. We’ll try to be at the ponds near the South Jetty parking lot at high tide for our best chance to find a variety of shorebirds, both regulars and rarities. Please consider knee-high boots for the best coverage of these ponds.

    We’ll spend all three nights in nearby Astoria.

  2. Day 2 Fort Stevens State Park and Ecola State Park

    The most likely scenario is that we will pick up exactly where we left off yesterday, at Fort Stevens State Park. This is not only a prime birding area, but it has a great reputation for rarities, much like Cape May Point on the Atlantic Coast. Some of the more likely species that we will see include Red-throated Loon, Western Grebe, Pelagic Cormorant, Heerman’s Gull, Bald Eagle, Orange-crowned Warbler, and Golden-crowned Sparrow.

    After a full round of all the prime spots, we’ll drive south to Del Ray, the Seaside sewage ponds, and Ecola State Park. We should find a number of new seabirds, waterfowl, and songbirds, and we’ll search the gull flocks for anything out of the ordinary.

    We’ll do our best to be at Saddle Mountain State Park between 5 and 6 PM for Varied Thrush, Ruffed Grouse, and possibly Sooty Grouse. Western Screech-Owl is also quite possible.

    Overnight: Astoria

  3. Day 3 Fort Stevens and the South Jetty, and Washington State

    Depending upon the tides and weather, we’ll spend at least part of the day at Fort Stevens and the South Jetty. But, with Washington State just a short bridge crossing away, it seems a shame not to pay a visit to Oregon’s neighbor to the north. We’ll make stops at Fort Columbia State Park and Chinook Park, still on the Columbia River.

    Then we’ll make our way to Cape Disappointment, Fort Canby State Park, and the North Jetty of the Columbia River. We’ll be right across the Columbia from the South Jetty, looking for south bound migrants before they cross the mouth of the river. It will be a fun day of exploring coastal southwest Washington.

    Overnight: Astoria

  4. Day 4 Heading Home

    We have about a two-hour drive to the Portland Airport. If everyone will make their departure flights for noon or later, we’ll have a couple of hours to check some coastal spots, or perhaps return to Saddle Mountain for another try at Sooty Grouse and some high altitude birds.

    This extension to the Oregon Tour will end in Portland by mid-day.

Your Guide: Jacob Roalef

Tours: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Maine, Minnesota, Ohio, Texas, Wyoming, Birding Ecotours (Worldwide)

  1. Will we do any birding the first day?

    Yes! We have birding planned if time allows and everything is on schedule.

  2. How should I dress for the tour?

    Check the weather for the destination as close to your departure date as possible, and dress accordingly for your comfort level. You can also review our What to Bring page for more information.

  3. Besides clothes, what do I need to bring?

    There are many items the will be useful to you while on a Bird Treks tour. We have put together our list of recommendations on the What to Bring page.

  4. What language are tours conducted in?

    Our tours are all conducted in English, but we do have some experience working with client that don’t speak English well – Some English would be needed for safety reasons. In locations where another language is predominately spoken, a native guide may accompany the tour.

  5. Can you help me book flights?

    Yes, we will always try our best to help with anything at all! We’re here to serve you. However, it is usually easier if you book your flight through your own travel agent as we can’t always get the best deals from your particular country. But we will help whenever needed!

  6. Can you book accommodation for us the night before the tour starts or the night the tour ends?

    While Day 1 is usually a travel (arrival) day, and the last day of the tour is usually also a travel day (departure), many people do like to arrive early and/or leave late. We can indeed book extra nights before and after the trip, and we in fact recommend you let us book them, as it avoids confusion and allows us to book the accommodation that is most convenient for the tour.

    NOTE: Most often it is the same hotel or lodge that you use on the first night of the tour, but in some instances, it could be an airport hotel or an accommodation establishment where the guide is staying.

  7. Do you provide trip insurance?

    No, we do not. We find that it is better for trip participants to purchase their own medical, trip cancellation, and baggage insurance through their own insurance provider in the country they reside in. We expect all tour participants to have comprehensive insurance, and we encourage everyone to send us a copy of their insurance documents.

  8. Are meals included?

    For most tours, meals are included in the tour price. This may include a hotel-provided breakfast, or guide-provided box lunches. For dinners, we strive to find interesting and delicious local restaurants – this allows us to give back to the local economy, and find exciting new place to eat.