Our visits to Hood River, Oregon and Stevenson, Washington offered a perfect slice of spring in the Columbia River Gorge. Multnomah Falls was rushing, wildflowers abounded on our hikes in Beacon Rock State Park, and the sun sparkled during a wine tasting event hosted by the Columbia Gorge Museum. Guests of National Geographic Sea Bird enjoyed the bounty of the season on our journey down the Columbia River!
4/9/2025
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National Geographic Sea Bird
Umatilla Wildlife Refuge, Crow Butte
Today we woke anchored at the Umatilla Wildlife Refuge, which was created in 1969 as a habitat for wildlife displaced by the John Day Dam on the Columbia River. It serves as crucial compensation for lost habitat and nesting grounds and is an important stopover for waterfowl migration along the Pacific Flyway. The refuge is composed of many small islands called the Blalock Islands, which are essentially a river archipelago teeming with life. These islands provide prime nesting and resting habitat for a variety of bird species, especially during migration season. We set out to explore with our Zodiacs and observed hundreds of birds across 14 different species. Highlights included great looks at soaring red-tailed hawks, a big group of American white pelicans and osprey, including an osprey with a fish in its talons. During lunch we sailed 10 miles downriver to Crow Butte, where guests chose from kayaking or a variety of shoreside walks. We are about halfway through our journey and looking forward to a big change in vegetation and topography as we progress westward towards the Pacific.
