in Ridgefield, Washington

October 7, 8 & 9, 2011

Join the Friends of Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge and the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge Staff as we celebrate the coming of fall and the wildlife that make the Refuge their winter home. BirdFest and Bluegrass is an opportunity to enjoy the sights and sounds of fall migration and bluegrass music throughout Ridgefield. Come meet people from near and far during our 12th annual BirdFest and Bluegrass.

Special Events and Tours, by reservation only

Pre-Registration Required On ALL Special Events and Tours. Tours marked with a * please go to: www.brownpapertickets.com for reservations. For all other tours, call the phone number provided to make reservations. Tours fill quickly. Check with the Friends Info booth at Davis Park for available spots due to cancellations.

Sandhill Crane Tours*

Cost: $25 per person Friday 5:00 pm, Saturday 6:00 am and 5:00 pm, Sunday 6:00 am and 5:00 pm. The most unique wildlife viewing experience BirdFest has to offer, and a once in a lifetime chance to hear and see the magnificent flight of hundreds of sandhill cranes as they visit their night roost. Join expert staff to learn about cranes and wildlife from a close-in location, not available to the public. Meet at the Vistors Contact Station on the River 'S' Refuge Unit 15 minutes before the tour time and wear weather appropriate clothing in muted, neutral colors and footwear for a hike. Questions: call 360-887-4106. http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/196068

Night Hike: Carty Unit

Suggested donation $5. Friday, Oct.7th, 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm. Join Refuge staff for a nightfall hike to Long Meadow, a unique opportunity to learn about the history and wildlife of the Carty Unit. Dress for the weather and anticipate a three mile hike over uneven surfaces. Meet at the tent near the Plankhouse. Registration is limited to 15 people. Contact Eric Anderson at: eric_anderson@fws.gov to reserve your spot.

"Birders Paradise on the Kiwa Trail" Tour*

Cost: $10 Saturday only; 7:00 to 10:30 am, 3:30 to 7:00 pm. Enjoy a sneak peak birding tour searching the woodlots and wetlands for new arrivals. Meet at the Visitors Contact Station on the River 'S' Refuge Unit. Questions: call 360-887-4106. http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/196069

Photography Walk with Gerry Ellis*

Cost: $10 Sunday 9:00 am. Join award-winning international nature photographer Gerry Ellis for an exclusive photo-walk in our own Ridgefield NWR to discover approaches, techniques, and perspectives on photographing wildlife and nature he has honed in wilds around the world. First Gerry will start with a "gear talk" and do a show and tell about what works best in the varied situations when shooting at a refuge/wildlife setting. During the walk, Gerry will elaborate on what he went over and give live examples and point out great potential photographic situations/moments. Meet at the tent near the Plankhouse, 15 minutes before tour start time. Limit of 20 people. Check out the amazing portfolio and the work of Gerry's site http://gerryellis.net/ http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/196071

Volkswalk

Saturday. Start anytime 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. Finish by 4:00 pm. All Weather Walkers is hosting this AVA Sanctioned 5K and 10K walk. There are two walks available – the 5K passes many old buildings from the last century, including the elegant Shobert House and two historic churches. The 10K will take you from Abrams Park up a wooded path into upscale neighborhoods with panoramic and river views and will include all the features of the 5K route. We encourage you to take in all the Bird Fest activities during and after the walk. Contact Leah Riedel: riedel@teleport.com or Jean Moeller: ejm33@hotmail.com.

Kayak and Big Canoe Tours, by reservation only

See page for details.

Schedule of Events

No reservations needed

Click here to download a 8.5 x 11 printable version of the Schedule of Events and this Matrix and Maps of Ridgefield, and the RNWR.

Downtown Ridgefield Events

Birders' Marketplace Saturday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Sunday 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. Art's & Crafts galore! Located in the Ridgefield Community Center and on Main Street. Fabulous photographs, garden art, jewelry, wood carving, books, bird supplies, glass, ceramics and much more. Come see the Refuge Photography contest winners. Learn something new with exhibits and materials about birds, plants and local wildlife viewing! Get a head start on holiday gifts.

Food Vendors Saturday 11:00 to 5:00 & Sunday 11:00 to 4:00. Located in various booths along Main Street and Mill Street.

Bluegrass Music and Jamming See Bluegrass Music Page

Family Activities Saturday 10:00 to 5:00. Sunday 11:00 to 4:00 at Davis Park. White-breasted Nuthatches are featured this year in our fun andfree crafts and games tables. Most of all, we want you to have fun while learning about BIRDS! Here are some details:

Welcome & Awards Ceremony

Saturday 11:00 at Davis Park. BirdFest and Bluegrass sponsors will be honored and the 2011 Adult and Youth Photography contest category winners will be announced. ProPhoto Supply will award the prizes.

Meet the Photographers Saturday 12:00 in the lobby at the First Independent Bank, directly following the Award Ceremony at Davis Park. Winning photographs will be displayed and photographers available to talk about their winning photo.

Audubon Live Bird Show Saturday 1:00 at View Ridge Middle School. Come meet owls, falcons, and a vulture from the Audubon Society of Portland. Learn about the amazing abilities and adaptations that help them survive in the wild. You will also learn about ways Audubon "inspires people to love and protect nature." Get up close to some of these birds you'd see on the Refuge.

Audubon Live Birds Up-Close Display Saturday 2:30 to 3:30, Sunday 1:00 to 3:00 at Davis Park. You can get an close-up look at these magnificent birds, and learn about their habitats.

New Equipment for Birders Sunday 2:00 to 3:00 at View Ridge Middle School. Join Jim Danzenbaker as he reveals the latest and best equipment for birding.

Beginning Bird Watching Saturday 1:00 at the View Ridge Middle School. Carlo Abbruzzese will share techniques and skills to help identify our local birds, reference materials and field guides, identification techniques, field marks and some fun facts about birds. Beginning Birding is for people who are either completely new to bird watching or who have watched birds for a short time and would like to know more. Carlo Abbruzzese is the Natural Areas Manager for Washington Dept. of Natural Resources.

Intermediate Bird Watching Saturday 3:00 at the View Ridge Middle School. Carlo Abbruzzese will cover some of the lesser known and hard to identify species of SW Washington. Some of these species have confusing vocalizations, while others are shy or tend to stay up high so they are not as often seen. Carlo will also focus on species that are difficult to tell apart like Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawk, Hutton's Vireo and Ruby Crowned Kinglet, and others. Carlo Abbruzzese is the Natural Areas Manager for Washington Dept. of Natural Resources.

Nuthatch Reintroduction Saturday at 2:00, View Ridge Middle School, Bob Altman. The Slender-billed White-breasted Nuthatch is one of the most unique and charismatic bird species that inhabits oak habitats west of the Cascades. We will talk about the nuthatch's natural history and current conservation status, as well as proposed plans to reintroduce this species to portions of its former range.

Bluebird Reintroduction Saturday at 4:00, View Ridge School, Gary Slater. Western Bluebirds were common in oak-prairie habitats in the 1930s on the San Juan Islands, but extirpated as a breeding species in the early 1960s. In 2007, American Bird Conservancy and Ecostudies Institute along with several other partners initiated a 5-year project to reestablish the Western Bluebird to oak-prairie ecosystems on the San Juan Islands through translocation. Through the first five years of the project, a total of 128 individuals - 101 adults and 27 juveniles - have been captured from Fort Lewis Military Installation and Oregon and released on San Juan Island. Each year the nesting population has increased, and in 2011, 15 pairs fledged 74 young from 14 nests. Extensive education and outreach activities have resulted in enhanced habitat protection and conservation of the oak-prairie ecosystem. The judicious use of bird reintroductions is a viable tool for conservation of extirpated species.

ZAP Oregon Zoo Animal Display Sunday 11:00 to 1:00, at Davis Park. ZAP Teens from the Oregon Zoo will be on hand with a variety of bones, pelt and other hands-on materials that allow you a chance to discover some amazing animal adaptations.

Wildlife Watching Around the World and Home to Ridgefield NWR Sunday at 3:00 at the View Ridge Middle School. Award-winning photographer, Gerry Ellis, will share two decades of images and impressions from wildlife assignments around the world, including a glimpse at his current project, The Great Ape Diaries, and how after decades of international travel Ridgefield NWR remains his favorite 'backyard' destination. Check out the amazing portfolio and the work of Gerry's site http://gerryellis.net/

Refuge Carty Unit & Cathalpotle Plankhouse Events

Beginning Bird Watching Walk Saturday 9:00 am. Carlo Abbruzzese will share techniques and skills to help identify our local birds on this walk on the Oaks to Wetlands Trail. Meet at the tent near the Plankhouse.

Family Activities Saturday and Sunday 10:00 to 4:00. Activities and docent led tours of the Plankhouse will highlight the lifestyle of the Chinookan culture through hands-on activities.

Audubon Guided Family Bird Walk Saturday 10:30 to 12:30 and 3:30 to 5:30. A family-friendly nature walk with an Audubon naturalists. Bring your children and nurture their appreciation for the wonder and beauty of nature. Meet at the tent near the Plankhouse.

Flintknapping and Tool Making Saturday 12:00 to 4:00. Flintknapping demonstrations by Dennis Torresdal will be available in the tent near the Plankhouse. Dennis Torresdal currently serves as the President of the Oregon Archaeological Society, a local non profit association that works with professional archaeologists in advancement of knowledge and educating the public about local archaeology. He is also a renowned flintknapper. Flintknapping is the process by which traditional tools such as arrowheads and spear points were made.

Traditional Land Management Strategies Saturday 1:00 at the Plankhouse. Cowlitz Tribe Ecologist, Nathan Reynolds, will discuss different land management strategies used by local Native American populations, such as purposeful use of fire in the prairie and oak habitats which is the habitat of the white-breasted nuthatch, this year's featured bird of Birdfest and Bluegrass. Nathan Reynolds currently serves as an ecologist for the Cowlitz Tribe. He studies historic uses of the land and the different methods used by Native Americans to manage the local landscapes.

Native Plants and Landscapes of the Carty Unit Saturday 1:30 to 4:00. Walk with Habitat Restoration Coordinator, Lynn Cornelius along the Oaks to Wetlands Trail to observe native plants, native oak woodland, floodplain wetlands, and recent restoration work. Hike the entire two mile loop trail. Meet at the Carty Unit, lower parking lot.

Geo-Adventures Saturday & Sunday. Anytime between 12:00 to 4:00. Anyone who likes to solve puzzles and enjoys being outdoors will enjoy this activity. Visit GPS locations within the Carty Refuge Unit. Pick up your Geo-Adventure bag at the Plankhouse tent, then set off with clues and a journal that guide you and your family along your journey. Bring or borrow a GPS unit and find the answers to the questions using navigational and logical skills.

Cathlopotle Village Overview and Site Walk Saturday 2:00. An archaeologist will give visitors an overview of the history of the Cathlapotle Village, a Chinookan village that once stood on what is today Refuge property and consisted of 14 plankhouses and over 900 people at the time Lewis and Clark came through the area. He will then guide visitors out to the archaeological site. The walk should take approximately two hours. Participants are encouraged to wear sturdy shoes and weather appropriate clothing. Meet at the tent near the Plankhouse.

Geology Walk Sunday 11:00 "Montana Comes to Ridgefield — How the Missoula Floods Influenced the RNWR". Join local geologist Jim Maul for a walk examining the impacts from one of the largest single events known to have occurred in the earth's history. The landscape in Ridgefield is the direct result of gargantuan floods from the late Pleistocene commonly known as the Missoula floods. The floods were the result of an ice dam in Montana breaking and the volume of water in a lake approximately the size of Lake Superior swept across eastern Washington and filled the Portland basin with water up to 500 feet deep. As the water drained, it all had to go through Ridgefield, leaving it with a landscape nearly completely influenced by this singular event. The trip will begin at the parking lot of the Carty unit of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. Jim will provide an overview of the floods, present examples from nearby viewpoints of the floods magnitude and dynamics, and visit the location of a glacial erratic on the refuge. Meet at the Carty Unit lower parking lot.

Northwest Native American Basketry Sunday 12:30 in the Plankhouse. Join regional expert Margaret Mathewson as she presents on basketry techniques and styles. Margaret Mathewson has a Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of California, Berkeley and teaches courses at Oregon State University. She works with museums and tribes as a consultant on basketry and teaches basketry techniques and styles.

Keeping Traditions Alive Sunday 1:30 Plankhouse. Sam Robinson, Vice-Chairman of the Chinook Indian Nation will discuss how the Chinook people are keeping the traditions and culture of their ancestors alive. Sam Robinson was involved with the Cathlapotle Plankhouse Project from the begining and continues to be involved with education programs at the Plankhouse.

Traditional Salmon Bake Sunday 2:30 to 4:30. Plankhouse. Join us for a blessing of the food, including drumming by members of the Chinook Indian Nation and Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, and taste the traditionally baked salmon, oysters, and clams. Complimentary samplings while supplies last. Greg Robinson, Chinook Indian Nation, and Greg Archuleta, Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. Sam Robinson will lead a blessing before the samples are made available.

Refuge River 'S' Events

Family Activities Saturday 8:00 to 4:00 and Sunday 9:00 to 4:00. Bird Bingo - all ages will enjoy, as you travel around the River 'S' Unit. Mark off birds you see - three in a row wins a prize!

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Guided Bus Tours Saturday 8:00 to 4:00. Join a free guided bus tour of the River 'S' Unit departing hourly from the Community United Methodist Church, 1410 S. Hillhurst Road. Refuge staff will highlight the Refuge's history, management, and wildlife during the tours. Please note: each tour is approximately 1.5 hours and this will be the only access to River 'S' on Saturday. Ride the BirdFest Shuttle Bus or park at the Community United Methodist Church to catch the Guided Bus Tours.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Guided Van Tours Sunday 9:00 to 4:00 (departing hourly). Guided Van tours of the River 'S' Unit with Refuge staff. This a great chance to meet Refuge personnel and to learn about the management and resources of the Refuge. Please allow 1.5 hours for the tour. Meet at the River 'S' Visitor Contact Station.

Audubon Guided Family Bird Walks Sunday 8:00 to 10:30, and 3:00 to 5:00. A family-friendly nature walk with an Audubon naturalist. Bring your children and nurture their appreciation for the wonder and beauty of nature. Meet at the Kiwa trail head parking area. Sunday 10:30 to 12:30 is a nature focused walk with a broader range.

Audio CD for Tour Route Available Sunday and all throughout the year, enjoy the discovery audio interpretive tour of the River 'S' Unit. Pick up a CD at the Visitor Contact Station, and follow the markers around the auto-tour route. Find out why this land became a Refuge. What are those big furry animals in the water? Why does the habitat look different in the winter and fall? You can also download the podcast at: www.RidgefieldFriends.org or on iTunes.®

The BIG SIT at River 'S' Bird Blind Sunday 7:00 am to 6:00 pm. Join the Vancouver Audubon and FWS staff for this annual, national, international event – The Big Sit. The goal is to tally as many bird species as can be seen or heard from a 17' circle. Meet at the David Dynes Observation Blind. Add to the list of birds seen, get up-close looks through a spotting scope, get pointers on identification techniques, and participate at a survey in action, rain or shine. Stay for five minutes or five hours, but consider bringing a chair for an extended sit. We hope bird watchers from around the globe will unite on this special day by participating in this event. More info at www.birdwatchersdigest.com.

About the Refuge

Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge is operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and provides habitat to more than 200 species of birds. Established in 1965 for the protection of wintering dusky Canada geese and waterfowl and other migratory birds, the refuge offers excellent birding and heritage opportunities. In addition to our natural treasures, cultural treasures include the site of the Chinookan village of Cathlapotle visited by Lewis and Clark, two Lewis and Clark campsites (Wapato Portage and Post Office Lake) and the Cathlapotle Plankhouse. Enjoy the refuge and have a great time at BirdFest and Bluegrass.

About the Friends

The Friends of Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge (FRNWR) is a non-profit community group dedicated to supporting the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. We sponsor programs and activities that connect people with nature, restore important wildlife habitat and provide a living classroom to area children. We need your support as a member! Join now during our BirdFest and Bluegrass Membership Drive.