By Wilson Cady
Revised by Randy Hill (August 2024)
The Columbia River bottomlands north and east of Vancouver, though mostly diked, offer vast freshwater marshes, grasslands, shallow lakes, and some of the densest remaining high-quality floodplain forest in Washington. The mile-wide Columbia is tidal here, and the shoreline is just a few feet above sea level, conveying an estuarine feeling. The most important sites are the
Lewis River Delta, near Woodland; alluvial deposits from the outwash of the Willamette River, near Vancouver; and the mouth of the Columbia Gorge, near Washougal. Birders come here principally to find waterfowl, raptors, Sandhill Cranes, and gulls, in migration and winter. Birding is also good for typical passerines in all seasons, and the area has had its share of rarities.
Here are four bird-rich locations to visit within the Columbia River bottomlands:
Vancouver Audubon 