The Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge is located a few miles southwest of town. It’s one of only a handful of urban wildlife refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System. Since 1992 the Federal government and volunteers have been working to turn the Refuge back to a more natural state within the floodplain of the Tualatin River Basin.

We took advantage of a cool and cloudy day on the first weekend of May to hike the Refuge’s three-mile perimeter trail (it opened for the season on May 1st) while enjoying the birds, several deer, wildflowers and the oak tree-dominated wetlands. It is always a nice place to visit.

Wetlands

Killdeer

Two deer bedded down for the day and well hidden

Great Blue Heron on the hunt

One of many Spotted Tussock Moth caterpillars having a snack

Redwing Blackbird

Bee looking for Camas Lily nectar