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Upcoming events

  • Porter Point Fall Fall Hike

    • October 06, 2024
    • 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
    • 7112 67th Ave Long Beach, WA
    • 5
    Register

    Join Rebecca Lexa, certified Master Naturalist, as she guides you on a fall hike at the Porter Point Loop on Sunday, October 6, from 10am to 12pm. Space is limited, so please register on our Event page to attend this free hike:  https://friendsofwillaparefuge.org/Events

    The hike will begin looking across Willapa Bay and a tidal marsh where shorebirds and raptors are often seen. The trail then forms a loop where you enter a cedar wetland before climbing and descending to the ridgetop of Porter Point. Here you will see views of the Bay, including Long Island, as well as the Columbia River on a clear day! This hike is 2.4-miles and moderately difficult.

    Meet at Willapa National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters, in the parking lot at the end of 67th Place, Long Beach.

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Upcoming Adventures

Here are some dates for field trips this summer. Details will be upcoming on this event page and our Facebook and Instagram pages. We look forward to seeing you at one or more of these informational and fun walks.

September 20 - 22 Wings Over Willapa Festival

Sunday, October 6, 10am - 12pm: Porter Point

Fun at March Tracking Events!

The Friends sponsored two free educational and fun events celebrating nature on Friday, March 7, and Saturday, March 8. The first, at the Salt Hotel and Pub in Ilwaco, featured Kristi Freese, a Professional Level IV Tracker, who gave an engrossing presentation on the basics of the skill of tracking. Kristi has studied internationally with a variety of mentors, courses, and other resources. She shared the international standards for tracker skill evaluation and its history beginning in southern Africa. 

The next morning Kristi guided a group along the shoreline of Willapa Bay at Leadbetter Point to identify tracks of birds and mammals. She found some amazing tracks that included otters, birds, crabs, and even one of a coyote (below). She even pointed out the bear sign (below) where they had been chewing on our shorebird interpretative sign! We learned how to read tracks and even the best way to view them. Kristi demonstrated how to tell if animals are running or walking by the way their tracks are grouped. Kristi is an amazing naturalist and instructor, and we hope she will conduct another field trip during our Wings Over Willapa Festival on September 20 - 22, 2024.

We are planning more events for 2024 so come back soon. Our popular Wings Over Willapa Festival will be September 20 - 22, 2024.

Here are some photos from some of our events in 2023.



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