A fun early spring visit to a National Wildlife Refuge in the Willamette Valley.

This time the destination was the Baskett Slough NWR west of Salem. An interesting location to hike with a combination of wetlands and uplands with Oregon white oak.

Early and showy wildflowers were strutting their stuff. Tens of thousands of wintering geese were feeding and filling the air with their raucous noise.

I hiked to the top of Baskett Butte and did a little off-trail wandering to the north. For an outing of less than two miles, it was a rare treat.

Wild Lily

View from Baskett Butte

Western Meadowlark

Snakes live a tough life

Toothwort

Thousands of wintering geese

Indian Plum